Goal 1

Inter-Provincial Migration

Nova Scotia will be averaging a net gain of 1,000 working age persons per year.


Panoramic Skyline of Halifax City illuminated at night reflecting in the water of Halifax harbour. Panoramic Skyline of Halifax City illuminated at night reflecting in the water of Halifax harbour.

Goal Status

Progressing and Surpassing checkmark icon Progressing and Surpassing
Baseline: -2000
Target: 1000
Current: 11386
Updated:
Bands

Current Situation

Since mid-2014, the number of people leaving Nova Scotia for other provinces has declined. Between July 1, 2021 and July 1, 2022, Nova Scotia had a net gain of 11,386 people between the ages of 18 and 64 from other provinces – overshooting the target by more than 10,300 people. This is the seventh consecutive year that net positive interprovincial migration has surpassed the target of 1,000 people.  This improvement will have to be sustained for longer than it has been historically in order to meet the 2024 target.

Year Net Positive Negative
1971/1972 -190 1000 -2000
1972/1973 3511 1000 -2000
1973/1974 983 1000 -2000
1974/1975 1794 1000 -2000
1975/1976 2667 1000 -2000
1976/1977 -630 1000 -2000
1977/1978 -298 1000 -2000
1978/1979 -183 1000 -2000
1979/1980 -1792 1000 -2000
1980/1981 -2069 1000 -2000
1981/1982 -1624 1000 -2000
1982/1983 2950 1000 -2000
1983/1984 3040 1000 -2000
1984/1985 1930 1000 -2000
1985/1986 -898 1000 -2000
1986/1987 -1047 1000 -2000
1987/1988 -1659 1000 -2000
1988/1989 194 1000 -2000
1989/1990 56 1000 -2000
1990/1991 -328 1000 -2000
1991/1992 -11 1000 -2000
1992/1993 -36 1000 -2000
1993/1994 -1438 1000 -2000
1994/1995 -2296 1000 -2000
1995/1996 -1069 1000 -2000
1996/1997 -1319 1000 -2000
1997/1998 -1887 1000 -2000
1998/1999 -101 1000 -2000
1999/2000 -334 1000 -2000
2000/2001 -1688 1000 -2000
2001/2002 -625 1000 -2000
2002/2003 272 1000 -2000
2003/2004 -613 1000 -2000
2004/2005 -2358 1000 -2000
2005/2006 -2600 1000 -2000
2006/2007 -3996 1000 -2000
2007/2008 -1975 1000 -2000
2008/2009 -1214 1000 -2000
2009/2010 304 1000 -2000
2010/2011 -199 1000 -2000
2011/2012 -2487 1000 -2000
2012/2013 -2970 1000 -2000
2013/2014 -2488 1000 -2000
2014/2015 -2422 1000 -2000
2015/2016 360 1000 -2000
2016/2017 1840 1000 -2000
2017/2018 2017 1000 -2000
2018/2019 2531 1000 -2000
2019/2020 4293 1000 -2000
2020/2021 7190 1000 -2000
2021/2022 11386 1000 -2000

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What This Means

This means that more working age Nova Scotians are remaining in Nova Scotia, more working age people from other provinces are moving here, and some Nova Scotians who have left in the past are now returning.

Deep Dive

Read more detailed information about this goal by clicking 'Deep Dive'

Inter-Provincial Migration Deep Dive

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