A record-breaking number of Ontarians chose to move to other regions of Canada this year

During the second quarter of 2021, Ontario saw more residents depart for other regions than it has in over 30 years.

Canada’s most populous province said goodbye to over 37,000 residents from April to June this year, according to data obtained by Statistics Canada — an outflow not seen since the early 1980s.

All in all, the province saw a net loss of nearly 12,000 residents — again, a decrease not seen since the early 1980s — as 25,000 people made the decision to move to Ontario from other regions.

Alberta saw the second-highest number of departures, with over 29,000 residents leaving in Q2.

Over the course of Statistics Canada’s last reporting year — from July 2020 to July 2021 — Ontario saw nearly 85,000 residents pack their bags for other regions — the most of any Canadian province or territory.