According to Royal LePage, the median price of a single-family home in Canada’s recreational regions is forecast to increase 4.0 per cent in 2026 to $604,552, compared to 2025. Despite ongoing consumer caution amid economic and political tensions, constrained housing supply relative to buyer demand is expected to place modest upward pressure on recreational property prices in the year ahead.
“Concerns about the state of global affairs are certainly on the minds of many Canadians right now, including recreational property buyers, and are tempering demand in parts of the country. At the same time, limited supply is supporting price gains in many markets,” said Phil Soper, president and CEO, Royal LePage. “New developments in these regions remain relatively rare, and many properties are tightly held by families for generations. This scarcity preserves the exclusivity of these markets and provides price stability, even when buyers are feeling cautious.”
Phil Soper
In 2025, the weighted median price of a single-family home in Canada’s recreational property regions increased 4.3 per cent year over year to $581,300. When broken out by housing type, the weighted median price of a single-family waterfront property decreased 5.2 per cent year over year to $717,600 in 2025, while the weighted median price of a standard condominium increased 2.1 per cent to $418,600 during the same period, said the Royal LePage report.
“Several years have now passed since the gold-rush pandemic era that saw recreational property prices rise at a record pace. Today, the market has moderated, with low single-digit price appreciation becoming the norm in most regions,” said Soper. “While sales and prices among waterfront properties softened modestly in Ontario and BC, this category of land is structurally limited, and the number of homes that can be built along these shorelines is finite. This inherent scarcity continues to support property prices in this segment.”
According to a survey of Royal LePage recreational real estate market professionals across the country,more than half (52%) reported similar demand from buyers for recreational homes compared to the same time last year, while 26 per cent reported less demand. Meanwhile, 61 per cent of respondents reported that the average days on market has increased in their region compared to the year prior. Forty-eight per cent of respondents reported similar inventory compared to last year, while 28 per cent reported lower levels of supply.
“Like the urban residential market, it’s important not to paint the recreational housing sector with a broad brush. While there has been some softening of buying activity in recreational property markets, conditions vary from coast to coast,” said Soper. “Some markets, particularly in Atlantic Canada and Alberta, have seen stronger demand and renewed activity, while others, including in parts of Ontario, have experienced more moderate price appreciation.
“Across these markets, the core buyer groups remain largely unchanged. Retirees planning to relocate to cottage country full time and urban residents seeking a weekend escape continue to drive demand, drawn by the lifestyle and sense of retreat that Canadian recreational properties have to offer.”
‘Buy Canadian’ movement fuels underlying market demand
Amid ongoing economic and political tensions with the United States, many Canadians continue to respond to tariffs and “51st state” rhetoric with their wallets, shifting their spending toward domestic products, services and vacation spots. Canadian travel to the U.S. continues to decline – according to Statistics Canada, return trips to the U.S. were down 14.5 per cent in February 2026, compared to the same month in 2025.
Many Canadians have increasingly turned their recreational retreat plans north of the border, favouring domestic destinations where they can avoid exchange-rate fluctuations and geopolitical stressors, said Royal LePage.
In 2026, 40 per cent of recreational property experts reported that the ‘Buy Canadian’ movement has led to an increase in inquiries from domestic buyers of recreational real estate in their area. Similarly, 13 per cent of experts reported an increase in inter-provincial buyers in their region compared to the same time last year; 54 per cent reported approximately the same amount compared to a year ago, it added.
“Canadians are continuing to swap traditional cross-border getaways for at-home alternatives, trading Florida oceanfronts for Ontario lakes, or Arizona deserts for British Columbia forests. Research we conducted in mid-2025 indicated that 54% of Canadians who own property in the U.S. plan to sell, with many intending to reinvest those proceeds back into Canadian real estate. This could provide a meaningful lift to the market for cottages, cabins and chalets,” said Soper.
Canada’s recreational destinations continue to attract interest internationally. One third (33%) of recreational property experts reported an increase in the number of American buyers inquiring about recreational real estate in their area over the past year.
“Canada’s recreational markets continue to attract American buyers, supported by a strong U.S. dollar, confidence in our economic and political stability, and for many, a break from the sharper political climate south of the border,” Soper continued.
“Three years ago, Canada introduced a ban on foreign homebuyers to address housing supply challenges. Combined with a pullback in Canadians purchasing U.S. property, cross-border activity has dropped considerably. However, most recreational properties are exempt from the ban, helping to sustain international demand in these regions. Together, these factors are reinforcing demand, as both domestic and cross-border buyers see enduring value in Canada’s recreational property markets.”
Return-to-office mandates draw recreational residents back to cities
Return-to-office mandates have been creating renewed activity in urban markets across Canada. Increasingly, workers are returning to brick-and-mortar offices for more days each week as major employers recall staff, boosting demand for downtown commercial space and increasing foot traffic in core neighbourhoods, according to Royal LePage.
The shift is also being felt in recreational housing markets. As commuting requirements grow, some homeowners who relocated to recreational regions during the remote-work era are reconsidering their living arrangements, with a number choosing to move closer to urban communities.
More than one third (35%) of recreational property experts said in the last year they have noticed an increase in the number of full-time residents moving back to urban centres as return-to-work mandates take effect.
“At the height of the pandemic, many Canadians found comfort in the privacy and space of a cottage or cabin. With the wide availability of high-speed internet, many chose to live and work in the country full time,” said Soper. “Several years later, fully remote work is becoming less common as companies call employees back to the office in an effort to rebuild in-person collaboration. As a result, some of those who relocated in the early part of the decade are finding the commute unsustainable and are returning to city centres, reserving their lakeside properties for weekends and summer getaways.”
Full press release with regional summaries can be found here.
Mario Toneguzzi
Mario Toneguzzi is Managing Editor of Canada’s Entrepreneur. He has more than 40 years of experience as a daily newspaper writer, columnist, and editor. He was named in 2021 and 2024 as one of the top business journalists in the world by PR News. He was also named by RETHINK to its global list of Top Retail Experts 2024, 2025 and 2026.
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