Moving in Canada: The good, the bad and the ugly

Moving is stressful, even under ideal circumstances. Nevertheless, over one-third (35.0%) of Canadian households—or 5.4 million households—moved within the previous five years in 2022. The good news is that most Canadian households moved to be in a better place. However, over one million Canadian households moved over this five-year period to reduce costs or were forced out.

The good

For most Canadian households, moving is a positive experience.

In the five years leading up to 2022, just over 1.3 million Canadian households (8.4% of all households) moved to upgrade to a larger or better-quality dwelling. Households in British Columbia, Alberta and Quebec were most likely to move into a bigger or better home over this period.

In 2022, 990,300 households (6.4% of all households) moved to become homeowners over the previous five years, with households in Quebec and New Brunswick most likely to have moved for this reason.

Approximately 707,100 households moved in the previous five years to be in a more desirable neighbourhood in 2022, with households in British Columbia, Quebec and Alberta most likely to have moved for this reason.

The bad

The spike in inflation in 2021 and early 2022 has led to financial strain in many Canadian households.

From 2018 to 2022, shelter costs increased nationally by just over one-fifth (20.6%). Against this backdrop, a larger share of Canadians were dissatisfied with the affordability of their housing in 2022 (14.5%) than in 2018 (11.8%). Renters were almost twice as likely to be dissatisfied with the affordability of their housing as owners in 2022.

In the five years preceding 2022, approximately 444,400 households (2.9%) moved to reduce housing costs. Households in Prince Edward Island (4.8%), Nova Scotia and Manitoba (both up 4.1%) were most likely to have moved over this period to reduce costs.

Housing has become even more expensive since 2022. For homeowners renewing or getting their first mortgage, the mortgage interest cost index was up 16.7% year-over-year in September 2024.

Prices for rent were up 8.2% year-over-year in September, with rents in Prince Edward Island and Alberta (both up 11.5%) rising at the fastest pace.

The ugly

Over 1 in 10 Canadian households that moved within the previous five years in 2022 did so under some form of duress. The leading reason was a dispute with a landlord or other tenant, with 322,900 or 2.1% of all households moving over this period for this reason.

Approximately 281,400 Canadian households—or 1.8% of all households nationally—were forced to move by a landlord, a bank or other financial institution over the previous five years in 2022. Households in British Columbia (3.2%) were by far the most likely to be forced to move by the landlord.

Tragically, 25,600 households were forced to move due to a natural disaster or fire over this five-year period.