Alberta lost over 2,700 residents to other parts of the country during the second quarter (April to June). This followed three quarters of net gains.

Only three provinces experienced a net gain from interprovincial migration in the second quarter with British Columbia leading the country at 7,940, followed by Nova Scotia (1,443) and New Brunswick (310).

People move around the country for a wide range of reasons, but perceived economic opportunity is a key factor. Given that Alberta’s economy was reeling from both the pandemic and the oil price crash during the second quarter, it is not surprising to see interprovincial migration slip into negative territory.

International migration to and from Alberta was interrupted by the pandemic with the net gain in population from other parts of the world only 897 people, a drop of 88 per cent compared to the previous quarter.

Meanwhile, natural increase (births less deaths) added 6,706 people to Alberta’s population in the second quarter.

The combined effect of interprovincial migration, international migration and natural increase was population growth of 0.1 per cent (4,870) in the second quarter. This is about the same rate of growth as in the country as a whole.