What’s described by U-Haul as the ‘Owen Sound/Port Elgin area’ has been ranked ninth amongst Canada’s top 25 growth cities according to the 2021 U-Haul Growth Index.
The growth index is compiled according to the net gain of one-way U-Haul trucks arriving in a city or province, versus departing from that city or province in a year.
Migration trends data is compiled from more than 2 million one-way U-Haul truck transactions that occur annually across Canada and the U.S.
U-Haul says, ” Migration from densely populated urban areas to less crowded, more affordable outlying markets was a recurring theme last year in Canada, according to transactional data compiled for the annual U-Haul Growth Index.”
North Bay was number one, followed by Belleville, Sudbury, Quebec City, Calgary, Kelowna, Kingston, Red Deer and ‘Owen Sound-Port Elgin.’
Looking at provincial migration, Alberta was the top province followed by BC and Ontario.
Saugeen Shores (which includes Port Elgin) Mayor Luke Charbonneau says on Twitter, “This study shows that the Town of
@SaugeenShoresON not only the fastest growing community in our regions but also one of Canada’s fastest growing communities (#9). Our focus continues to be on leveraging this growth to improve the quality of life of all who live here.”
The City of Owen Sound notes in a release, it was was recently named a finalist for two Economic Developers Council of Ontario Awards of Excellence Categories; one for the River District Action Plan and one for the City’s Work from Home Capital of Canada initiative. The ‘Work from Home Capital of Canada©’ initiative was created to capitalize on the desire and ability of people to work from home on a more permanent basis during the pandemic.