Where are Canadians moving to? Check out these current trends

March 1, 2023 @ 12:00pm

There’s no denying it: Canadians love to move. It’s estimated that over their lifetimes, they’ll move five to six times.

In fact, according to a ComFree survey, 28 percent of homeowners report getting the urge to move every five years. What’s more, another 14 percent of Canadian homeowners' report getting that itch once a year.

So where are Canadians moving to? In today’s blog, we’ll explore some of the top trends amongst movers – from the most moved-to cities and moving to another province to the features most sought after by home buyers.

Trend #1: Population growth in urban regions slows

Recent population data from Statistics Canada indicates that Canadians continue to move away from large areas, choosing instead to reside in smaller communities located near big cities.

The report found that Carleton Place, Ont., which is located approximately 46 kilometres west of downtown Ottawa, saw its population grow by nearly four percent in 2021, establishing it as the fastest-growing community in all of Canada.

Following close behind was Cowansville in Quebec with a 3.7 percent growth rate, succeeded by Wasaga Beach in Ontario at 3.7 percent and then Woodstock, Ont., which recorded a population increase of 3.1 percent.

Overall, the number of Canadians living in rural areas increased by 0.7 percent between July 2020 and July 2021, according to Statistics Canada. Ontario and Quebec reported the highest number of city dwellers relocating to rural areas within their respective provinces since at least 2001.

Additionally, Ontario and Alberta demonstrated the largest number of residents moving to other provinces, with the exception of the Ottawa-Gatineau region and the city of Lethbridge. According to Maclean’s, close to 50,000 Canadians left Ontario for somewhere else in Canada, with an estimated seven out of 10 moving to the Maritimes for a change in lifestyle and more affordable housing.

This is the second consecutive year that population growth in urban regions, big and small, has slowed, says Statistics Canada. A record number of people have opted to relocate outside some of Canada’s biggest Metropolitan Areas, with Toronto and Montreal experiencing the greatest losses.

The report listed personal health, the ability to work remotely, and higher housing costs as some of the factors contributing to Canadians relocating to smaller rural areas.

However, with the housing market expected to cool and more employers mandating returns to the office, national housing prices could be down 25 percent by the end of 2023, warranting fewer Canadians to relocate to rural communities.

Most Moved-To Cities in Canada

According to the Statistics Canada report, the communities with the highest population growth rates within the last year are:

Carleton Place, Ont. (3.8 percent)
Cowansville, Que. (3.7 percent)
Wasaga Beach, Ont. (3.5 percent)
Woodstock, Ont. (3.1 percent)
Lachute, Que. (2.9 percent)
Collingwood, Ont. (2.9 percent)
Kelowna, B.C. (2.6 percent)
Squamish, B.C. (2.5 percent)
Whitehorse, Yukon (2.4 percent)
Arnprior, Ont. (2.3 percent)
Oshawa, Ont. (2.3 percent)
Centre Wellington, Ont. (2.2 percent)
Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, Que. (2.1 percent)
Halifax, N.S. (2.1 percent)
Summerside, P.E.I. (2 percent)
Moncton, N.B. (2 percent)

Trend #2: Home buyers seek practical amenities

In a recent poll conducted by Zolo, a Toronto real estate agency, more than 3,300 new homeowners and potential first-home buyers ranked various home amenities based on their importance.

They found that often-promoted features like open-concept family space or updated windows no longer take priority. Instead, homebuyers are seeking practical home amenities like home gyms, backyard retreats and dedicated home offices.

Although each homebuyer is different, the survey found several features common among respondents:

4 bedrooms
3 bathrooms
A garage (72 percent selected this as a must-have)
A walk-in closet (59 percent selected this as a must-have)
A backyard retreat (48 percent selected this as a must-have)
A walk-in pantry (48 percent selected this as a must-have)
Hardwood flooring (47 percent selected this as a must-have)
A dedicated office (46 percent selected this as a must-have)

Despite the above features common among respondents, there were many generational differences reported. For example, Gen Z and older Gen Xers (those aged 45 to 56) found a four-bedroom home ideal while all other generations were content with a three-bedroom home.

There were also key differences in the types of amenities sought after by generations. Only post-millennials cited a pool as a must-have feature, whereas survey respondents above the age of 26, considered a backyard retreat a vital home amenity.

Trend #3: Better quality homes were the most common reason for moving

According to the latest Canadian Housing Survey, the most cited reason for moving among Canadians – reported by 9.7 percent – was to upgrade to a better-quality home. This was followed by moving to a more desirable neighbourhood (7.0 percent), becoming a homeowner (6.4 percent), moving because of a change in household size (6.3 percent) or to lower housing costs (5.0 percent).

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Contact us today to find out more information or to book an in-home consultation! Our moving consultants look forward to hearing from you.

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