One of the major attractions of a move to Canada is the cost of housing compared with other western countries.
As happens everywhere, prices are higher in Canada's big cities than they are in the surrounding towns.
Canada's highest house prices are found on the west coast in Vancouver / British Columbia, where the country's mildest weather is found
Severe winter weather or remoteness from major markets usually results in low house prices - for example property prices are low in Manitoba and Prince Edward Island.
In 2007 prices in booming Alberta rose above prices in Ontario for the first time and, in the same vein, prices in Calgary rose above those in Toronto. Despite the more recent fall in oil prices, Alberta prices in 2009 remain higher than those in Ontario.
Canadian Cities
Average House Prices
January 2009
City | Average House Price | 12 Month Change |
Vancouver, BC | $536,000 | - 8.8 % |
Calgary, Alb | $362,000 | - 11.4 % |
Toronto, Ont | $344,000 | - 8.2 % |
Ottawa, Ont | $291,000 | + 1.8 % |
Montreal, Que | $252,000 | + 2.3 % |
Halifax, NS | $243,000 | + 11.1 % |
Regina, Sask | $214,000 | + 7.6 % |
Fredericton, NB | $156,000 | + 7.3 % |
Canadian Provinces
Average House Prices
January 2009
Province | Average House Price | 12 Month Change |
British Columbia | $413,000 | - 8.9 % |
Alberta | $322,000 | - 10.3 % |
Ontario | $275,000 | - 8.8 % |
Saskatchewan | $225,000 | + 7.6 % |
Quebec | $205,000 | - 0.3 % |
Newfoundland / Labrador | $192,000 | + 20.1 % |
Nova Scotia | $179,000 | - 1.7 % |
Manitoba | $178,000 | + 5.0 % |
Prince Edward Island | $165,000 | + 18 % |
New Brunswick | $142,000 | - 6.2 % |
Canadian Average | $274,000 | - 11.3 % |
Prices from The Canadian Real Estate Association