Mitchell Hooper has opened up about one of the biggest decisions of his life, revealing that he and his family are leaving Canada behind and starting over in the United States.
The reigning Strongman star confirmed he is set to permanently relocate to Las Vegas with his wife and daughters, admitting it is a move that hasn’t come without doubt.
Hooper said: “In one week’s time, we’re going to be, for all intents and purposes, American residents. That is a scary thing, and I’m not 100% convinced that it’s the definite best thing to do.”
For Hooper, the decision isn’t political.
Instead, it comes down to a combination of lifestyle, family, work opportunities, and long-term financial planning.
And at the centre of it all is one simple thing: weather.
For someone who has spent years enduring brutal Canadian winters, Hooper admits he’s had enough.
“Canadian winters are something that we don’t do any winter sports. It’s not something that we enjoy,” he explained.
“We just don’t go outside for four or five months a year. It’s dark for such a chunk of that time. We don’t really get much fresh air. We both find it really depressing.”
That alone played a huge role.
Hooper says the move to Vegas gives his family the chance to build a much more consistent year-round lifestyle, something he feels has constantly been interrupted back home.
“We can go for a walk with our daughters every morning. We could spend that quality time outside. We could go for a swim every evening,” he said. “We have such a great summer routine here and we have it for three months and then it’s all interrupted and we have to go into winter mode, which we don’t really love.”
It’s not just the sunshine either.
Hooper pointed out that even an extra hour of daylight during winter could make a major difference: “That one hour makes a big difference when it gets dark at 4:30 versus 5:30. Personally, I’m gonna find that much, much nicer.”
The move also makes sense professionally.
Despite building one of the biggest names in strongman while living near Toronto, Hooper says Canada simply can’t compete with the opportunities available south of the border.
“Collabs are really hard,” he said. “There’s a handful of people in the fitness industry close. But compared to Vegas and LA, it absolutely pales in comparison.”
Hooper added that American sponsorships and brand deals are on a completely different scale.
“The American brand deals for stuff in Strongman and Social Media are a multiple of what they are here in terms of value and in terms of quantity.”
That proximity matters.
Instead of multi-day travel for shoots and collaborations, Hooper says he can now fly in and out of Los Angeles in a single day.
“This is going to allow me to have one day out to LA, shoot a brand, come back and be home at night rather than it being a multi-day adventure.”
His wife Ashley also has no shortage of opportunities.
Hooper revealed she attended six job interviews in Vegas and walked away with six immediate offers.
“She went for six job interviews in Vegas and got six on the spot job offers,” he said.
Beyond work, finances played a major part in the decision.
Hooper broke down what he sees as major differences in taxation and affordability between Canada and the United States, especially for higher earners.
“In Canada, if you make more than $187,000, you’re taxed at 53% compared to 37% if you make over $640,000 in America,” he said.
For him, housing is one of the clearest indicators of where things are heading.
“The average home costs 12.5x average income in Toronto, where that number is 6.5x average income in Vegas.”
While Hooper admits he is fortunate enough to afford homes in both countries, his concerns are more focused on the future for his daughters.
He said: “I don’t know a single job that I could tell my daughters to get where they’re going to be able to go buy a house. And to me, it’s like if I don’t make the move for them, then I can’t really justify any sort of outcome other than I buy a house for them when they’re old enough.”
Education was another key factor.
Hooper said one of the biggest advantages in Vegas is flexibility, particularly when it comes to schooling.
“In my current community, there are zero private schools,” he said. “In my new community in Vegas, there are 11 private high schools. That flexibility is going to give us what we want for our kids.”
Healthcare was also part of the calculation.
While he acknowledged Canada’s healthcare system has strengths, Hooper argued speed of treatment could directly impact his career.
“If I tore a bicep in Canada, it would be about three weeks on an expedited pathway to be able to get that repaired,” he explained. “This is outside the window of best practice. So it puts my career in jeopardy.”
By comparison, the US system offers immediate access — at a cost.
“In America, it’s going to cost 10K, but it’s going to get done, and it’s going to get done fast.”
Hooper also spoke candidly about frustrations with Canada’s rental system and long-term wealth planning, saying he believes the US provides stronger opportunities for those who are working and building assets.
“In short, America gives the ability to thrive for working people who are middle and upper class,” he said.
But despite all the practical reasons behind the move, Hooper made it clear that leaving Canada won’t be easy.
The hardest part, he says, will be leaving family, friends, and the life they built.
“Number one is family and friends. We’re moving away from the vast majority,” he said.
He also admitted that leaving behind the family home carries real emotional weight: “This is where we brought both of our daughters. It’s where we have a lot of great memories.”
And beyond that, it’s the smaller things he knows he’ll miss.
The community traditions. The coffee shops. The restaurants. The energy of Toronto sports.
“I’m going to miss all the energy around the Blue Jays, Raptors and Maple Leafs,” he said. “There’s just something about Toronto teams doing well when you’re in Toronto that just everyone goes insane.”
But for all the emotion attached to leaving, Hooper insists one thing isn’t changing.
His loyalty.
“For everyone asking, I’ll still represent Canada. I’ll still cheer for Canada in the Olympics. Toronto sports jerseys are coming with me.”
And no — he won’t be switching allegiances anytime soon.
“I’m not going to become a Golden Knights fan or anything. I’ll keep the masochism of cheering for the Leafs and the Blue Jays and the Raptors.”
For Hooper, Vegas represents more than a move.
It’s a reset.
A fresh chapter.
And one he hopes will give his family a stronger foundation for the future.
Featured image credit: Mitchell Hooper / YouTube
