21 of the 25 leading Growth Cities are in Ontario, including the top 14
PHOENIX and OTTAWA, Ontario, Jan.
10, 2018 /CNW/ -- Ottawa was Canada's new No. 1 Growth City for 2017,
according to U-Haul data analyzing the past year's Canadian
migration trends.
The nation's capital, with its picturesque location on the
Ottawa River and a population nearing 1 million, climbed nine spots
from its previous ranking to earn the top spot. Kamloops, B.C., led the growth list for
2016.
Arrivals accounted for 51.8 percent of one-way U-Haul truck
traffic in Ottawa. Year-over-year
arrivals of one-way U-Haul truck rentals rose 7 percent
while departures climbed 5 percent from Ottawa's 2016 numbers.
"Being a capital city, Ottawa
sees a lot of movement," said U-Haul Company of Western Quebec president Claude Boucher, whose territory includes
Ottawa. "It is home to Parliament
Hill, which brings new jobs and residents every year. Ottawa has museums, the government buildings
and 35 major festivals a year. It's one of the most family-oriented
places I've been. They do it right."
Growth Cities are calculated by the net gain of arriving one-way
U-Haul trucks over departing one-way U-Haul trucks for a calendar
year. Migration trends data is compiled from more than 1.7 million
one-way U-Haul truck rental transactions that occur annually.
While migration trends do not correlate directly to population
or economic growth, U-Haul growth data is an effective gauge of how
well cities are attracting and maintaining residents. View
migration trends reports, including data from past years, at
myuhaulstory.com.
Ontario Cities Dominate List
Twenty-one of the 25 leading Growth Cities are in Ontario, including the next 13 cities after
Ottawa. Alberta cities Grand Prairie and Lethbridge are represented, along with
Chilliwack, B.C., and Sherbrooke, Que. Just missing the top 25 list
was Vancouver, B.C., ranking
26th.
Belleville, located at the
mouth of the Moira River along the Quebec
City-Windsor corridor, was
No. 2 in growth. U-Haul locations there saw 57.9 percent of moving
trucks coming into the city as opposed to leaving. Overall, U-Haul
traffic increased considerably in Bellville as arrivals rose 16
percent and departures rose 13 percent year-over-year.
"Ontario has a lot to offer,"
said Ryan Pearson, U-Haul Company of
Central Canada president. "The
cities range from peaceful to bustling, and the providence is known
for its diversity. Plus, Ontario
has some of the milder weather in Canada, so people tend to flock here."
U-Haul is the authority on migration trends thanks to its
expansive network that blankets all 50 U.S. states and 10 Canadian
provinces. The geographical coverage from more than 21,000 U-Haul
locations provides a comprehensive overview of where people are
moving like no one else in the industry.
"U-Haul migration trends data is among the most sought after in
the industry because it is the most comprehensive," U-Haul
Executive Vice President Stuart
Shoen said. "We dot the map in more places with more
equipment and reflect the migration patterns of more do-it-yourself
movers than anyone else."
The arrival of U-Haul Truck Share 24/7 is revolutionizing
the moving industry through its more convenient, more secure way to
pick up and return a truck. U-Haul live verify technology allows
rental transactions to be carried out entirely on a smartphone at
any hour – day or night. There are no membership fees. Create your
online account today.
What They're Saying about Ottawa
"Ottawa remains a prime location
for those wishing to relocate to a vibrant and diverse community.
Offering a bilingual environment, our community is comprised of
Francophones, Anglophones and a welcoming multicultural community.
Ottawa's workforce continues to
grow with the arrival of innovative new companies in addition to
housing a high number of government employees. In addition to being
a great place to work, our community offers a wide variety of
all-season activities, whether it be indoors or outdoors, as well
as great entertainment, whether it be with the Ottawa Senators, the Ottawa Redblacks, the
Ottawa Fury FC, or even the Ottawa Champions baseball team to name
but a few. Entertainment and cultural activities can be found
throughout the city as well as many festivals that could be enjoyed
through the 12 months of the year. One of the highlights of
Ottawa is the culinary
opportunities that this city has to provide." — Bob Monette, Deputy Mayor of Ottawa
2017 Canadian Growth Cities
1.
OTTAWA
|
Ont.
|
2.
BELLEVILLE
|
Ont.
|
3.
TRENTON
|
Ont.
|
4.
MIDLAND
|
Ont.
|
5. NORTH
BAY
|
Ont.
|
6.
HUNTSVILLE
|
Ont.
|
7. WASAGA
BEACH
|
Ont.
|
8.
GRAVENHURST
|
Ont.
|
9. ELLIOT
LAKE
|
Ont.
|
10. PARRY
SOUND
|
Ont.
|
11.
CHATHAM
|
Ont.
|
12. SAINT
THOMAS
|
Ont.
|
13.
KINGSTON
|
Ont.
|
14.
BANCROFT
|
Ont.
|
15.
CHILLIWACK
|
B.C.
|
16.
KINCARDINE
|
Ont.
|
17.
NAPANEE
|
Ont.
|
18. GRANDE
PRAIRIE
|
Alta.
|
19.
ORILLIA
|
Ont.
|
20.
BROCKVILLE
|
Ont.
|
21. BARRYS
BAY
|
Ont.
|
22.
SHERBROOKE
|
Que.
|
23.
COLLINGWOOD
|
Ont.
|
24.
HANOVER
|
Ont.
|
25.
LETHBRIDGE
|
Alta.
|
About U-Haul
Since 1945, U-Haul has been the No. 1 choice of
do-it-yourself movers, with a network of more than 21,000 locations
across all 50 states and 10 Canadian provinces. U-Haul Truck Share
24/7 now offers customers access to U-Haul trucks every hour of
every day through the self-service options on their
internet-connected mobile devices. U-Haul customers' patronage has
enabled the U-Haul fleet to grow to more than 150,000 trucks,
112,000 trailers and 40,000 towing devices. U-Haul offers more than
581,000 rooms and more than 51 million square feet of self-storage
space at owned and managed facilities throughout North America. U-Haul is the largest installer
of permanent trailer hitches in the automotive aftermarket industry
and is the largest retailer of propane in the U.S.
Contact:
Andrea Batchelor
Jeff Lockridge
E-mail: publicrelations@uhaul.com
Phone: 602-263-6981
Website: uhaul.com
SOURCE U-Haul