If you don’t survive the zombie apocalypse you can’t gamble, we suppose. With this evidently in mind, the good folks at CasinoHunters have curated a list of which Canadian provinces we should travel to (or not) to survive such an occurrence were it to happen in 2024.

And while that may (!?) sound a little silly, we’ll trust in the organization’s research metrics, which seriously include the availability of water, population density, army presence, hospitals, availability of weapons, and supermarkets.

So, book those tickets, or roll out the RV, and starting heading to… the Northwest Territories! – which garnered a relatively healthy 78.57 survival rating (out of 100).

Next best was the Nunavut at 70.65, then the Yukon at 46.30 (notably less than a 50%) chance.

The worst places to be if the zombies come, apparently, are New Brunswick, PEI and BC, which didn’t even chart (we’re not sure why).

In between, positions four to nine, were Ontario (43.98), Manitoba (43.42), Saskatchewan (42.59), Quebec (41.84), Newfoundland/Labrador, Alberta (32.76) and Nova Scotia (30.15).

Why them? CasinoHunters posits:

The Northwest Territories has the best chance of survival with a score of 78.57. When people during a real zombie apocalypse are able to infect other people with a single bite (like in ‘The Walking Dead’ series), or by breathing in the infected spores (like in ‘The Last of Us’ game), escaping large cities is only logical. Therefore, the first important factor in surviving the apocalypse when assessing the safety of a location is population density. The Northwest Territories has one of the lowest population densities of only 0.04 per sq. km. This area also has a lot of hospitals per 100,000 of the population (46.15). This is important as hospitals will have access to medication and equipment that could help you survive in the event of an outbreak. 

• Nunavut is the second safest province to live in with a survival score of 70.65. Nunavut has the most grocery stores per 100,000 of the population (116). Over time, it will be beneficial to produce your own food; however, in the beginning, grocery stores will be the best places to find food and drink. This province also has a high percentage of fresh water, which will be key for not just drinking but for farming and growing your own crops, especially as food supplies start to dwindle.
• Yukon is the third best province to live in to increase your chances of survival. Weapons and other means of self-defence are key elements to consider when trying to survive. Yukon has the most gun registrations per 100,000 of the population, with 7,716. This indicates that residents would be armed and ready to defend against enemies, increasing the odds of survival. Yukon also has a very low population density of 0.09 per sq. km. making it a safe choice to see out the apocalypse in.
• Ontario is the fourth best place to live in the event of a zombie apocalypse. Ontario has the largest army presence, which means when the military is deployed, you are likely to have the most protection. Also, army bases make excellent safe zones. Ontario has a much larger population than the three provinces above which means a higher population density. However, Ontario also has plenty of access to fresh water (17% fresh water per sq. km.) which will be one of the scarcest resources, yet one of the most important.
• The fifth-safest province is Manitoba. This province has nine military bases which is a good indication that an area will be protected. There are also 42 grocery stores per 100,000 of the population which will help people survive in the early stages of a pandemic.
• Saskatchewan is the sixth safest province to live within, in the event of an apocalypse. This province has the second-highest number of gun registrations per 100,000 with 5,242.
• Quebec is the seventh best province to live in to survive an apocalypse. This province has the second-highest number of army bases (12) providing safety and security for residents. This province also has the highest % of fresh water per km2 with 19.9%.
• Newfoundland and Labrador is the eighth safest province. There are seven army bases and 1,876 gun registrations per 100,000. There are also 83 grocery stores per 100,000 of the population which is the third highest in the country.

“Research has shown that only 46% of Canadians are ready for different catastrophes and unpredicted survival scenarios,” says a CasinoHunters spokesperson. “Is a zombie apocalypse possible? Maybe. Are other disasters possible? Definitely. So, people should always be prepared for events where food, water, and electricity could become scarce, as you may rely on your own preparations and knowledge to survive.”