Understanding Amish Migrations to New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Manitoba

Abstract

For nearly two centuries, the Amish of Canada inhabited only one province: Ontario. Since 2015, however, Amish families have started to migrate from Ontario to New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Manitoba. This paper seeks to understand both why Amish families felt the need to move out of Ontario and why they chose those specific destinations. It argues that three factors structure Amish interprovincial migrations in Canada: farmland prices, the geography of existing Amish settlements in both Canada and the United States, and the political hospitality of provinces. Most specifically, the paper suggests that Prince Edward Island might be the most Amish-friendly jurisdiction in North America, while Quebec might be the least Amish-friendly jurisdiction of the continent.