These two northern Ont. cities in Top 3 most growth for 2021 U-Haul arrivals

U-Haul rental moving truck

One northern Ontario city has retained its top spot on the U-Haul Canadian Growth Cities list for the second year in a row, while another city from the region rose to No. 3.

Every year the moving truck rental company analyzes the number of customer moves during the previous year and publishes its findings.

THE GATEWAY CITY

Once again, North Bay is the most popular Canadian city for do-it-yourself movers, the moving truck rental company said in a news release Wednesday.

Arrivals rose 40 per cent when compared to 2020, U-Haul said, while departures rose 27 per cent.

"Arriving customers accounted for 59.2 per cent of all one-way U-Haul truck traffic in North Bay during 2021," the company said. "Compared to 40.8 per cent departures."

North Bay is one of the most affordable cities in the province, president of U-Haul Company of northeastern Ontario Tamrat Meherete in a news release.

"The cost of living is low. The city isn’t huge, so it still has a small-town feel. It’s conveniently located between Greater Sudbury and Pembroke. North Bay has beautiful waterfront views, because of its unique position between the Ottawa River, the Great Lakes Basin, Lake Nipissing and Trout Lake," Meherete said.

NICKEL CITY

Greater Sudbury made No. 3 on the list of 25 Canadian cities. This is up from No. 6 in 2019.

"Do-it-yourself movers coming to Greater Sudbury in one-way U-Haul trucks increased 35 per cent year over year, while departures increased 32 per cent from 2020," U-Haul said. " Arriving customers accounted for 54.3 per cent of all one-way U-Haul truck traffic in Greater Sudbury during 2021, compared to 45.7 per cent departures."

Another northeastern city, Sault Ste. Marie, came in No. 12, while Timmins did not make the list.

"While U-Haul migration trends do not correlate directly to population or economic growth, the U-Haul Growth Index is an effective gauge of how well cities are both attracting and maintaining residents," the company said on its website.

Top 10 growth cities in 2021, according to U-Haul (previous year's rankings in brackets):

1. North Bay (1)
2. Belleville, Ont. (4)
3. Greater Sudbury, Ont. (6)
4. Quebec City, Que. (16)
5. Calgary, Alta.
6. Kelowna-West Kelowna, B.C.
7. Kingston, Ont. (3)
8. Red Deer – Lancombe, Alta.
9. Owen Sound – Port Elgin, Ont.
10. North Vancouver, B.C. (2)