Loading ...More Canadians are fleeing the country than ever and one province just broke a record
Emigration from Canada hit an all-time high in 2024, with over 118,000 residents choosing to pack up and leave. But according to the latest figures from Statistics Canada, released Wednesday, 2025 is already on track to break that record.
But the wave of departures is far from evenly spread. Two provinces are leading the charge, and one in particular is smashing records and saying goodbye at a much faster pace than the rest.
While the exact reasons behind each person’s decision to leave vary, the growing numbers show a clear trend: more and more Canadians are deciding the grass might be greener elsewhere.
Kind of funny. This article is talking a big non-event. In truth, hardly anyone is leaving even if the new numbers are setting sad little records. What is actually remarkable given the level of problems seen in Canada the past few years is how few people are leaving for homes abroad. That would be a story. When the news reports Canada has officially gone Communist and 500,000 people fly away permanently then you will get my attention. For now these 118,000 leavers are just a fraction of the 2 million who joined last year.
I think I can answer that. First of all, it is very easy for those who live in places that they are truly happy and who have political leaders with whom they are pleased to point at Canadians and say “what’s the matter with you? Just leave”. (looking at you, lucky US members)
In actuality, it’s not as simple as upping and leaving.
If people have beloved grandchildren living close by, the prospect of leaving the country and moving halfway around the world may not be palatable.
For others, especially if we’ve built up substantial retirement savings, one has to wind them down/reallocate them before leaving Canada or else we are hit with a whopping exit tax. Yes, whopping. Not something we can just say “oh well, who cares?” Columbia and I are in this position; we’re working on it but are looking at 18 months of time to complete this.
Others have businesses that have to be wound down in a tax-efficient manner.
Others may have more than one property, and um, homes do not sell overnight. It can take up to a year.
If we’d just graduated? Hell yeah. No assets, ready to work, just up and leave. That said, most of us on this forum are either retired or close to that age, and (thankfully) have built up substantial assets. Those same assets are what may be holding us back. We may want freedom ands we may speak of wanting to leave, but we are not willing to lose up to half of what we worked our asses off to earn.