The
work-from-home
boom that drove buyers into Canada’s
cottage
market during the COVID-19 pandemic is now fading as some families return to city life, but limited supply continues to push
recreational property
prices higher, says real estate brokerage,
Royal LePage
.
According to the company’s 2026 Spring Recreational Property report, 35 per cent of realtors observed a reversal in earlier migration trends with an increase of full-time residents moving back to urban centres over the last year.
Still, constrained supply continues to underpin the market, the report said, forecasting the median price of a single-family home in Canada’s recreational regions will increase four per cent year over year in 2026, to $604,552.
Buyer demand is largely unchanged this spring, with just over half of agents (52 per cent) reporting similar buyer activity compared to last year.
“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,” said
Phil Soper
, the company’s chief executive. “At the same time, limited supply is supporting price gains in many markets.”
He added that new development remains limited and many properties are held within families for generations, noting the scarcity “provides price stability, even when buyers are feeling cautious.”
• Email: shcampbell@postmedia.com