U-Haul Canadian Destination City No. 3: Montreal Enjoys Spike in Arriving Traffic

Jun 26, 2019

Montreal is the No. 3 Canadian Destination City according to the latest U-Haul® migration trends report, rising three spots from its ranking on last year’s list.

Montreal saw a substantial 19% year-over-year increase in one-way U-Haul truck arrivals in 2018 to become one of the three busiest cities for incoming traffic among do-it-yourself movers.

“Montreal is known as a historic and culturally impressive city,” stated Patrick Primeau, U-Haul Company of Eastern Quebec president. “This city has nearly four centuries of culture and many of the historic buildings are still intact. Walking through Montreal can feel like taking a time machine. You see 17th century cobblestone streets alongside the growing and modern cityscape.”

U-Haul has seven Company-owned stores and 21 independent dealers currently operating in the Montreal city limits. Find U-Haul truck and trailer sharing locations in Montreal at uhaul.com/locations.

Moving Season in Montreal

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 3-50 below.

“People from all over the world are moving to Montreal and bringing their unique culture with them,” Primeau added. “The city is very diverse. There is always something to do. Many people who are looking for a high-caliber city with close-knit neighborhoods are packing up their U-Haul trucks and heading here.”

Rankings are based by 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. 1-2 TBA June 27-28. Previous year rankings in parentheses.

3. MONTREAL, QC (6)

4. EDMONTON, AB (3)

5. OTTAWA, ON (4)

6. LONDON, ON (5)

7. VANCOUVER, BC (10)

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)

More articles like this one…

What’s New

U-Haul Volunteers Serve Dinner at Andre House in Phoenix

U-Haul Volunteers Serve Dinner at Andre House in Phoenix

Seven U-Haul® volunteers shared a portion of their day on April 23 preparing food and then serving dinner to the at-risk and homeless community just south of downtown Phoenix at Andre House. U-Haul partners with many local nonprofits like Andre House, a highly...

Earth Day 2026: At U-Haul, Every Day Is Earth Day

Earth Day 2026: At U-Haul, Every Day Is Earth Day

The 56th annual observation of Earth Day occurs on April 22 with the theme "Our Power, Our Planet." U-Haul proudly celebrates this. But sustainability isn’t a once-a-year talking point for our teams. It’s a business model that predates the modern...

More Than a Race: The Conversations That Define Pat’s Run

More Than a Race: The Conversations That Define Pat’s Run

A firsthand account of Pat’s Run from U-Haul intern and Cronkite School student Peter Bishop. Pat’s Run honors former Army Ranger, NFL standout and Arizona State University alumnus Pat Tillman, who died in 2004, while raising money for the Pat Tillman Foundation — an...