A few months ago, we discussed a recent campaign that swept through TTC stations, primarily at Young and Bloor. The aim of the campaign was to encourage Torontonians to consider uprooting their lives and relocating to Alberta. One sign boldly juxtaposed the average house prices in Alberta and Toronto at $490,000 and $1.4 million respectively.&nbsp;&nbsp;Both rent and home prices in Alberta are far below those found in Ontario. In Edmonton, the average one-bedroom apartment costs $1,000 per month. In Toronto, it costs $2,239.You can easily find a three-bedroom home for less than $300,000 in Alberta’s capital city, but such a scenario is non-existent in Toronto. According to a recent Royal LePage survey, 25% of Canadians aged 27 to 41 don’t see the milestone in their future. In Toronto, the figure is even higher, at 28%. In Calgary, it’s 22%. Thirty-seven percent of Toronto-based millennials believe they’d have to relocate to buy a home, compared to just 19% of their Calgary based peers.Other signs highlighted enticing prospects like guaranteed employment, lower living expenses, and reduced taxes.&nbsp;Data from Statistics Canada shows that Alberta saw a massive surge in people moving there from other provinces in the last couple of years.In 2021, the number of people going from Alberta to Ontario or vice-versa was roughly the same. But in 2022, migration from Ontario to Alberta vastly outpaced migration the other way.2021: 12,708 Ontario&nbsp;➡ Alberta2022: 29,422 Ontario&nbsp;➡ AlbertaAccording to the Financial Post, Edmonton and Calgary have emerged as the two most sought-after cities for real estate in Canada. What's the sudden allure of Alberta? While the Alberta is Calling campaign might have seemed outlandish to some Torontonians, was Alberta's Premier Jason Kenney onto something?The Financial Post offers context for the finding that these major Albertan cities are dominating real estate searches. They note that due to the exorbitant house prices in Ontario and British Columbia, Canadians are expanding their search horizons. Data reveals that Edmonton topped the list as the most searched city for real estate, with Calgary following closely. The pandemic has precipitated two significant shifts: skyrocketing house prices and the newfound ability to work remotely.Both Toronto and the Financial Post underscore the significance of remote work. This phenomenon, largely spurred by the pandemic, has enabled many professionals to retain their jobs while relocating. The convergence of pandemic-driven lifestyle changes and the growing fascination with Alberta creates an intriguing correlation.This is not an advertisement for Alberta per se, but the province does possess a range of appealing attributes for outsiders. While we've already touched upon the allure of affordable housing, what other factors make Alberta attractive? Their website is making a concerted effort to sway people to make the move, dedicating various sections to highlighting their unique offerings. As per their website, "Alberta boasts the highest median after-tax income in Canada, at $72,500." A cursory fact-check corroborates this claim; Ontario's median after-tax income is $65,300. They also spotlight their 26 universities and colleges, in comparison to Ontario's 46. Curiously, their website even has a section dedicated to weather, which might not be the focal point of my provincial marketing strategy. They proudly declare Alberta as the sunniest province in Canada, basking in 312 days of sunshine annually. However, addressing the diversity concern might not completely allay apprehensions; the website seems to emphasize French-speaking as their primary diversity facet.CalgaryHomes.ca raises two intriguing points. Alberta, in general, levies lower taxes compared to other provinces. There's no provincial sales tax, and the gas tax has been suspended. Further investigation is needed to compare their social services with those of Ontario, but initial findings suggest that their health insurance, AHCIP, is akin to Ontario's OHIP.&nbsp;Moreover, they emphasize that Albertans aren't burdened with a land transfer tax when buying or selling homes. Additionally, Alberta lacks rent increase regulations, allowing landlords to raise rent without restriction, provided they inform their tenants. In Ontario, an annual limit of 1.2% is imposed. While the absence of a limit might appear unfavorable to tenants, property investors might find Alberta appealing.The popularity of Alberta cities as top search destinations for Canadian real estate isn't surprising. With housing affordability and reduced living costs, Alberta seems like a haven compared to the financial burdens endured by residents of Ontario and British Columbia.

Alberta Calling: Who Answered and Who Hung Up?

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