Ontario residents aren’t just fleeing to other provinces in record numbers—the province is driving them abroad. Statistics Canada (StatCan) data shows nearly half of the record outflow of Canadians was from Ontario in Q1 2026. That’s on top of the record departure of non-permanent residents from the province.
Canadians Are Leaving Ontario To Move Abroad In Record Volumes
Canadian emigration from Ontario.
Source: StatCan; Better Dwelling.
Emigration—when a Canadian citizen or permanent resident permanently relocates to another country—is reaching historic levels. There were 14.53K emigrants in Q1 2026, up 0.94% from last year. The volume for Q1 outflows has climbed 81.7% in the past 5 years, and has more than doubled in the past 10 years (+107.1%). Needless to say, Ontario has never seen such a mad dash to leave.
Made In Ontario: Canada’s Record Flight
Canadian emigration from Ontario, 12-month rolling sum.
Source: StatCan; Better Dwelling.
This isn’t a one-off anomaly, but a persistent trend. In the 12 months ending in Q1 2026, there were 56.4K emigrants, up 1.4% from last year, and the highest on record. To put this volume in perspective, that 12-month volume is roughly equivalent to the population of Innisfil.
The exodus doesn’t stop there.
Ontario Is Also Seeing A Record Outflow of Temporary Residents
Canada’s net flow of non-permanent residents in Ontario.
Source: StatCan; Better Dwelling.
There are so many groups of people leaving Ontario that it’s easy to conflate them. Emigrants aren’t impacted by Canada’s immigration changes. The recent policy shifts explicitly impact non-permanent residents (NPRs), meaning those outflows are on top of emigration.
Canada saw a net outflow of 83.2K NPRs from Ontario in Q1 2026, 7.4% more than last year. This is a record outflow for the quarter. Net outflows in Ontario have been extremely rare, with only four reported in the past 30 years. Unsurprisingly, these outflows have historically only followed major real estate downturns. The elevated unemployment and high home prices produce that irresistible urge to find somewhere else to live.
