The Great Migration: Why British Columbians are Leaving for Alberta

As I sit down to write about the mass exodus of British Columbians to Alberta, I can’t help but think of my own friends who have made the switch. They all tell the same story: tired of the high cost of living in BC, they’re seeking better job prospects and more affordable housing in the Wild Rose Province.

The cost of living in BC is driving many to seek better opportunities in Alberta.

Addison Parfeniuk, CEO of Two Small Men With Big Hearts Moving, has seen it all. His company has become Canada’s most-recognized moving brand, and he’s witnessed a significant increase in British Columbians relocating to Alberta. “It’s all about affordability and jobs,” he says. “People are leaving the Okanagan and Lower Mainland to go to Alberta.”

The statistics show a clear trend: more people are leaving BC for Alberta than vice versa.

According to Statistics Canada, for the first time since 2012, net interprovincial migration was negative in BC, with a net loss of 8,624 people. This means that more people moved out of BC to another province (mostly Alberta) than moved to BC. In total, 67,944 people left BC, with 37,650 of them finding a new home in Alberta.

Alberta’s booming economy is attracting many British Columbians seeking better job prospects.

So, what’s driving this trend? The answer is simple: economics. BC’s high cost of living is crushing budgets, especially for young singletons who see no chance of ever being able to afford their own home and young families that don’t make enough to do much more than pay the mortgage. Alberta, on the other hand, offers good-paying jobs in the resource sector, and home prices and apartment rents are, in some cases, half of what they are in BC.

The beautiful Okanagan landscape may be hard to leave behind, but the economic benefits of Alberta are too great to resist.

Of course, there are sacrifices to be made. British Columbians will miss the ideal four-season weather, lakes, wineries, and West Coast lifestyle. But for many, the opportunity to build a better life in Alberta is too good to pass up. As Parfeniuk puts it, “It’s an equation. British Columbians are asking: Is it economical enough to leave my family? Is it more economical in Alberta to the extent I’m willing to leave my community in the Okanagan and go to Alberta.”

The answer, for many, is a resounding “yes.”

The Alberta winter may be cold, but the economic benefits are worth it for many British Columbians.

Alberta’s interprovincial net migration in 2023 was 55,107, the largest since 1972, when comparable records have been kept. The numbers show how reality has set in for many: BC’s high cost of living is unsustainable, and Alberta offers a better way of life.

For those considering making the move, I say this: it’s not an easy decision, but it may be the best one you ever make. The grass may not always be greener on the other side, but in this case, the economic benefits of Alberta are too great to ignore.

The Alberta landscape may be different from what you’re used to, but the opportunities are limitless.