Do Subnational Agreements Induce Interprovincial Migration? Empirical Evidence from Canada’s Aggregate Migration Patterns

Abstract

Some provincial governments in Canada have negotiated agreements to try to remove barriers to interprovincial migration. I estimate the extent and pattern of these barriers over time and study the effect of the agreements using a gravity model and panel data on interprovincial migration flows during 2000–2015. My estimates indicate that these barriers are remarkably larger than previous estimates. More important, there is no evidence that the agreements have reduced the barriers.