John Acheever Is Employed by Research in Limbo

John Acheever is employed by Research In Limbo. He has worked for a number of years in their office in Kitchener, Ontario. However, he has become convinced that he would have quicker advancement if he transferred to their office in New York City. He requests this transfer and moves to that location in September, 2019. Before leaving he cancels his apartment lease, sells all of the personal property that he does not wish to move, and cancels his Ontario driver's licence. However, he retains his Canadian banking and brokerage accounts and, because of concerns about the cost of U.S. health care, he does not cancel his Ontario health care card (he changes the address to that of his parents in Waterloo, Ontario). He has also left his dog , Bart with his parents.
After the move, he is shocked to realize how much he misses Bart. He finds himself flying back to Kitchener at least twice a month to spend the weekend caring for Bart. By February, 2021, after not being able to find a suitable dog-friendly apartment in New York City, John returns to his position in Kitchener. He has no plans to return to the U.S. Would John be considered a Canadian resident during the 18 months that he was absent from Canada? Explain your conclusion.