CORNWALL, Ontario – U-Haul has ranked the City of Cornwall as number 20 on their list of growing cities in 2021 based on the amount of one-way trips their trucks have made to the municipality.
According to U-Haul, moving trucks coming to Cornwall on a one-way trip increased by 17 per cent in 2021, accounting for 53.6 per cent of all one-way U-Haul truck traffic in Cornwall in 2021. Departures counted for 46.4 per cent of all one-way U-Haul truck traffic in the city with a real increase of six per cent.
Cornwall Division Manager for Economic Development Bob Peters explained how the data presented by U-Haul, while not definitive, is one metric with which to measure growth in the city.
“The metrics provided by U-Haul offer an interesting window into the movement of people and their families. Certainly the migration of people into Cornwall from other parts of Ontario and Canada are a potential source of population growth, and U-Haul is a significant player in moving industry,” he wrote in a statement to Seaway News.
In 2021 the City of Cornwall issued 257 permits for new housing units a 78 per cent increase from the previous year.
“It seems reasonable therefore to assume that all of these positive indicators suggest population growth, however the most accurate indicator will be the results from the 2021 Census,” Peters explained. “Information on population and dwelling counts is expected to be released on February 9, 2022.”
Tamrat Meherete, U-Haul Company of Northeastern Ontario president cited Cornwall’s relatively cheap housing market as one feature enticing new residents to move to the city.
“The housing is so affordable compared to surrounding cities,” said Meherete. “In Ottawa, a three-bedroom home costs around $600,000 to $700,000. The same house in Cornwall costs $200,000. Cornwall is just an hour’s drive to Ottawa or Montreal. Plus, it’s located on the New York border. Many people are moving out of larger cities and Cornwall is one of many smaller towns seeing an influx of residents. Cornwall has many parks and recreational facilities, making it an excellent place to raise a family. Also, it’s location on the St. Lawrence River gives outdoorsy people something to do.”
