Are people actually leaving Canada for the US?

Yes — people are leaving Canada for the US, and official data does show a notable outward flow. That said, it does not mean Canada is broadly “emptying out.” The flow to the US is only one part of Canada’s overall population picture, and immigration from the rest of the world still plays a much larger role in Canada’s population growth.

What is reasonable to say is:

• There is a real Canada-to-US migration flow.
• It has been sizable and appears to have been high in recent years.
• Common reasons people cite include higher pay, housing affordability, taxes, and job opportunities.
• Skilled workers in fields like tech and professional services may be especially likely to consider the US, and visas such as TN can make that move easier for some Canadian professionals.

If you want the most current numbers, check Statistics Canada for migration and population estimates, and U.S. sources such as the Census/ACS and immigration data for Canadian-born residents and work/permanent-resident pathways.

So the short answer is: yes, some people are leaving Canada for the US, and the trend is real — but Canada’s overall population growth still depends much more on immigration from abroad than on movement to the US.