Housing costs are forcing recent immigrants to Canada to consider relocating to another province or leaving the country altogether.
A survey by the Angus Reid Institute found that three in ten Canadians, 28%, say they are seriously considering leaving their province due to the current cost of housing.
The survey found that newcomers to Canada were more likely than Canadian-born citizens and those who’ve been in the country for more than 11 years to want to leave the province they live in due to housing. 39% of Canadians who have been here for less than ten years are seriously thinking about it.
Of those who considered moving because of housing costs, 42% said they would leave Canada. 15% have the U.S. in mind, and 27% said they would choose another country to live in.
Almost half, 45%, of those who were considering moving, said they would remain in Canada. Alberta was the most common destination, with 18% saying that would be where they moved if they went through with it.
Other reasons for wanting to leave included cost of living, healthcare, and pursuit of a better quality of life.
Ontario has the most people who might leave, with 39% agreeing that they are seriously considering the move because of housing and 18% of those reported that they “strongly agreed” and were seriously considering it.
British Columbia was the second most popular province for people wanting to escape an expensive housing market. 15% reported strongly agreeing that they are seriously thinking about emigrating from the province, and 36% said they agreed in total.
A quarter of Nova Scotians reported that they are thinking about leaving, too, as the province’s population continues to grow and housing vacancy rates remain low.
Torontonians in the 416 area code were the most likely to want to leave a Canadian city, with 44% saying they would move because housing prices were too high. Of those, 22% reported that they strongly agreed with this sentiment.
For those in the GTA with the 905 area code, the result was barely different. 44% of those living in the GTA said the same, with slightly fewer people and 18% of those in the area said they strongly agreed.
One-third of Vancouverites said they might move, and about a quarter of people in Halifax and Calgary said they want to leave because homes have become too expensive.
Renters were the most likely to want to move, and homeowners without mortgages were the least likely to.
At least one in three people under the age of 55 agreed that they were thinking about it, while one in seven strongly agreed.
Young people aged 18-24 were the most likely age group to want to hit the road, with 42% saying they were actively considering escaping the housing market by leaving their province.