The Urban Exodus: Understanding Impacts of Pandemic Migration in Rural Ontario

The COVID-19 pandemic, among other factors, acted as a catalyst for urban-rural migration in Ontario. Our study, The Urban Exodus: Understanding the Impacts of Migration to Rural Ontario as a Result of the COVID-19 Pandemic surveyed and interviewed planners and municipal professionals in every region of Ontario to understand what the impacts of sudden population change were during the pandemic. It varied widely by geography, with each community facing a different set of opportunities and challenges with the arrival of new residents.