University, job market and weather given credit for volume of one-way moving trucks

U-Haul is using its unique insight into how Canadians move around this country to rank which cities are showing the most growth.

In a report issued Monday, the rental truck company listed Kelowna, B.C., as No. 5 in its Growth Index due to the number of people moving to the city in a one-way U-Haul. Salmon Arm was ranked 19 and Penticton came in 21.

“Do-it-yourself movers arriving in Kelowna still accounted for more than 51 per cent of all one-way U-Haul truck traffic in and out of the city during 2022 (compared to 49 per cent departures) to keep it a leading growth city,” reads the report.

While it may be a popular destination, it’s less so than a year earlier. People arriving in Kelowna in one-way U-Haul trucks fell 11 per cent in 2022 from 2021, while departures also fell 11 per cent as overall moving traffic slowed last year, reads the report.

Kelowna was the U-Haul No. 6 growth city for netting do-it-yourself movers in 2021, and it ranked 16th in 2020.

“Kelowna is a very popular destination for young people because it’s home to the University of British Columbia campus,”  Mason Kolahdouzan, U-Haul Company of British Columbia president, said.

“The job market and economy are strong in Kelowna and people are taking notice. This region is also famous for its wineries and because of the hot, dry summers, it attracts all kinds of people from across Canada.”

The U-Haul Growth Index is compiled according to the net gain of one-way U-Haul trucks arriving in a city or province, versus departing from that city or province, in a calendar year. Migration trends data is compiled from more than two million one-way U-Haul truck transactions that occur annually across Canada and the U.S.

Chatham, Trois Rivieres, Sarnia and Quebec City round out the top five Canadian growth cities of 2022. Eleven of the top 25 growth cities are in Ontario. Quebec and British Columbia each have five cities on the top 25 list.

New Brunswick is the top growth province for attracting U-Haul customers in 2022 after being last in 2021. Quebec is the No. 2 growth province, followed by Ontario, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia. Alberta saw the largest net loss of one-way U-Haul trucks. By its metrics, Uhaul said B.C. is No. 9 on its list of growth.

While U-Haul migration trends do not correlate directly to population or economic growth, the company said its Growth Index is an effective gauge of how well cities are both attracting and maintaining residents.

Its network blankets all 10 provinces and 50 U.S. states. The geographical coverage from 23,000 U-Haul truck- and trailer-sharing locations provides a broad overview of where people are moving.

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The full U-Haul Growth Index:

1. Chatham, Ont. (13)
2. Trois Rivieres, Que.
3. Sarnia, Ont. (16)
4. Quebec City (4)
5. Kelowna, B.C. (6)
6. Sydney, N.S.
7. Greater Sudbury, Ont. (3)
8. Brantford, Ont. (17)
9. Montreal
10. Chilliwack, B.C.
11. North Bay, Ont. (1)
12. St. Thomas, Ont. (14)
13. Belleville, Ont. (2)
14. Saint John, N.B.
15. Strathroy-Caradoc, Ont.
16. Camrose, Alta.
17. Nepean, Ont.
18. Sherbrooke, Que.
19. Salmon Arm, B.C.
20. Saint-Hubert, Que.
21. Penticton, B.C. (21)
22. Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. (12)
23. North Vancouver, B.C. (10)
24. Peterborough, Ont. (19)
25. Fredericton, N.B.