wild goose chase
Active Member
There's obviously a lot of talk about the large growth in population from people moving to Toronto, both in terms of immigration but also people from other parts of Canada or even local suburban people finding city living desirable again.
But just as there is immigration or in-migration, there is also emigration or out-migration.
What is known about the numbers of Toronto-born or raised people who leave Toronto and where they head off to?
From my experience, by looking at my circle of friends/family, and acquaintances or people I know from childhood or kept in touch with at some point, I see of the people who have not stayed in the city, some moved to the suburbs or GTA, as you'd expect, and people who have moved to other cities/towns in Ontario as well as people who went west to Alberta probably back when it was more lucrative to do so. There are a surprising amount of people who moved to the US that I've seen (often those that left for professional/career reasons, but who I once knew in school growing up), and lastly, people who moved to other countries outside North America, which number among them quite a few returnees of immigrants to Toronto or their kids that choose for some reason or another to head back to their home country.
I wonder how much people Toronto loses per year (which obviously would be balanced and then exceeded by people coming in if the population is seeing growth) and their choices of destination.
I'd imagine the most common Torontonian "emigrants" are to headed nearby GTA suburbs. I don't see as many to other provinces but I'd imagine that's a small proportion too, but don't know how it compares to within-province movement. Among those leaving Canada, which I'd expect to be perhaps smaller still, I'd bet a hefty proportion head stateside -- there are many US public figures who have a personal history in Toronto with fewer overseas.
But just as there is immigration or in-migration, there is also emigration or out-migration.
What is known about the numbers of Toronto-born or raised people who leave Toronto and where they head off to?
From my experience, by looking at my circle of friends/family, and acquaintances or people I know from childhood or kept in touch with at some point, I see of the people who have not stayed in the city, some moved to the suburbs or GTA, as you'd expect, and people who have moved to other cities/towns in Ontario as well as people who went west to Alberta probably back when it was more lucrative to do so. There are a surprising amount of people who moved to the US that I've seen (often those that left for professional/career reasons, but who I once knew in school growing up), and lastly, people who moved to other countries outside North America, which number among them quite a few returnees of immigrants to Toronto or their kids that choose for some reason or another to head back to their home country.
I wonder how much people Toronto loses per year (which obviously would be balanced and then exceeded by people coming in if the population is seeing growth) and their choices of destination.
I'd imagine the most common Torontonian "emigrants" are to headed nearby GTA suburbs. I don't see as many to other provinces but I'd imagine that's a small proportion too, but don't know how it compares to within-province movement. Among those leaving Canada, which I'd expect to be perhaps smaller still, I'd bet a hefty proportion head stateside -- there are many US public figures who have a personal history in Toronto with fewer overseas.