Have you noticed that a lot of people you know have moved to Alberta in the few years? It is not just you. A lot of people are moving to Alberta. This is changing the rental market in the province. While some cities like Vancouver and Toronto are having a time with empty apartments and high vacancy rates Calgary and Edmonton are doing very well. They have a lot of people moving and the rental market is strong. In this article I will talk about why many people are moving to Alberta and what it means for people who want to invest in rental properties or rent a place to live.
The Numbers Are Clear: Alberta Is Attracting a Lot of People
Let me show you some numbers that will surprise you. Between July 2024 and June 2025 over 28,000 people moved to Alberta from provinces. This is the number of any province in Canada. Most of these people moved to the Calgary area. In the two years over 75,000 people have moved to Alberta from other provinces. A lot of these people came from British Columbia and Ontario. This is not a few people moving. It is a big trend. Both Calgary and Edmonton are expected to grow by 2 percent each year from 2026 on. When this many people are moving to Alberta it affects the housing market.
This trend is not slowing down. In the part of 2026 over 19,000 people moved to Alberta from other provinces. Alberta had the population gain in Canada in the first half of 2025 with over 12,800 people moving to the province. Many of these people are looking for housing and better job opportunities. As one person said, “It is because of the Alberta Advantage and people are not as excited about living in Vancouver and Toronto.
Why Are People Moving to Alberta?
So why are many people moving to Alberta? The answer is simple: the Alberta Advantage. Housing is cheaper people get paid more. The economy is getting more diverse. Another reason is that Alberta does not have rent control. This means that landlords can charge what they want for rent, which makes it more attractive for people to invest in properties.
People Are Moving to Alberta. It Is Affecting the Rental Market
Both Calgary and Edmonton are seeing a lot of people move in but it is especially noticeable in Calgary. The rental market in Calgary is doing well because of all the new people moving. With a lot of new apartments being built the demand for rentals is still high. The economy in Calgary is also strong with employment and more jobs being created. While the number of people moving to Alberta has slowed down a bit the province is still attracting people than it is losing. When this happens it creates a cycle: more people means more jobs, which attracts even more people.
The Rental Market in Calgary: A Balance of Supply and Demand
The rental market in Calgary is a story of balance. A lot of apartments have been built, which has increased the supply of rentals.. The demand from new people moving in has helped absorb a lot of this new supply. The vacancy rate in Calgary, which was as low as 1.4 percent in 2023 went up to 4.6 percent in 2024. Almost 5 percent in 2025. The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) thinks that the vacancy rate will go up a bit more and then stabilize.
Even though the vacancy rate is going up people are still moving to Calgary. Affecting the rental market. The average rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Calgary went down from $1,620 to $1,550 in the part of 2026. This is because there are new and expensive apartments available which has increased the vacancy rate. Older apartments are still doing well with low vacancy rates and steady demand.
The Rental Market in Edmonton: Similar to Calgary
Edmonton is also benefiting from people moving to Alberta. Both Calgary and Edmonton are expected to grow by 2 percent each year from 2026 on. The trends are similar: a lot of people are moving in the rental market is doing well. New apartments are being built.
What Does This Mean for Investors and Renters?
For investors Alberta is a place to invest in rental properties. The fundamentals are strong with no rent control, a growing economy and a lot of people moving in. Calgary and Edmonton are attractive to investors because the rental yields are better than in provinces like Ontario or British Columbia.
For renters the situation is more mixed. There are apartments available which has moderated rent growth.. People are still moving to Alberta, which keeps the rental market from becoming too favorable to renters. The vacancy rate in Calgary is still relatively low and rents while moderated have not dropped dramatically.
The Long-Term Outlook: A Strong Market
The long-term outlook for Albertas market is positive. While the number of people moving to Alberta has slowed down a bit the underlying drivers are still strong. Housing is cheaper people get paid more. The economy is getting more diverse. These factors are attracting people from over Canada. The rental market in Alberta has staying power that other provinces can only dream of.
The CMHCs 2026 Housing Market Outlook thinks that the rental market will ease up a bit over the three years as new apartments are built and absorbed.. In Alberta this easing will be more modest than in Vancouver or Toronto where demand has fallen more sharply. Rents in Alberta are expected to grow because demand is still strong.
Conclusion
People are moving to Alberta. It is changing the rental market. Between July 2024 and June 2025 over 28,000 people moved to Alberta from provinces. Calgary and Edmonton are expected to grow by 2 percent each year from 2026 on. While new construction has added to the supply of rentals the demand from people moving in remains strong. For investors Alberta offers rental yields, no rent control and a growing economy. For renters there are apartments available but the rental market is still strong. Understanding why people are moving to Alberta is essential for navigating this market. The Alberta Advantage is real. It is not going away anytime soon.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
People are moving to Alberta because of the Alberta Advantage. Between July 2024 and June 2025 over 28,000 people moved to Alberta from provinces. This is affecting the market by increasing demand and keeping rents high.
The vacancy rate in Calgary was 4.6 percent in 2024 and almost 5 percent in 2025. The CMHC thinks that it will reach 5.7 percent in 2026 before stabilizing.
The average rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Calgary went down from $1,620 to $1,550 in the first part of 2026. This is because there are more new and expensive apartments available which has increased the vacancy rate.
People are moving to Alberta because of the Alberta Advantage. Cheaper housing, higher wages and a growing economy. Most of these people are coming from British Columbia and Ontario.
Yes Alberta is a market for investors. The province has no rent control, a growing economy and a lot of people moving in. This makes it attractive for people to invest in properties.
Albertas rental market is doing better, than Vancouvers. While Vancouver has seen rents drop by 20 percent from their peak and vacancy rates hit 3.7 percent Albertas rents have grown modestly because demand is still strong.
Co-Founder & Director
Hafil Perincheeri is an engineer-turned-realtor, investor, and builder based in Calgary, Canada. As Co-Founder and Director of Greencasa, he specializes in home flips, property development, and investment strategies. Since 2019, he has guided clients in home buying, multifamily investing, and financing options like CMHC and MLI Select, ensuring transparent, informed decisions.