A big group of recent departers are aged between 20 and 44, some in the midst of having children. They are getting more bang for their housing dollar, less congestion and enjoying effortless access to B.C.’s outdoors.
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Penticton. Courtenay. Chilliwack. What do these B.C. cities have in common?
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They are among the top destinations for people steadily streaming out of Metro Vancouver during the past decade, choosing less-dense regions of the province.
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Whether it’s Metro Vancouver’s still-exorbitant cost of housing, long commuting times, or shortage of nearby fishing spots, this growing trend is taking more adults, especially younger ones, out of the metropolis.
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The exodus of Metro Vancouverites for different corners of B.C. began in 2015, according to Wendy Waters, an independent Vancouver-based real-estate specialist. The outflow has been increasing to the point that last year 16,100 more people left Metro Vancouver for other parts of B.C. than arrived from within the province.
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That includes an “unprecedented” exodus of people between ages 20 and 44 that took hold in 2023, said Waters, with many in the midst of having children. They are getting more bang for their housing dollar, less traffic congestion, and enjoying effortless access to B.C.’s outdoors.
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While the Canadian media’s focus of the past two years has been on declining numbers of foreign students and guest workers coming to Metro, this equally significant trend shows many people living in the region have had enough of big-city life.
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Although some Metro residents are heading to other provinces or leaving the country, they are not the biggest cohort of departers, said Waters, who spent almost two decades with GWL Realty Advisors.
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“From 2021-2024, Metro Vancouver lost a net 45,032 people to other parts of Canada. Contrary to popular lore, the majority did not go to Alberta. They went to other parts of B.C.”
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The most popular B.C. destinations in the three years ending in 2024 were the medium-sized cities of Abbotsford-Mission, Chilliwack, Kelowna, Nanaimo and Kamloops. Many Metro residents, Waters added, are also being drawn to towns and villages of less than 10,000 people.
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While the outward flow from Metro peaked slightly during the pandemic, which ended in early 2023, it’s still going strong, affecting life in Metro Vancouver, including its housing scene.
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“For those wondering why absorption of new and newly vacated rental suites has been slow, or why home sales are slow, the loss of adults in the prime renter and buyer age group to other parts of B.C. and Canada is a factor,” said Waters.
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“Rents and sale prices are easing, of course. Some might call it an affordability win. But a contributing factor is people leaving.”
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Here is a snapshot of B.C. cities Metro residents are voting for with their feet:
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Courtenay
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The population of Courtenay grew by 700 people in the year ending July 2025, nearly all of whom arrived from other parts of the province, according to Statistics Canada. The largest group hailed from Metro Vancouver.
