{"id":315284,"date":"2026-03-23T09:14:45","date_gmt":"2026-03-23T13:14:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wahi.com\/ca\/en\/?p=315284"},"modified":"2026-03-23T11:46:35","modified_gmt":"2026-03-23T15:46:35","slug":"the-gap-is-narrowing-what-to-expect-from-the-2026-spring-canadian-housing-market","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wahi.com\/ca\/en\/learning-centre\/real-estate-101\/buy\/canadian-housing-market-spring-2026-lookahead\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018The Gap Is Narrowing\u2019: What to Expect From the 2026 Spring Canadian Housing Market"},"content":{"rendered":"\n[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”0px||3px|||” da_disable_devices=”off|off|off” global_colors_info=”{}” da_is_popup=”off” da_exit_intent=”off” da_has_close=”on” da_alt_close=”off” da_dark_close=”off” da_not_modal=”on” da_is_singular=”off” da_with_loader=”off” da_has_shadow=”on”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.20.2″ _module_preset=”default” 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This spring will be different than the last for the Canadian housing market, suggests one top economist \u2014 but it doesn\u2019t mean a rebound is imminent.<\/span><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font_size=”21px” text_line_height=”1.6em” header_2_font=”||||||||” header_2_font_size=”36px” header_2_line_height=”1.3em” header_3_font_size=”1.25rem” header_3_line_height=”1.88rem” header_4_font=”|700|||||||” header_4_font_size=”1.25rem” header_4_line_height=”1.88rem” custom_margin=”||11px|||” text_font_size_tablet=”21px” text_font_size_phone=”16px” text_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” header_2_font_size_tablet=”36px” header_2_font_size_phone=”25px” header_2_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” global_colors_info=”{}”]

By Josh Sherman<\/a>\u00a0<\/span>| 3 minute read<\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_post_title title=”off” author=”off” categories=”off” comments=”off” featured_image=”off” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”||26px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_post_title][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”0px||3px|||” da_disable_devices=”off|off|off” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}” da_is_popup=”off” da_exit_intent=”off” da_has_close=”on” da_alt_close=”off” da_dark_close=”off” da_not_modal=”on” da_is_singular=”off” da_with_loader=”off” da_has_shadow=”on”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” width_tablet=”” width_phone=”100%” width_last_edited=”on|desktop” custom_padding=”0px||9px|||” global_colors_info=”{}” width__hover_enabled=”off|desktop”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/wahi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Spring-market-prediction.jpg” alt=”the Bank of Canada” title_text=”Spring-market-prediction” align=”center” force_fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”1px||29px|||” hover_enabled=”0″ border_radii=”on|32px|32px|32px|32px” border_radii_tablet=”on|32px|32px|32px|32px” border_radii_phone=”on|0px|0px|0px|0px” border_radii_last_edited=”on|desktop” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font_size=”1.13rem” text_line_height=”1.75rem” custom_margin=”-18px||2px|||” custom_padding=”||7px||false|true” custom_padding_tablet=”||7px||false|true” custom_padding_phone=”|15px|7px|15px|false|true” custom_padding_last_edited=”on|phone” hover_enabled=”0″ text_font_size_tablet=”1.13rem” text_font_size_phone=”0.9rem” text_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]

Canada\u2019s strongest housing markets are beginning to converge with its weakest.<\/span><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” min_height=”791.1px” custom_padding=”32px||23px|0px||” da_disable_devices=”off|off|off” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}” da_is_popup=”off” da_exit_intent=”off” da_has_close=”on” da_alt_close=”off” da_dark_close=”off” da_not_modal=”on” da_is_singular=”off” da_with_loader=”off” da_has_shadow=”on”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”0px||0px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font_size=”21px” text_line_height=”1.6em” header_2_font=”||||||||” header_2_font_size=”36px” header_2_line_height=”1.6em” header_3_font_size=”1.25rem” header_3_line_height=”1.88rem” header_4_font=”|700|||||||” header_4_font_size=”1.25rem” header_4_line_height=”1.88rem” text_font_size_tablet=”21px” text_font_size_phone=”16px” text_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” header_2_font_size_tablet=”29px” header_2_font_size_phone=”19px” header_2_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” global_colors_info=”{}”]

Until recently, Canadian real estate was a \u201ctale of two markets\u201d \u2014 with Ontario and B.C. in decline and the prairies and eastern Canada flexing their muscles \u2014 but a leading economist suggests that a different trend is taking root as the spring buying season gets underway.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cClearly, we\u2019ve seen a situation in which the housing market in Canada was a tale of two markets. Alberta did relatively well, eastern Canada did very well, and Ontario and B.C. did not do very well,\u201d Benjamin Tal, CIBC\u2019s deputy chief economist, tells Wahi. \u201cNow, he continues, \u201cthe gap is narrowing.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The gap between the weak and the strong markets is not closing because those in B.C. or Ontario are doing any better, Tal says. Rather, demographic and economic factors are emerging headwinds. \u201cAlberta and the rest are starting to slow down, clearly because of lower population growth [and] some affordability issues with prices still rising over the past few years,\u201d Tal explains.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Reduced federal immigration targets have clipped some demand for housing in Alberta and elsewhere. And despite the fact that cities in the prairies and eastern Canada maintain an affordability edge over their counterparts in Ontario and B.C., home prices in these markets are noticeably less attainable than they were just a few years ago. This is trimming demand further. \u201cAffordability issues are actually a factor in eastern Canada and definitely in Alberta,\u201d notes Tal.<\/span>
<\/span>
<\/span>These trends are even expected to claw back the pace of gains in Quebec City and Montreal, which have been leading the country for year-over-year price increases with seemingly unstoppable momentum. <\/span>
<\/span>
<\/span>In February, Quebec City prices were up 13% annually, while Montreal values increased a more-than-solid 9%, <\/span>according to the RPS-Wahi House Price Index<\/span><\/a>. \u201cI think that they are basically lagging indicators,\u201d says Tal of the pricing data. \u201cI think that you will see them joining the group later,\u201d he continues, suggesting the Quebec cities will experience similar slowdowns to Calgary, which was Canada\u2019s hottest housing market as recently as the final months of 2024.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Since that time, year-over-year price growth in Calgary has fallen from upwards of 10% to a much more stable 2% as of February, as per the RPS-Wahi House Price Index.<\/span><\/p>\n

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