Skip to content
Join our Newsletter

Canadians moving back to B.C.

2003 numbers ended five-year slide

According to data from Statistics Canada, more than 7,080 people moved to B.C. from other provinces last year, the largest influx since 1996.

In the five years between 1998 and 2002, more than 44,700 people left B.C. for other provinces, a trend that began reversing itself in 2003 when 2,747 moved to British Columbia.

Finance Minister Colin Hansen credited the influx of Canadians to the range of opportunities in the province.

"Our plan to rebuild B.C.’s economy is working," he said. "The fact that thousands of people are moving here and putting down roots is a sign of growing confidence in B.C.’s future."

Both TD Bank and RBC have forecasted that B.C.’s economy would lead the nation this year, and according to Statistics Canada the province has the highest job growth rate in the country with an estimated 205,600 jobs created since 2001.