Canada Property Guide

Buying, living and investing in Canada

Canada is enormous.

That sounds obvious, but it's the first thing to remember when looking at property here.

A condo in downtown Toronto, a family home in Calgary, a house overlooking the Atlantic in Nova Scotia and a cabin in rural British Columbia aren't really part of the same property market.

Canada offers excellent schools, established healthcare, proper seasons, huge amounts of outdoor space and some of the world's most liveable cities.

But for foreign property buyers there's currently one fairly large complication:

In 2026, many non-Canadians simply can't buy a normal residential property in Canada's larger cities and towns.

So with Canada, establish whether you're legally allowed to buy before spending Sunday evening choosing houses.

Can foreigners buy property in Canada?

This is where Canada differs significantly from countries such as Belize or Costa Rica.

Canada currently has a federal restriction on many purchases of residential property by non-Canadians.

The ban is scheduled to remain in place until 1 January 2027, although rules can change and its eventual expiry shouldn't be assumed until it actually happens.

Broadly, it restricts many non-Canadians from buying residential properties containing three homes or fewer within Canada's Census Metropolitan Areas and Census Agglomerations — essentially many cities and larger towns.

There are exemptions.

Canadian citizens and permanent residents aren't affected in the same way, while some qualifying work-permit holders, international students and other groups may be able to buy subject to specific conditions.

Certain property types and locations can also fall outside the restrictions, including some rural and recreational properties, larger multi-unit buildings and other categories.

This is definitely one of those situations where you establish your eligibility before making an offer.

Can you live in Canada?

Yes — if you have the appropriate immigration status.

Canada has established routes for workers, students, families and people seeking permanent residency.

Programmes include Express Entry, provincial nomination programmes and family sponsorship, alongside various temporary work and study permits.

Permanent residents can generally purchase property in the same way as Canadian citizens.

Buying a property doesn't give you Canadian residency.

In fact, in the current market, the sensible order for many international buyers is the other way around:

Sort out Canada first. Sort out the Canadian house second.

What happens if the foreign-buyer ban ends?

The federal restrictions are currently scheduled to expire at the beginning of 2027.

That doesn't necessarily mean Canada suddenly becomes a tax-free shopping centre for overseas property buyers.

Provinces and cities have their own rules.

Ontario, for example, has imposed a substantial Non-Resident Speculation Tax, while Toronto has its own additional rules and taxation.

British Columbia also imposes additional property-transfer tax on foreign buyers in specified areas, including Metro Vancouver.

So even if federal restrictions change, provincial and municipal taxes may remain.

If you're reading this after 2026, check the rules that apply now, not the rules that applied when this guide was written.

What does property cost?

Canada isn't cheap in its most popular cities.

Nationally, the average home during 2026 has been somewhere around the C$670,000–C$700,000 mark.

But that average isn't particularly useful on its own.

Greater Vancouver can easily push beyond C$1 million, with detached houses substantially higher again.

Greater Toronto is similarly expensive.

Move to Calgary and prices become more approachable.

Go further into the Prairies, Atlantic Canada or smaller communities and your money can go considerably further again.

This is one of Canada's great advantages for people who aren't tied to Toronto or Vancouver.

Don't automatically start with the famous cities.

Start with the lifestyle you want and work backwards.

What about rental returns?

Canada has a large and established rental market.

Depending on the city and property type, gross residential yields can broadly fall somewhere around 5–7%, although individual markets vary considerably.

Calgary and some less expensive cities can look stronger on paper than Vancouver, where very high purchase prices can squeeze yields.

But don't simply take the advertised rent and divide it by the purchase price.

Property tax, insurance, maintenance, management, condominium fees and periods without a tenant all matter.

Short-term rentals are also heavily regulated in a number of Canadian cities and provinces.

Don't buy a Toronto or Vancouver apartment assuming Airbnb will make the numbers work.

Check that you're actually allowed to do it first.

How much does buying cost?

For an ordinary Canadian citizen or permanent resident, transaction costs are manageable but vary significantly between provinces.

There can be provincial land-transfer or property-transfer taxes, legal fees, title insurance, inspections and adjustments.

Some provinces structure these costs very differently from others, and Toronto has its own municipal land-transfer tax on top of Ontario's.

For qualifying foreign buyers, however, the numbers can become dramatically larger.

Additional foreign-buyer taxation in certain locations can add 20% or more to the purchase.

That's not a small closing cost.

On a C$1 million property, you're potentially talking about hundreds of thousands of dollars.

So before looking at the mortgage rate or negotiating C$20,000 off the asking price, establish what taxes actually apply to you.

How easy is it to sell?

This is one of Canada's strengths.

Canada has a proper, established property market with professional agents and a comprehensive MLS system.

A sensibly priced home in a healthy urban market can find a buyer relatively quickly.

Thirty to sixty days isn't unusual in many areas, although market conditions, season, property type and location make a big difference.

Rural homes and expensive or unusual properties can naturally take considerably longer.

Seller commissions are negotiable and structures vary between provinces and brokerages, but several percent of the sale price isn't unusual once the agents involved are accounted for.

There may also be capital-gains implications if the property isn't your principal residence.

For non-residents, selling can involve additional tax procedures and withholding requirements.

So Canada is generally a much more liquid property market than many smaller international destinations — but that doesn't mean every house sells overnight.

What's it actually like living in Canada?

This depends entirely on which Canada you choose.

Vancouver gives you mountains, ocean and one of the mildest big-city climates in the country.

Toronto gives you a huge international city sitting beside a lake that occasionally does a reasonable impression of an ocean.

Montreal gives you French and English, incredible food, festivals and a winter that makes you properly appreciate summer.

Calgary gives you a modern city with the Rockies practically on the doorstep.

Atlantic Canada offers smaller communities, dramatic coastline and a completely different pace of life.

Then you've got thousands of lakes, forests, ski resorts and communities where owning a canoe suddenly seems entirely normal.

Canada is a country where location really does change the lifestyle.

Weather

You need to talk about winter.

Not British winter.

Canadian winter.

Vancouver and Victoria are relatively mild and wet.

Toronto has hot summers but cold, snowy winters.

Montreal and Ottawa get colder again.

The Prairies can experience temperatures that make walking from the house to the car feel like a genuine commitment.

And yet Canadian summers can be fantastic.

Warm weather, lakes, camping, patios, mountains and incredibly long days in parts of the country.

If you're considering relocating permanently, don't just visit your chosen area in July.

Go back in February.

If you still love it, you're probably onto something.

Food

Canada is far more interesting food-wise than the stereotypes suggest.

Yes, you should have proper poutine at least once.

Montreal has smoked meat and its own style of bagels.

The Maritimes have extraordinary seafood and lobster.

British Columbia has Pacific salmon and excellent Asian food.

Alberta takes its beef seriously.

Toronto and Vancouver are among the most multicultural cities in the world, and their food reflects that.

And eventually somebody will make you try a Tim Hortons.

We can't help you with that decision.

Things to do

Canada is almost unfair in this department.

The Rockies around Banff, Jasper and Lake Louise genuinely look like the photographs.

Vancouver lets you ski and see the Pacific on the same day.

You've got Niagara Falls, Québec City, the Cabot Trail, thousands of lakes in Ontario, whale watching on both coasts and some of the world's best skiing.

Go far enough north and you've got the Northern Lights.

If you're buying for lifestyle, though, think about what you'll actually do regularly.

Living beside a ski resort is brilliant if you ski.

Paying ski-resort property prices because mountains looked nice during your holiday is a different decision.

Schools

Canada has a strong public education system, and for many families this is a major reason to move there.

Eligible residents generally have access to public schools without tuition fees.

French-language and French-immersion education is also widely available, depending on province and location.

Private and international schools exist in larger cities, including schools offering programmes such as the International Baccalaureate.

As with almost anywhere, individual schools and catchment areas matter.

If children are part of the move, investigate the schools before falling in love with the house.

Healthcare

Canada's publicly funded healthcare system is administered provincially.

For eligible residents, it provides access to hospital and medical care without the sort of bills associated with private healthcare systems.

The quality of serious and emergency care is generally high.

The frustration can be waiting.

Access to family doctors and non-urgent specialists can be difficult in some areas, and waiting times vary considerably by province.

New residents should also check exactly when provincial healthcare coverage begins and whether temporary private insurance is needed.

One major difference from some smaller international destinations is that if something serious happens, you're generally not planning how to get yourself onto a medical evacuation flight to another country.

That's worth remembering when comparing retirement destinations.

Is Canada safe?

Generally, Canada is a safe country in which to live.

Crime naturally varies between cities and neighbourhoods, but violent crime rates are low compared with many countries in the Americas.

For most people, everyday concerns are more likely to involve normal urban problems such as theft, burglary or vehicle theft than serious violence.

As always, research the actual neighbourhood rather than relying on a national statistic.

A country the size of Canada can't really be described by one crime number.

So, does buying in Canada make sense?

For somebody planning to live in Canada, it certainly can.

You've got a mature property market, strong schools, established healthcare, political and economic stability and an enormous choice of lifestyles.

But in 2026, international buyers have an extra question to answer before any of that matters:

Are you actually allowed to buy the property?

If you're a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, the conversation is relatively straightforward.

If you're a foreign buyer, federal restrictions, exemptions and potentially very substantial provincial taxes need to be understood before you start seriously property hunting.

And don't assume 2027 automatically fixes everything. Even if the federal ban expires, provincial foreign-buyer taxes may remain.

Canada is probably the opposite of buying a Caribbean holiday home.

Don't buy the house and then work out how you're going to live there.

Work out how you're going to live in Canada — then find the house that fits the life.