New Brunswick tops list of most U-Haul one-way traffic in 2022

A U-Haul van is seen in the community of Little Bay Islands, N.L. on Friday, November 15, 2019 as residents prepare to leave. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Daly

According to a recent report by U-Haul, a truck rental company, New Brunswick saw the largest growth of one-way U-Haul traffic in 2022.

The company states this is an indication that moving out east was popular in 2022.

“There are many reasons people are packing up U-Haul trucks and coming to New Brunswick,” stated Devin Mitchell, U-Haul Company of Atlantic Canada president, in a news release. “In the last year, we’ve seen more movement into New Brunswick and the rest of the Maritimes because people are looking for affordable housing and a relaxed lifestyle. The lack of affordable real estate in other provinces is pushing people east.”

New Brunswick saw the greatest net-gain in one-way U-Haul traffic in 2022, announced the company in a news release on Jan. 9. That’s in stark contrast to the year prior, where New Brunswick saw the greatest net loss out of all the provinces.

In 2022, arriving traffic accounted for 51. 1 per cent of all one-way U-Haul trucks coming and going from New Brunswick.

In the company’s 2021 rankings, Alberta came in first. But for 2022, Alberta came in last, representing 49.5 per cent of arriving traffic coming and going from the province.

Here’s where the other provinces ranked:

These are the U-Haul’s 10 top Growth Provinces in Canada in 2022:

1. New Brunswick

2. Quebec

3. Ontario

4. Prince Edward Island

5. Nova Scotia

6. Saskatchewan

7. Manitoba

8. Newfoundland

9. British Columbia

10. Alberta

As well, U-Haul also ranked cities based on one-way U-Haul truck arrivals.

The city of Chatham, Ont., was ranked first, followed by Trois-Rivières in Quebec, and Sarnia, Ont, in terms of net-gains compared to the company’s 2021 list.

Mitchell said that remote work has allowed people to “find cheaper housing outside of the major metropolitan areas.”

“People are trying to find the most affordable places with the lowest cost of living while still being able to access the great outdoor amenities for which Canada is known,” he said in the press release.

Trois Rivieres city of Quebec came at No. 2 in the ranking followed by Sarnia in Ontario, Quebec City and Kelowna city in British Columbia as third, fourth and fifth top growth cities, respectively.

Here are U-Haul’s 25 top growth cities in Canada in 2022:

1. Chatham, Ont.

2. Trois-Rivières, Que.

3. Sarnia, Ont.

4. Quebec City, Que.

5. Kelowna, B.C.

6. Sydney, N.S.

7. Greater Sudbury, Ont.

8. Brantford, Ont.

9. Montreal, Que.

10. Chilliwack, B.C.

11. North Bay, Ont.

12. St. Thomas, Ont.

13. Belleville, Ont.

14. Saint John, N.B.

15. Strathroy-Caradoc, Ont.

16. Camrose, Alta.

17. Nepean, Ont.

18. Sherbrooke, Que.

19. Salmon Arm, B.C.

20. Saint-Hubert, Que.

21. Penticton, B.C.

22. Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.

23. North Vancouver, B.C.

24. Peterborough, Ont.

25. Fredericton, N.B.

METHODOLOGY:

According to U-Haul, the company states their growth index report “is compiled according to the net gain (or loss) of one-way U-Haul trucks arriving in a province or city, versus departing from that province or city, in a calendar year. Migration trends data is compiled from well over two million one-way U-Haul truck transactions that occur annually across Canada and the U.S.”

Reporting for this story was paid for through The Afghan Journalists in Residence Project funded by Meta.