U-Haul Canadian Destination City No. 8: Kitchener Attracts Commuters, DIY Movers

Jun 19, 2019

Kitchener is the No. 8 Canadian Destination City according to the latest U-Haul® migration trends report, rising one spot from its ranking on last year’s list.

Kitchener saw a 12% year-over-year increase in one-way U-Haul truck arrivals in 2018 to remain one of the top 10 busiest cities for incoming traffic among do-it-yourself movers.

“I’m not surprised to see Kitchener remain one of the top destinations for DIY movers,” said David Anstett, U-Haul Company of Western Ontario president. “Kitchener is my hometown. I’ve seen firsthand how much the city has grown. The Waterloo Region is the second fastest growing urban area in the country. This area is a hotbed for development, from transit and transportation to the tech sector and neighborhood expansion.”

U-Haul has two Company-owned stores and nine independent dealers currently operating in the Kitchener city limits. Find U-Haul truck and trailer sharing locations in Kitchener at uhaul.com/locations.

Moving Season in Kitchener

U-Haul is counting down its top 10 Canadian Destination Cities leading up to “Moving Day” on July 1, one of the busiest dates for residential moves in Canada, and specifically Quebec. The No. 1 destination will be announced June 28 on Twitter @uhaul. View Canadian Destination Cities 8-50 below.

“Kitchener has become a middle point for many commuters because it has affordable housing and new residences to accommodate a growing population,” Anstett added. “This city is kid-friendly, so you find many young people moving here to start families while still being close to the jobs and big-city excitement of Toronto.”

Rankings are based on the total number of arriving one-way U-Haul trucks into a city in the past calendar year. Destination Cities reflect the volume and regularity of do-it-yourself movers coming into a city, but do not account for departing one-way U-Haul trucks, and thus do not necessarily reflect growth like U-Haul Growth Cities rankings do.

U-Haul released its top 25 Canadian Growth Cities for 2018 in January.

U-Haul is the authority on migration trends thanks to its expansive network that blankets all 50 states and 10 Canadian provinces. The geographical coverage from more than 21,000 U-Haul locations provides a comprehensive overview of where people are moving like no one else in the industry. Migration trends data is compiled from more than 2 million one-way U-Haul truck rental transactions that occur annually.

2018 U-Haul Canadian Destination Cities

* Nos. 1-7 TBA June 20-28. Previous year rankings in parentheses.

8. KITCHENER, ON (9)

9. HAMILTON, ON (7)

10. VICTORIA, BC (8)

11. MISSISSAUGA, ON (12)

12. BRAMPTON, ON (11)

13. QUEBEC CITY, QC (13)

14. WINDSOR, ON (15)

15. KINGSTON, ON (16)

16. KELOWNA, BC (19)

17. SCARBOROUGH, ON (14)

18. SURREY, BC (20)

19. BARRIE, ON (17)

20. OSHAWA, ON (18)

21. ST. CATHARINES, ON (23)

22. GUELPH, ON (21)

23. DARTMOUTH, NS (32)

24. BURLINGTON, ON (24)

25. WINNIPEG, MB (22)

26. GATINEAU, QC (26)

27. MONCTON, NB (31)

28. SASKATOON, SK (28)

29. PETERBOROUGH, ON (27)

30. KAMLOOPS, BC (39)

31. NANAIMO, BC (35)

32. LETHBRIDGE, AB (34)

33. BRANTFORD, ON (30)

34. ABBOTSFORD, BC (33)

35. CAMBRIDGE, ON (29)

36. ETOBICOKE, ON (25)

37. NIAGARA FALLS, ON (40)

38. SHERBROOKE, QC (37)

39. RED DEER, AB (47)

40. REGINA, SK (38)

41. BELLEVILLE, ON (41)

42. SUDBURY, ON (42)

43. PORT MOODY, BC (NR)

44. NEWMARKET, ON (49)

45. HALIFAX, NS (NR)

46. MILTON, ON (50)

47. GRANDE PRAIRIE, AB (36)

48. FREDERICTON, NB (NR)

49. SARNIA, ON (46)

50. AIRDRIE, AB (NR)

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