Quebec City: Another Year of Real Estate Price Gains Ahead
Market · March 4, 2026 · 5 min read
After an intense 2025, Quebec City's real estate market is set for another year of growth. While other Canadian provinces deal with inventory surpluses and falling prices, Quebec continues to chart its own course.
After an intense 2025 marked by sustained price gains, Quebec City's real estate market is set for another year of growth in 2026. While other Canadian provinces deal with inventory surpluses and falling prices, Quebec continues to chart its own course. Here's what forecasts and industry experts are telling us about the year ahead.
The Numbers to Know
According to Royal LePage forecasts published last December, the median price of single-family homes in the Quebec City region is expected to climb 14%, reaching $536,598 by year-end. That's a substantial increase, especially in a context where many Canadian markets are instead expecting stabilization or even declines.
On the condo side, the projected gain is more modest, around 5%, with a median price expected to reach $236,160. This significant gap between the two property types is no coincidence — it reflects very different dynamics behind each.
Following the usual holiday pause, brokers in the region are already reporting a quick rebound in activity. Phones start ringing again in January as homeowners look to officially list their properties, often with expectations of selling at a higher price than last year.
Why Single-Family Homes Are Leading the Way
Scarcity is the key word for understanding the surge in single-family home prices. According to a professor in the department of finance, insurance, and real estate at Université Laval, very few single-family homes are available on the market right now — a phenomenon driven by a behavioural shift among older homeowners.
More and more people are choosing to stay in their homes as long as possible, rather than selling to move into a seniors' residence. This perfectly understandable choice has a direct effect on available supply. Fewer single-family homes change hands, making them the rarest product on today's residential market. And as basic economics dictates, persistent scarcity in the face of stable demand translates directly into upward price pressure.
This phenomenon is not unique to Quebec City, but it is particularly pronounced there given the region's strong preference for single-family homes compared to large urban centres where condos dominate.
The Bill 16 Effect on Condos
The more moderate price growth on the condo side is largely explained by a major regulatory change that came into force last summer: Bill 16.
This legislation imposes several new obligations on condo owners, including the establishment of a sufficient contingency fund to cover future major repairs, and the completion of building inspections to assess the actual condition of buildings. While important for the long-term financial health of co-ownerships, these new requirements come with added costs for current and future owners.
In practice, buying a condo today often means higher monthly condo fees than before, to fund these enhanced contingency reserves. This financial reality naturally tempers the appeal of condos compared to houses, which helps explain why price gains there are less pronounced. Buyers are increasingly factoring in these ongoing costs in their overall calculation — not just the listed purchase price.
An Economy That Anchors the Market
What truly sets Quebec City apart from other major Canadian cities is the strength and stability of its local economy. While economic uncertainty weighs on several markets elsewhere in the country, the Quebec City region benefits from a particularly robust economic base.
High-quality jobs in the high-tech sector, combined with the significant weight of the public service in the region, play an important stabilizing role in housing demand. Unlike markets more dependent on cyclical industries or exposed to international economic fluctuations, Quebec City benefits from an employment base that weathers economic turbulence better.
This economic stability translates into consistent housing demand, even during periods when national or international economic headlines breed hesitation among buyers and investors elsewhere.
What This Means for First-Time Buyers
The profile of the first-time buyer has changed meaningfully in recent years. With the ongoing rise in the cost of living and property values, it has become increasingly difficult for young buyers to access homeownership at the same age as before.
In practice, this means first-time buyers who are somewhat older than they used to be, taking more time to accumulate the necessary down payment. Some wait for a promotion, a second household income, or financial help from their parents before taking the plunge. This demographic shift in buyer profiles itself influences the market: more financially established buyers sometimes have higher budgets, which can also help sustain prices in certain segments.
The Bottom Line
Quebec City continues to stand out for the vigour of its market and the remarkable stability of its local economy. But this good news for sellers comes with a real affordability challenge for prospective buyers, particularly for single-family homes where scarcity shows no sign of easing anytime soon.
For buyers shopping in 2026, understanding these underlying dynamics — scarcity in the single-family segment, the impact of Bill 16 on condos, and the region's economic resilience — allows you to anticipate the market rather than simply react to it.