Read time: 3 mins
Canadian housing price expectations remain tilted toward growth, with most Canadians believing prices will rise over the next 12 months despite ongoing uncertainty. While expectations have moderated compared to recent years, regional and demographic differences highlight a more complex and uneven outlook across the country.
Key Takeaways
- A majority of Canadians expect housing prices to increase over the next year, though fewer than in 2024
- Expectations vary significantly by region, with stronger optimism in the Prairies and Quebec and more caution in Ontario and BC
- Renters and younger Canadians are more likely to expect price increases, but remain less optimistic about entering the housing market
Our recent national survey finds Canadians remain more likely to expect housing prices to rise than fall over the next 12 months, though uncertainty and regional differences are pronounced.
Overall, a majority believe housing prices will increase (18% say they will increase by a lot and 33% say they will increase a bit) over the course of the next year. One quarter expect prices to stay about the same, while 16% think prices will decrease. Fewer Canadians now expect housing prices to increase compared to 2024, with current levels similar to those seen in 2022.
Housing Prices in the Next 12 Months Will…
Anticipated increases are strongest in the Prairies and Quebec, where roughly two in three anticipate price increases (65% and 63%, respectively), compared with just 40% in BC/North and 41% in Ontario. Canadians in Ontario and BC/North are also more likely than others to anticipate price declines (23% and 21%, respectively).
Younger Canadians are notably more likely to anticipate increases, as are lower‑income Canadians and renters.
“Those who currently don’t own a home – namely those currently renting – are less optimistic about their ability to enter the housing market,” said Margaret Chapman, COO & Partner at Narrative Research. “That said, as a whole, Canadians forecast a more stable housing market going forward.”
The proportion of renters has not changed appreciably compared with 2024, although there is a slight uptick in the proportion of home owners without a mortgage. The incidence of renters is highest among Millennials and lower-income Canadians. Gen X is the segment most inclined to own a home with mortgage, while Boomers are most apt to own a home without a mortgage.
Results are from an online survey conducted in partnership between Narrative Research and the Logit Group. The survey was conducted between April 9-12, 2026 with 1,234 Canadians, 18 years of age or older from the Logit Group’s online Canadian Omnibus. Data were weighted based on the 2021 Census, by gender, age, and region to reflect actual population distribution.
Download a PDF version with data tables
FAQs
Yes, over half of Canadians expect prices to increase, though expectations have softened compared to previous years.
The Prairies and Quebec show the strongest expectations for price increases, while Ontario and BC are more mixed.
Younger Canadians, renters, and lower-income households are more likely to expect increases, but are less confident about homeownership.
For more information, please contact:
Margaret Chapman, COO & Partner, Narrative Research – 902.493.3834, mchapman@narrativeresearch.ca or Sam Pisani, Managing Partner, Logit Group – 416.629.4116, sam.pisani@logitgroup.com.
Narrative Research is a non-partisan, 100% Canadian-owned research company, certified as a Women Business Enterprise (WBE). Narrative Research provides clients with state-of-the-art research and strategic consulting services.
The Logit Group is a leading North American data collection and market research execution company headquartered in Toronto, conducting large-scale projects for a variety of well-known research agencies and brands. Logit employs industry-best technologies.
