Canada’s Best Affordable Places to Live

The bad news: owning a home in one of Canada’s marquee cities is now largely the purview of millionaires. In Toronto, a typical home goes for nearly $1.1 million, while the price of admission in Greater Vancouver is even higher at $1.2 million (and a house in West Vancouver has the vertigo-inducing sticker shock of $2.6 million).

The good news is that for many people, homeownership is still possible—if they’re willing to explore new terrain. Below, we present 10 Canadian cities where the benchmark home price still falls under the national average of $700,000. And these aren’t boring backwaters: each city we’re featuring is buzzing with economic activity, innovative new businesses, delicious dining options and cultural touchstones. Among them are Windsor, Ontario, which has transformed from a rust-belt relic to an EV production hub. Charlottetown, once homogenous and sleepy, is now a tapestry of multiculturalism, complete with destinations for pho and Lebanese cuisine. And Sherbrooke, smack in the centre of Quebec’s idyllic Eastern Townships, is leading the way in quantum computing. In each of these cities, buyers can find good-sized, high-value, often adorable family homes without breaking the bank. Happy hunting.

Charlottetown, P.E.I.

The seaside charmer has transformed into one of Canada’s most multicultural cities

Halifax, Nova Scotia

Eastern Canada’s economic centre is packed with lush green space and bustling downtown activity

By Alex Cyr

St. Catharines, Ontario

The gorgeous Niagara city is coming back to life—and experiencing a reverse migration

By Mark Pupo

Quebec City, Quebec

The historic, cobblestoned town has undergone a modern makeover, with startups and video game studios galore

By Caitlin Stall-Paquet

Edmonton, Alberta

Alberta’s capital is a small city with big-city energy in the form of universities, health-care jobs and sports teams

By Michael Hingston

Sherbrooke, Quebec

In the midst of Quebec’s quaint Eastern Townships, Sherbrooke offers historic homes at affordable prices

By Caitlin Stall-Paquet

Kingston, Ontario

The long-time university town is upgrading its downtown with an epic building spree

BEST AFFORDABLE PLACES TO LIVE

Fredericton, New Brunswick

Cheap houses, tech jobs and neighbourly charm abound in this east-coast bargain town

By Alex Cyr

Windsor, Ontario

The rust-belt city turned EV production hub features buzzy restaurants, new parks and easy access to Detroit

By Maclean’s

Regina, Saskatchewan

The prairie pick is densifying and innovating—but houses are still shockingly affordable

By Emily Landau

This story appears in the September issue of Maclean’s. You can buy the issue here, subscribe to the magazine here or send a gift subscription here.