Alberta is the leading Canadian growth province for the second straight year, according to U-Haul® Growth Index data analyzing for one-way customer transactions during 2024.
Alberta’s two largest cities, Calgary and Edmonton, are also the top two growth cities in Canada. Calgary was the No. 1 U-Haul growth city for 2023 as well.
British Columbia ranks second among provinces for netting U-Haul customers, while Ontario is again last with the greatest loss of do-it-yourself movers.
“People are moving to Alberta because of the opportunities and investments being made in the province,” stated Naga Chennamsetty, U-Haul Area District Vice President. “The cost of living is not as bad as compared to some other provinces. You have the Canadian Rockies and lots of recreational activities. It’s all of these factors. And it’s not really international migration that brings people to Alberta — it’s interprovincial migration.
“I also think people are still moving to British Columbia because it is beautiful and offers a slower, laid-back lifestyle.”
U-Haul calculates growth cities and provinces by net gain (or loss) of one-way equipment from customer transactions in a calendar year. The U-Haul Growth Index is compiled from well over 2.5 million one-way U-Haul truck, trailer and U-Box® moving container transactions that occur annually across Canada and the U.S.
Alberta markets like Calgary, Edmonton and Medicine Hat attracted families with jobs, low taxes and affordable housing. Of all U-Haul customers coming and going in Alberta, 51.2% of traffic was incoming and 48.8% outgoing in 2024.
In Ontario, 50.7% of one-way U-Haul traffic was leaving the province. However, Ontario still boasted 16 of Canada’s top 25 growth cities.
“Ontario will always be the economic heart of Canada and has so much to offer its residents,” explained Jake Spelic, U-Haul Area District Vice President. “What is interesting on our growth cities list is that all the top destinations in Ontario are smaller cities, and most are considered four-season recreational areas. The trend seems to be people are looking for more affordable housing in popular recreational areas with less hustle and bustle than the larger cities.”
2024 Top 10 Canadian Growth Provinces
1. ALBERTA (1)
2. BRITISH COLUMBIA (2)
3. NEWFOUNDLAND & LABRADOR (7)
4. NEW BRUNSWICK (3)
5. SASKATCHEWAN (4)
6. PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND (6)
7. QUEBEC (5)
8. MANITOBA (8)
9. NOVA SCOTIA (9)
10. ONTARIO (10)
2023 growth rankings in parentheses
2024 Top 25 Canadian Growth Cities
1. CALGARY, AB (1)
2. EDMONTON, AB (3)
3. BELLEVILLE, ON (20)
4. TRENTON, ON (14)
5. PEMBROKE, ON
6. BRANTFORD, ON (10)
7. MEDICINE HAT-REDCLIFF, AB
8. COLLINGWOOD, ON (11)
9. PARRY SOUND, ON
10. CHATHAM-KENT, ON (7)
11. INNISFIL, ON
12. ST. THOMAS, ON
13. BARRIE, ON
14. WOODSTOCK, ON
15. LINDSAY, ON
16. CHILLIWACK, BC (23)
17. OWEN SOUND-MEAFORD, ON
18. PETERBOROUGH, ON
19. SYDNEY, NS
20. SIDNEY, BC
21. SARNIA, ON (21)
22. TRAIL, BC
23. KELOWNA, BC (4)
24. ORILLIA, ON (12)
25. NANAIMO, BC (17)
2023 growth rankings in parentheses
While U-Haul migration trends do not correlate directly to population or economic growth, the U-Haul Growth Index is an effective gauge of how well cities and provinces are attracting and maintaining residents.
U-Haul is the authority on migration trends thanks to its expansive network that blankets all 10 Canadian provinces and 50 American states. The geographical coverage from 23,000 U-Haul truck- and trailer-sharing locations provides a broad overview of where people are moving like no one else in the industry.
U-Haul continues to benefit the environment through its shared-use business model. Truck and trailer sharing enables communities to share moving equipment so that families and individuals don’t need to own large-capacity vehicles to transfer belongings. Sustainability initiatives like U-Haul Adaptive Reuse (the preserving and repurposing of existing buildings for new stores), truck modifications to improve fuel economy, and plastic Ready-To-Go Boxes® that are shared hundreds of times before being recycled are among the ways U-Haul promotes green business. U-Box Load Share, the Company’s latest sustainability program, continues to receive awards for providing environmentally friendly solutions to today’s gig economy.
