Montreal leads the province of Quebec in losing residents, latest figures show
Outmigration re-accelerates in recent years, including young adults
Montreal leads the province of Quebec in losing residents, new figures show.
Montreal budget for 2026 focuses on public safety, debt service
New administration boosts corporate expenses, social housing
The City of Montreal’s new mayor, Soraya Martinez Ferrada, released a 2026 budget that's 5.4%, or $393 million, larger than the one released last year by the outgoing Plante admini...
This year's elections could lead to another independence referendum in Montreal
Previous referendums in 1980 and 1995 coincided with a downturn in property prices
In October 2026, Quebeckers will be headed to the polls to elect a new provincial government. Recent voter surveys have consistently placed the nationalist Parti Québécois, or PQ, ...
On weak footing, industrial sector faces prospect of very different scenarios
Shifting trade patterns, government programs in play
Canada’s industrial sector continues to navigate a wave of new supply that has come to market over the past couple of years. Leasing activity recovered throughout 2025, indicating ...
Latest federal budget looks to leverage AI for increased productivity
Leaders earmark $110 billion for productivity and competitiveness programs
The federal budget has earmarked $110 billion for productivity and competitiveness programs over the next five years. Developing homegrown AI solutions and encouraging companies to...
As in most other cities, Ottawa office users show clear preference for newer space
Offices built in 2010 and later have far lower availability than older buildings
As in most major office markets, a bifurcated demand pattern has emerged in Ottawa, with newer buildings posting significantly lower availability compared to older stock. This sugg...
Montreal retail sales remain subdued, but better days could be ahead
Headwinds limiting personal consumption appear to be fading
Retail sales in Montreal increased by about $1.3 billion between December 2021 and October 2025, according to the latest available data from Statistics Canada. While growth has bee...
International arrivals to Quebec are increasingly driven by visitors from outside the US
Changing dynamics may have implications for Montreal’s hospitality sector
The U.S.-Canada trade dispute that erupted in 2025 resulted in a slight decline in arrivals to Quebec from the U.S., from 344,000 in August 2024 to 312,000 this past August, a mode...
Rive-Sud, Laval emerge as hotspots for Montreal property sales
Nearly half of Montreal’s property sales occurred off-island this year
Montreal’s off-island locations keep attracting significant investor interest this year, with about 50 cents of every dollar spent on investment property involving locations along ...
Office construction falls to its lowest level in a decade
Lack of new supply could leave market unbalanced for years
Office development which has been declining precipitously since 2022, has reached its lowest level in a decade.
Downtown Ottawa retail remains in low gear, for now
Current challenges may mask long-term opportunities with numerous new apartments added downtown
A vital source of foot traffic for retailers in any downtown area is office workers. In the case of the nation's capital, this means office workers from the city’s largest office o...
Montreal office tenants join trend of leasing smaller spaces
90% of the city’s signed office leases this year are for less than 10,000 square feet, compared to 79% in 2020
Montreal office lease deals continue to skew towards smaller blocks of space.
After a slow start to 2025, property sales activity recovering in Montreal
Rebound appears to be broad-based, with more investment activity
After a slow start, real estate sales activity has accelerated across Montreal since the second quarter of 2025.
Signals point to Montreal’s commercial real estate sector turning the corner
Investors appear more confident, supply of new office and industrial space is limited
Montreal’s commercial real estate market continues to adapt to various challenges. Yet after several difficult years, including a pandemic, the most rapid interest rate hiking cycl...
Older infrastructure, rising crime are areas of concern for next Montreal administration
Difficult spending decisions will likely be necessary for the incoming leadership
Montrealers head to the polls Nov. 2 to elect a new city administration as the city faces tough choices, with the federal and provincial governments looking to tighten their belts ...
Sharp drop in international university students reverberates through Ottawa’s apartment sector
Lower demand for apartments near universities offset by limited new construction
Recent immigration changes have led to a sharp drop in the number of foreign student visas issued in Ontario, which has removed a key source of housing demand in many university-fo...
Fewer self-employed workers does not bode well for office demand in Quebec
Decline offset by rise in public sector employment
Recent employment trends strongly suggest that Quebec's provincial-wide demand for office space will likely continue to be muted.
Upcoming election could be one of the most consequential for Montreal this century
City faces challenges to retain businesses and residents, spur economic growth
Quebec’s municipal election period is underway, with voting scheduled for Nov. 2. Montrealers will get a chance to vote for a new administration and a new mayor, as incumbent Mayor...
Could more plentiful housing help stem the tide of residents leaving Montreal?
Availability of more affordable rental housing options could be an important contributor to stemming city's population loss
The population of metropolitan Montreal is forecast to decline in the coming years. This coincides with a large wave of rental apartment construction currently underway.
Quebec City projected to see strongest population growth among major provincial cities
Divergent growth forecasts hold crucial real estate considerations for Montreal, Quebec City and Gatineau
The Institut de la statistique du Québec, or ISQ, recently released population projections for Quebec Census Metropolitan Areas, or CMAs. Of the three largest provincial CMAs, Queb...