B.C. is losing residents to one province for a chance at affordability

B.C. residents are packing up, and many are heading east for a better deal.

A new report from the Business Council of British Columbia (BCBC) shows the province is facing the largest outflow of interprovincial migration on record, with nearly 70,000 people relocating to other parts of Canada over the past year, and according to recent data, many are choosing to reside in Alberta.

The council’s So Long, Farewell report, released July 28, uses Statistics Canada data to highlight this unprecedented shift.

In 2023, according to Statistics Canada, an estimated 37,650 British Columbians moved to Alberta, while 22,400 Albertans relocated to B.C., a net loss of 15,250 people, the largest interprovincial migration gap between the two provinces on record.

This trend marks B.C.’s first year of negative interprovincial migration since 2012. According to the report, the reversal began around 2022 and has since intensified.

“Since 1972, nearly eight in 10 people who left B.C. moved to either Alberta or Ontario… with Alberta now clearly leading the way,” said BCBC economists David Williams and Jairo Yunis in the report.

The spike in migration comes as Alberta doubles down on its effort to attract new residents.

Its Alberta is Calling campaign, launched in 2022, promised lower taxes, higher wages, and cheaper housing. In 2024, the province added a $5,000 “attraction bonus” for workers willing to relocate, according to the Government of Alberta’s website.

And it appears to be working because that migration wave helped Alberta hit a historic milestone.

According to Statistics Canada, the province saw its largest-ever net gain from interprovincial migration in 2023, adding more than 55,000 people overall, the highest increase since national tracking began in 1972.

Nearly 38,000 of those new residents came from B.C., far outpacing the 22,000 Albertans who moved west. That’s a net gain of more than 15,000 former British Columbians in a single year.

Since 1972, nearly eight in 10 residents leaving B.C. have moved to just two provinces – Alberta and Ontario, notes BCBC.

But the largest two-way flow of people is between B.C. and Alberta, where the economic contrast is becoming harder to ignore.

Meanwhile, B.C. recorded its first negative interprovincial migration trend since 2012, according to BCBC’s So Long, Farewell report.

Why are B.C. residents leaving for Alberta and beyond?

BCBC’s Stay with B.C. campaign asked more than 3,000 residents exactly that, and its latest community-based report, Stay with B.C.: Voices and Solutions for a Brighter Future, released Aug. 5, adds further context.

The province-wide engagement project gathered responses from across 100 communities.

“People are proud to call this province home, but far too many are being priced out of staying,” said Laura Jones, president and CEO of BCBC, in the release

One of the biggest concerns that came through was the cost of housing.

According to the Stay with B.C. report, 36 per cent of respondents said affordability (especially in the housing market) is the main reason they’re thinking of leaving the province.

Whether renting or trying to buy, many said they’re being pushed out of their own communities by unaffordable prices.

Wages also aren’t keeping up, according to 23 per cent of respondents.

Even those with degrees or steady employment said their paychecks barely cover the basics, and many don’t see a path to owning a home, saving for the future or supporting a family in B.C.

Taxes and regulations were a major concern for 28 per cent.

Respondents said it’s becoming harder to run a small business, invest in property or make financial progress, especially with long permitting delays and overlapping regulations that slow things down.

Public services also came under fire, with 18 per cent flagging health care and transit as major pain points.

From long ER wait times to difficulty accessing a family doctor or affordable public transit, many said the systems they rely on are stretched thin and falling short.

“It was heartbreaking to read so many personal and deeply moving stories,” said Braden McMillan, BCBC’s senior director of communications, in the news release. “People are struggling, and they need all the help they can get.”

What people are saying

The BCBC’s Stay with BC campaign also included sentiments from frustrated British Columbians on why they wanted to leave the province, and many shared how defeated they feel about affordability and housing.

“As someone born and raised here, I find myself unable to buy a home in the city I love,” said Lily, a teacher from Richmond. “It’s heartbreaking.”

“My family and I are moving to northern Alberta next month,” added Ryan from Campbell River. He added that he loves B.C.,  but he “can’t wait anymore to get into the housing market.”

Many respondents also shared that they feel they’re working harder than ever, but still falling behind.

“I have a bachelor’s degree and still work at Starbucks,” said Sara from Surrey. “I can’t get a job that pays more than $21 an hour, and I can’t afford to survive here anymore.”

“I love Squamish, but I’m planning to leave B.C.,” said Zach, a finance worker, who added that a strong career path “isn’t enough unless you inherit wealth.”

Small business owners and entrepreneurs said layers of red tape and long wait times for permits are making it harder to grow or stay afloat.

“Between permits, zoning restrictions and layers of bureaucracy, it takes too long and costs too much to get projects moving in B.C.,” said Trevor from Kelowna.

“I own two businesses,” said one respondent from Vancouver. “I’m moving to Calgary, where I can buy a warehouse for $650,000. The equivalent here costs $12 million.”

Others were vocal about B.C.’s health-care system.

“I’ve lived here 11 years and haven’t seen a family doctor because I can’t get on a patient list,” said Jacqueline from Vancouver.

“The province wants nurses to stay, but there’s nothing they’re doing to keep us here,” stated Thomas, a registered nurse from Surrey.

A June 2025 report from the Montreal Economic Institute found that B.C. recorded the largest spike in emergency room wait times in the country over the past year. Moreover, there have been a number of temporary ER closures across the province, with the Delta Hospital most recently closing overnight, marking the third major service interruption in months.

Others pointed to public transit delays, infrastructure issues and credential recognition barriers for immigrants.

“Public transit across the Lower Mainland is so poor,” stated Tom from Vancouver. “A 12-minute drive takes two and a half hours by bus.”

In a previous statement to Daily Hive, a TransLink spokesperson acknowledged the system’s 99.5 per cent service delivery rate and 95.3 per cent on-time performance, but riders have expressed that breakdowns and delays remain far too common.

In June 2025, TransLink permanently removed 17 bus stops along Vancouver’s busy No. 10 Granville route as part of a “bus stop balancing” strategy meant to improve speed and reliability.

Riders have also reported frustration with repeated SkyTrain delays, particularly along the Expo Line, and in early 2024, TransLink cancelled more than 50 bus trips in a single morning due to staffing gaps and poor weather.

So, what would it take to make people stay?

The Business Council doesn’t just document the problem; it also proposes several solutions.

The report recommends restoring fiscal stability and easing the tax burden on individuals and businesses, making it easier for people to get ahead.

It also calls on the province to reduce excessive regulation, particularly in areas like housing development and business growth, where overlapping rules and permitting delays are slowing progress.

Another key focus is on revitalizing B.C.’s natural resource industries, from forestry to mining, which the council says can provide the kinds of stable, well-paying jobs that attract young families and support rural communities.

Finally, the council is urging the government to focus on policies that welcome private-sector investment and create a more competitive environment for high-skilled industries.

“The economy is the foundation of affordability,” said Jones. “If we want people to stay and thrive in B.C., we need to make it easier to invest, build and work here.”

Have you thought about leaving B.C.? What would make you stay? Let us know in the comments or email us at vancouver@dailyhive.com.

With files from Amir Ali, Kenneth Chan, and Laine Mitchell

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