Québec, March 21, 2024. – Between July 1, 2022 and July 1, 2023, 174,900 people in Québec changed their administrative region of residence, 15.4% less than in 2021‒2022 and 24.6% less than in 2020‒2021. This decline puts an end to the surge in interregional migration recorded in the pandemic years, which was due in part to the greater number of people who moved away from large centres. Interregional migration is at its lowest since data were first collected in 2001‒2002. These findings come from the Bulletin sociodémographique published today by the Institut de la statistique du Québec.
Interregional migrants, 2001‒2002 to 2022‒2023
Source
Institut de la statistique du Québec, RAMQ insured persons registration file.
Montréal loses fewer residents after posting its heaviest deficits during the pandemic
Montréal recorded net losses of -25,600 people in its migratory exchanges with other administrative regions in 2022‒2023, which represents a -1.4% deficit in relation to its population. While these losses are still high, they are much lower than in the three previous years and are back to their pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels. In 2020‒2021, the region’s losses stood at -48,300 people, a 20-year high. Fewer people left Montréal to move to another region in 2022‒2023, which explains its lower negative balance.
View changes in interregional migration for each of Québec’s regions in these interactive charts.
Among the winning regions, Lanaudière comes out ahead of the Laurentides
The Lanaudière region welcomed the largest number of new residents at the expense of the rest of the province in 2022‒2023. Its net gains totalled 6,100 people, or 1% of its population. The Laurentides region, which has often held the top spot in the past few years, came in second place with a net increase of 5,200 people (0.8%). These two regions continue to be at the top of the ranking, but they have seen their gains fall since 2020‒2021, mainly because of a decreasing number of in-migrants from other regions.
Outcomes remain positive for several regions
Although the Estrie region’s gains have decreased since hitting a record high in 2020‒2021, its net increase of 3,650 people in 2022-2023 remains one of the highest number ever recorded.
The situation was similar for the regions of Mauricie, Centre-du-Québec, Chaudière-Appalaches, Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Bas-Saint-Laurent, and Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean, which all registered their third or fourth largest increase since 2001‒2002. In all of these regions, the interregional migration balance had already begun to improve before the pandemic.
The regions of Capitale-Nationale and Montérégie also posted smaller interregional migration gains. While the Capitale-Nationale’s net increase remains higher than it often has been, this is not the case for Montérégie, as its net increase in 2022‒2023 was the lowest recorded since the early 2000s.
In addition to Montréal, five regions lost residents to the rest of the province
Laval and Outaouais recently crossed over to the regions with negative interregional migration results, but their net losses were small in 2022‒2023, especially for Outaouais. The three other regions on the losing side—Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Côte-Nord, and Nord-du-Québec—are further away from large urban centres, and their interregional migration balance has been negative for a number of years.
The situation in RCMs
The RCMs where the largest urban centres are located all posted negative net internal migration results in 2022‒2023, except for the Québec RCM. Montréal has been posting internal migration deficits for a while, while Laval, Longueuil and Gatineau registered deficits for the fourth consecutive year. In contrast, the Mékinac RCM in Mauricie and the Argenteuil RCM in Laurentides posted the highest gains relative to their population, at about 2%.
Results for all RCMs can be viewed on an interactive map.
Note: Interregional migration is not the only factor that affects a region’s demographic growth
Interregional migration is an important component of the demographic balance of administrative regions, but it is not the only one that impacts the size of their population. Other components include natural increase, meaning the difference between the number of births and deaths, as well as interprovincial and international migration. It is therefore important to distinguish between the interregional migration balance presented here and total population increase. For example, in Montréal, migration losses to other regions in Québec are usually offset by a positive natural increase and by the arrival of many international migrants (immigrants and non-permanent residents).
The full population report for each administrative region as of July 1, 2023 will be released in May 2024, and will include data on the different factors that drive population changes.
The Institut de la statistique du Québec produces, analyzes and disseminates official, objective and quality statistical information on different aspects of Québec society. It is responsible for conducting all statistical surveys of general interest. The relevance of its work makes it a strategic ally for decision makers and all those wishing to learn more about Québec.