A recent study reveals that the currently popular “Alberta is Calling” campaign may have actually succeeded because Canadians are wanting to move to Calgary instead of any other city in Canada.
While most people think that Canada’s major centers, Toronto and Vancouver, are popular resettlement destinations for Canadians, Alberta seems to be attracting more attention.
Remitly analyzed Google Search data from 164 districts worldwide to find out which cities people are searching for using the phrase “move to [city].”
Through this, Remitly also specifically examined Canadian cities, identifying the top out-of-province city that residents of each province most want to move to, based on their Google searches.
Surprisingly, Calgary is the top choice for residents of six different provinces, making it the number one city people want to move to within the country. Toronto follows in second place with the highest level of interest, followed by New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.
It appears that residents of Western Canada are shifting populations among themselves, as the research shows that people in BC are interested in moving to Calgary, and those in Alberta are considering moving to Vancouver.
The study indicates that residents of Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, and PEI also show more interest in moving to Calgary than any other out-of-province city.
Ottawa is the only city to win favor, being the preferred choice for residents of Newfoundland and Labrador. The “Alberta Is Calling” campaign initially targeted residents of Toronto and Vancouver, attempting to attract them to Alberta by highlighting factors such as low taxes, affordable housing, and employment opportunities. The campaign later focused on residents of Ontario and the Maritimes provinces.
