Housing Affordability: The Gap Widens Between Quebec Regions, According to a New QPAREB Study

L’ÎLE-DES-SŒURS, Quebec, Nov. 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- All of Quebec’s regions have seen a deterioration in single-family home affordability over the past 10 years. Yet, according to a new comprehensive study by the Quebec Professional Association of Real Estate Brokers (QPAREB), some regions have been hit much harder than others. The continuing rise in prices leaves little hope that affordability will improve anytime soon.

The QPAREB analysis shows that while single-family home prices have doubled in most regions since 2015, household incomes have increased by only 15 to 25 per cent, after taxes and adjusted for inflation.

Although property prices have risen throughout the province, some regions have experienced more severe impacts, as household incomes have not kept pace. As a result, housing affordability is eroding at very different speeds across regions.

“A family’s financial ability to become a homeowner in their region depends largely on their disposable income, which must be sufficient to cover mortgage payments. Even in areas where median incomes are lower, purchasing a property may still be possible if monthly payments are also lower,” points out Hélène Bégin, QPAREB Senior Economist.

STUDY HIGHLIGHTS

Down payments: the main obstacle

• The minimum required down payment has more than doubled in almost every region.
• Nearly 50 per cent of transactions now exceed the $500,000 threshold, compared to about 5 per cent in 2015.

Time required to save: longer and longer

• In 2015 in Quebec, it took roughly 3 years to save for the down payment, whereas, it now takes 5 years.
• On the Island of Montreal, this period has grown to more than 10 years in 2025.
• The gap between major urban centres and outlying regions continues to widen.
  

Monthly payments: significant regional differences

• Monthly mortgage payments are 2 to 3 times higher than they were 10 years ago.
• Monthly payments in outlying regions are under $1,500, while on the Island of Montreal, they average about $3,800.

“This is also reflected in the proportion of household income spent on mortgage payments. In Montreal, nearly half of a family's income is used to cover these payments, while the surrounding areas remain more affordable. This difference may influence households considering whether to settle on the island or in the surrounding areas, or Montreal families considering becoming homeowners on the island of Montreal,” adds Ms. Bégin.

Affordability: regional variability

• At the provincial level, the share of net income devoted to mortgage payments has risen from 15 per cent to 32 per cent over the past 10 years.
• The highest ratios are found on the Island of Montreal (48 per cent of income), in Montreal’s inner suburbs, and in Estrie.
• The more affordable regions are Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Côte-Nord, and Gaspésie—Îles-de-la-Madeleine, where the mortgage-to-income ratio is below 20 per cent.
  

Outlook: affordability will remain under pressure

In the short term, nothing suggests that affordability will improve in Quebec. Three factors continue to keep prices under pressure:

1. The strong demand for single-family homes.
2. Persistently weak new home construction — which has become too expensive for most households.
3. The fact that many older homeowners are holding on to their family homes for longer.
   

“Current conditions leave little hope for a rapid improvement in affordability. The rise in single-family home prices continues to outpace after-tax income growth. Moreover, the labour market lacks momentum, and a further easing of mortgage rates remains uncertain,” notes Charles Brant, QPAREB Market Analysis Director.

Document to consult

Click here to view the full study: “Affordability in Quebec: a different picture from one region to another”.

About the Quebec Professional Association of Real Estate Brokers

The Quebec Professional Association of Real Estate Brokers (QPAREB) is a non-profit association that brings together more than 15,000 real estate brokers and agencies. It is responsible for promoting and defending their interests while taking into account the issues facing the profession and the various professional and regional realities of its members. The QPAREB is also an important player in many real estate dossiers, including the implementation of measures that promote homeownership. The Association reports on Quebec’s residential real estate market statistics, provides training, tools and services relating to real estate, and facilitates the collection, dissemination and exchange of information. The QPAREB has its head office in Quebec City, administrative offices in Montreal and a regional office in Saguenay. It has two subsidiaries: Société Centris inc. and the Collège de l’immobilier du Québec. Follow its activities at qpareb.ca or via its social media pages: Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram.

For more information:

Ariane Boulé
Morin Relations Publiques
media@apciq.ca