The long-standing trend of young Canadians emigrating from Atlantic Canada has resumed after a brief hiatus and it could have a wide-ranging effect on the local economy.

The region lost an average of 1,216 young working-age (aged 25 to 39) residents per year to provincial migration between 2001 and 2019, amounting to more than 11 per cent of that group, according to data from Statistics Canada and the Fraser Institute.

It then gained an average of 3,152 such residents between 2020 and 2023 because the COVID-19 pandemic spurred an exodus of workers from Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver as remote work became more popular and workers were enticed by a cheaper cost of living.

Net migration out of Canada’s three largest cities amounted to more than 143,000 people in 2021-2022, with an interprovincial net loss of 22,625.

Unfortunately, Atlantic Canada’s growth trend has been short-lived as it lost 1,203 young working-age residents in 2024, seemingly falling back in line with pre-COVID trends.

“The study’s findings underscore the need for policies that will generate the economic opportunities required to attract younger residents in the key 25-to-39 group,” Fred McMahon, author of the report, said in a news release . “Should these numbers in the region continue to reflect its historical norm, it could mean negative implications for the economic future of Atlantic Canada.”

The report said more young people leaving puts pressure on rural communities, which already tend to skew older, though the extent of the pressure depends on job prospects in other regions, namely the Alberta oil sector.

“Nonetheless, the consistent outflow of young working-age Canadians in all except a handful of years over the last half century should cause Atlantic leaders deep concerns about future demographics and lead to a serious assessment of policies that discourage young people from moving to the region and encourage an outflow,” the report said.

The region’s provinces have taken several steps to attract and retain its top talent. For example, the Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) is a pathway for skilled foreign immigrants who want to live in any of the four provinces.

“The Atlantic provinces developed and promoted ambitious programs to attract immigrants that continued into 2024, including through the regional Atlantic Immigration Program,” the report said. “This may have attracted international migrants who had already landed in the rest of Canada to relocate to Atlantic Canada.”

Meanwhile, the Atlantic Chamber of Commerce called the region’s talent gap “real and growing” while pushing for better immigration pathways, recognizing out-of-province and international credentials and investments for settlement supports.

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Canada recorded its first trade surplus in six months in March, as a surge in exports and a decrease in imports added up to a $1.8 billion surplus.

Overall, exports totalled $72.8 billion in the month, the most since January 2025.

An increase in metal exports had largely driven the growth, with precious metal exports up 37.7 per cent in March.

Economists warn, however, that the surplus may vanish if volatile oil prices drop in the near term.

Read more here.

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Today’s Posthaste was written by Pamela Heaven with additional reporting from Financial Post staff, The Canadian Press and Bloomberg.

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