Population of NWT may double after Ontario election result

Waves of Ontario residents appeared ready to begin new lives in the Northwest Territories as major news outlets projected a win for Doug Ford’s Progressive Conservatives in the province.

As Ford declared, “We have taken back Ontario,” some took to Twitter with renewed passion for a move to the Canadian North.

“Looking at moving back to Yellowknife,” tweeted Kira Hall, an actor and writer who was born and raised in Yellowknife but now resides in Ontario – or, as she dubbed it online, #Onterrible.

“I’m moving to Yellowknife, NT, and I’m going to become a polar bear observer,” declared a soon-to-be-disappointed user calling themselves Fin.

Citing a job posting for work as a sign maker with Capital Signs, Fin subsequently sounded bewildered by the possibilities: “I’m looking at jobs at Yellowknife and this shop has only two people.”

The sentiment was a common one as some Ontario residents sought refuge from a Progressive Conservative government.

“Moving to Northwest Territories, anyone wanna join me,” tweeted another user, while minor YouTube celebrity Marlon Palmer – with twice as many Twitter followers as there are Northwest Territories inhabitants – told fans: “I’m moving to Yellowknife where things make sense.”

It’s not clear what kind of government fleeing southerners expect to find in the Northwest Territories.

They may take some time to accustom themselves to consensus government, given the entire population of the NWT still doesn’t really understand the system – including the actual politicians.

However, the territory would do well to capitalize on political dissatisfaction in Ontario.

Every individual who moves to the NWT is worth around $30,000 annually in federal transfer payments alone, before considering their economic contribution.