Canada’s Hottest Real Estate Markets Right Now

REMAX Hallmark
2 days ago
4 min read

October 17, 2025

Whether you’re buying, selling, or investing, knowing where the hottest real estate markets are is critical to making smart decisions. Market conditions are shifting in 2025, with traditional locales like Toronto and Vancouver priced out of reach for many homebuyers and showing lower returns for investors. Meanwhile, emerging markets in unexpected places are becoming more attractive to buyers.

What Makes a Real Estate Market Hot?

Before discussing the hottest real estate markets in Canada, it’s important to ask what makes a real estate market hot. Key indicators are:

Low housing supply compared to demand.
Multiple-offer situations and bidding wars.
Quick selling times.
Rising home values.

The hottest real estate markets aren’t necessarily the most expensive ones; they’re locations where demand is high and sales are strong. Today’s hot markets are driven by numerous factors, including:

Population migration to more affordable areas.
Remote work flexibility.
Economic diversification, such as growing tech industries and government investment in infrastructure and services.
Demographic changes such as aging Baby Boomers moving to smaller homes, and younger families immigrating to Canada.
Investor behaviour based on localized opportunities.

These causal factors help to explain why markets vary across the country and even within a particular region. For example, the hottest real estate markets in Ontario might be driven by population growth and tech sector opportunities. In contrast, the hottest real estate market in BC might depend more on international investment and lifestyle factors.

The Prairies

If you’re looking for the single hottest real estate market in Canada, you might find it in the Prairie provinces.

Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan may not instantly spring to mind when you’re considering where to buy, but you might want to take a closer look. With the South Saskatchewan River flowing through its centre, Saskatoon offers fantastic outdoor spaces right alongside a bustling research community and resource-based industries. Home prices in Saskatoon have risen 8.2% year-over-year as of August 2025. Regina continues to be affordable, but with growing demand and limited inventory, prices are expected to rise steadily. With its strengths in mining and agriculture, Regina has the long-term economic stability to support home values going forward.

Alberta

Although Calgary’s housing market is returning to a balanced state, Edmonton remains one of the hottest real estate markets in the prairie provinces, with detached homes seeing a 5.3% annual price increase in August 2025. Edmonton’s affordability, strong job growth in energy and technology, and high quality of life continue to attract new residents.

Manitoba

Manitoba frequently gets overlooked by house hunters and investors, but it deserves serious consideration. Its strong agricultural base and manufacturing centre complement its central location to make it appealing for people who value stability.

Home values in Winnipeg saw an 8.1% increase year-over-year in August 2025, making it one of the hottest real estate markets in the region. Winnipeg is a great choice for home buyers who want excellent food and entertainment options as well as amazing outdoor adventure opportunities.

Atlantic Canada

Some of the hottest real estate markets in Canada are on the East Coast, but the best investments have shifted a bit in recent years. While Nova Scotia remains attractive, markets have cooled somewhat, and the spotlight is now on Newfoundland and New Brunswick.

Newfoundland and Labrador currently lead the country in annual increases in home prices, with a 12.3% year-over-year increase as of August 2025. St. John’s is attracting new and returning residents with its laid-back lifestyle, abundant fresh seafood, and easy access to European and US destinations.

New Brunswick also boasts some of the hottest real estate markets in Canada. In August 2025, Fredericton saw a 6.2% increase in home prices from August 2024, while the average sale price for homes in Saint John rose 10.5% over the same period.

Quebec

When looking for the hottest real estate markets in Canada, take a closer look at Quebec. You may not be considering it due to the higher income taxes, and if you don’t speak French, you may be intimidated by having to learn it. However, Quebec residents will tell you that you get excellent value for your tax dollar there, and that there are many communities where you can live and work without speaking French at all.

Quebec City, with all of its charm and culture, is not just a great tourist destination! It’s experiencing robust demand for real estate, with single-family homes rising 7% in value over the past year. Homes in Montreal recently reached an all-time high, with prices having increased 8.9% from August 2024 to August 2025.

Lower overall home prices, lower cost of living and very high quality of life have made Quebec one of the hottest real estate markets in Canada.

Ontario

Although many home buyers balk at the high home prices in Toronto, Ontario still has affordable options and great opportunities for real estate investors.

Peterborough and the Kawarthas

With its sparkling lakes and abundant forests, the Peterborough/Kawarthas area is still close enough to both Toronto and Ottawa for times when you need big-city attractions. Entry points for real estate are still reasonable, and home prices have increased about 3% over the past year. Investors can take advantage of the robust vacation rental market and the student rental market in Peterborough.

Rideau Lakes

This area features an impressive system of connected lakes and waterways that are perfect for boating enthusiasts and hikers. Low entry points and steadily rising home prices make it a great option for house-hunters and investors alike.

Northern Ontario

Look to Thunder Bay for one of the hottest real estate markets in Ontario. Homes in Thunder Bay are being snapped up quickly, with a huge increase in total sales being fueled by a growing number of homes on the market as well as rising prices.

To find the hottest real estate markets in Canada right now, look outside the traditional hotspots in Ontario and British Columbia. Markets are balanced in many areas, while prices are actually decreasing in others. Time purchases and sales strategically to get the best value and return on your investment. Work with an experienced real estate agent for the smartest, most up-to-date insights on what’s going on in Canada’s vast and varied real estate landscape.

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article sourced from blog.REMAX.ca