After years of slumps, interprovincial migration to Alberta jumps

Despite persistent gloom about the state of the local economy, Alberta posted its strongest interprovincial migratory increase in four years this summer, according to Statistics Canada.

Canadians and immigrants flocked to province in third quarter of 2019

Drew Anderson · CBC News · Posted: Dec 19, 2019 1:22 PM EST | Last Updated: December 19, 2019

An outside shot of the Alberta Legislature building. There are green trees and a fountain in front of the stone building. — The Alberta legislature building in Edmonton. The province grew by 24,270 people in the third quarter of this year. That includes immigration, interprovincial migration and births. (Codie McLachlan/CBC)

Despite persistent gloom about the state of the local economy, Alberta posted its strongest interprovincial migratory increase in four years in the third quarter of 2019, according to Statistics Canada.

That means 2,285 more people moved here than moved out to other provinces in July, August and September — the fifth straight quarter of gains.

The flow of other Canadians into the province tends to follow the booms and busts of Alberta's economy, and there have been some slow years of late.

In the third quarters of 2015, 2016 and 2017, net interprovincial migration to Alberta was negative, a trend that rebounded slightly last year with a modest increase of 1,679.

Overall population growth in the third quarter of this year was also higher, increasing by 24,270 people, or 0.6 per cent.

International immigration

The biggest driver of Alberta's population growth is international immigration, which added 14,237 people in the third quarter of 2019, a trend mirrored nationwide.

Across the country, immigration and the arrival of non-permanent residents accounted for 83.4 per cent of population growth.

"Growths of this magnitude had never before been seen in a single quarter," according to Statistics Canada.

The province with the highest population growth in the third quarter was British Columbia at 0.7 per cent. The lowest was Newfoundland and Labrador at 0.1 per cent.