The first five months of 2026 have been marked by escalating global tensions, economic turbulence, and deepening political dysfunction in the United States. As uncertainty has tightened its grip on American life, a growing number of citizens are seeking refuge north of the border.

U.S.-originated sessions on royallepage.ca – Royal LePage’s consumer real estate portal and one of the most-visited real estate company websites in Canada – have recorded increasingly significant spikes throughout the first half of 2026, with traffic surging during periods of major economic and geopolitical uncertainty.


The first major increase in U.S.-based user traffic in 2026 occurred during Week 3 (January 11th to 17th), following the death of Renée Good, who was fatally shot by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent in Minneapolis, Minnesota. During that period, traffic to royallepage.ca rose 78% week over week and 65% year over year.

U.S. traffic to royallepage.ca set a new record high beginning in Week 15 of 2026 (April 5th to 11th). This upward trend coincides with heightened geopolitical tensions surrounding the Iran conflict. The U.S. and Iran agreed to a temporary two-week ceasefire after President Donald Trump issued a widely publicized ultimatum on Truth Social (April 7th), warning that “a whole civilization will die tonight,” if an agreement was not reached. During that week, U.S.-originated traffic to royallepage.ca surged 125% week over week, an increase of 233% compared to the same period in 2025.

Prior to this, the largest traffic spike recorded occurred in Week 24 of 2025 (June 8th to 14th), shortly after the National Guard was deployed to Los Angeles in response to widespread protests following U.S. ICE raids. During that period, U.S.-originated traffic to royallepage.ca surged 84% week over week and 116% compared to the same week in 2024. 

Following the Iranian ceasefire, U.S. traffic to royallepage.ca continued to climb. Additional major spikes were recorded during Week 18 of 2026 (April 26th to May 2nd) and Week 20 (May 10th to 16th), coinciding with legal and political developments surrounding the mailing of mifepristone, a medication commonly used for abortions outside of clinical settings. During Week 18, U.S.-originated traffic increased 64% week over week and an unprecedented 542% year over year. Another significant increase followed two weeks later. 

“The first months of 2026 have been marked by a relentless cycle of breaking news and unsettling headlines, from war and economic volatility to growing political and civil unrest. During periods like these, we often see Americans revisit the idea of relocating to Canada as a way to distance themselves from the turbulence surrounding U.S. politics and public life. We saw similar patterns emerge during the lead-up to the 2024 presidential election and again in its aftermath,” said Phil Soper, president and CEO, Royal LePage. 

“Canada’s cultural similarities, geographic proximity and shared language make a transition feel accessible for many Americans. When combined with Canada’s political stability, universal healthcare system and internationally recognized quality of life, it’s understandable why interest in living here tends to rise during moments of heightened uncertainty.”

Changes to Canada’s citizenship-by-descent rules in December of 2025 have sparked increased interest among Americans exploring potential pathways to Canadian citizenship. Similar to British citizens seeking Irish passports during Brexit, thousands of Americans with Canadian family ties are increasingly viewing dual citizenship as a form of long-term contingency planning amid growing political and economic uncertainty in the U.S.

Spikes in U.S. traffic to royallepage.ca have previously coincided with major American political moments dating back to Trump’s first presidency in 2017, and then again in 2024. Traffic surged following the first presidential debate between then-President Joe Biden and the presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump, and again in the immediate aftermath of Trump’s re-election later that year.