• By SLHub Reporter
• In IMMIGRATION
• Posted 29 Aug 2025

Canadians Leaving Canada Like Never Before: What’s Going On?

A New Record in 2024

Something notable happened in 2024: 106,134 people left Canada for good, marking the highest annual emigration figure since 1967. And the momentum didn’t stop — the first quarter of 2025 set a new record for net emigration in any Q1, with 27,086 people leaving, while only about a third returned.

Ontario Leads the Exit Rush

Ontario is the province contributing the most to this trend. In 2024 alone, a staggering 50,680 people left Ontario, representing nearly half (48%) of all emigrants nationwide — even though Ontario accounts for just 39% of Canada’s population.

That trend continued into early 2025, with over half of all departures coming from Ontario during Q1.

B.C. and Alberta Also Seeing Extra Departures

Ontario isn’t the only province seeing more people leave than its population share would suggest. British Columbia accounted for 18.5% of departures even though it makes up only 13.8% of Canada’s population. Alberta showed a similar trend, with 12.9% of departures compared to just 11.9% of its population.

Quebec Is Keeping Folks Home

On the flip side, Quebec stands out as one of the most stable provinces. Despite being home to about 22% of Canadians, it accounted for less than 13% of the country’s emigrants in 2024. In early 2025, Quebec contributed around 10% of the departures, holding steady well below its population share.

So, What’s Driving This?

There isn’t just one reason. Analysts point to a mix of pressures, including:

• High cost of living and housing issues
• Searching for better job opportunities abroad
• Desire for change in quality of life or just a fresh start

These echoes of modern “brain drain” tell a story about how life here feels to many.

Quick Takeaways

• Record-breaking numbers of Canadians are leaving — more than at any time since 1967.
• Ontario is the biggest contributor, followed by BC and Alberta.
• Quebec is holding steady, with significantly fewer people leaving relative to its population.
• Several social and economic factors are pushing people to explore life beyond Canada’s borders.

This trend raises bigger questions about affordability, opportunity, and what keeps people rooted. If you’d like, I can dig deeper into where Canadians are relocating or how this impacts Canadian society. Just let me know!

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Canada just broke an emigration record with more people leaving the country than ever before

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