Why are ski chalets in Quebec so expensive now?

Properties for sale near Quebec’s ski attractions are increasingly becoming expensive, according to Royal LePage.

The real estate company’s 2025 report finds that home sales - and their prices - have risen significantly this year.

In fact, the median price of a detached single-family home near one of the province’s popular ski resorts has risen 3.6 per cent over last year to $566,300.

The number of transactions has increased by 17.3 per cent, notes the study.

• READ MORE: Quebec real estate market weathering economic uncertainty

It adds that the Mont Sutton region in the Eastern Townships has seen the highest increase in cottage prices, up 23.6 per cent compared to 2024.

Only Mont-Tremblant and Bromont have seen the median price of single-family cottages decline in the past year.

“This can be explained, in particular, by a larger inventory, which had a moderating effect on price appreciation in these regions,” the real estate firm notes.

In Bromont, condo prices rose 17 per cent year-over-year.

“Unlike the general market, these properties are often less sensitive to interest rate fluctuations, attracting a financially stable clientele that is less influenced by the overall economic outlook,” Dominic St-Pierre, executive vice president of business development at Royal LePage, tells Noovo Info.

Trade war links

According to Royal LePage, tensions between Canada and the United States since President Donald Trump imposed tariffs have had a direct impact on the number of sales and overall prices of cottages near ski slopes.

It explains that the “Buy Canadian” movement has changed the way Canadians make their holiday plans, which has, in turn, affected the recreational real estate market.

Statistics Canada has also noted a decline in travel by Canadians to the United States over the past year.

Royal LePage adds that it has noticed a 47 per cent increase in requests for information from buyers across the country regarding recreational properties.

• READ MORE: Snowbirds flying home: Canadians want to sell their U.S. homes

“Political tensions in the United States are prompting many Canadians to reconsider their investments and leisure destinations. It is not surprising to see more and more Canadians turning to the local market, including Quebec, for their winter getaways,” said St-Pierre.

The Royal LePage survey shows that more than half of Canadians who own property in the United States are considering selling in the next year.

Among them, nearly a third say they plan to reinvest in a property in Canada.

Prices could keep rising

Royal LePage estimates that the prices for cottages near ski mountains are likely to continue to increase in 2026.

The real estate company explains that the four recent cuts in the key interest rate have given buyers more confidence, and real estate activity is expected to experience a “snowball effect” for cottages near ski slopes and beyond.

“We expect to see increased activity in the coming months, both in the winter and summer markets,” said St-Pierre.

• READ MORE: Average Montreal home price surpasses $1 million

He argues that the key interest rate cuts have strengthened consumer purchasing power and that strong demand could drive prices up.

Royal LePage estimates that the median price of a single-family cottage near Quebec’s ski mountains could increase by three per cent over the next 12 months.

Price increases by region

Here is the median price of a single-family cottage near the 10 ski regions studied by Royal LePage:

• Bromont: $700,000 (down two per cent from 2024)
• Massif de Charlevoix: $347,500 (up 6.1 per cent from 2024)
• Mont Grand-Fonds: $285,000 (up 14 per cent from 2024)
• Mont Orford: $575,000 (up 6.5 per cent from 2024)
• Mont Sainte-Anne: $370,700 (up 12.3 per cent from 2024)
• Mont-Saint-Sauveur: $650,000 (up 5.7 per cent from 2024)
• Mont Sutton: $710,000 (up 23.6 per cent from 2024)
• Mont-Tremblant: $523,400 (down 8.5 per cent from 2024)
• Stoneham/Lac-Beauport: $600,000 (up 8.1 per cent from 2024)
• Val Saint-Côme: $516,000 (up 6.9 per cent from 2024)

Here are the median prices for condos, according to the study, noting that not all ski hills have condos nearby:

• Bromont: $555,000 (up 17 per cent from 2024)
• Mont Orford: $348,700 (up 2.7 per cent from 2024)
• Mont Sainte-Anne: $242,000 (up 10 per cent from 2024)
• Mont Saint-Sauveur: $435,000 (up 3.7 per cent from 2024)
• Mont-Tremblant: $462,500 (up 14.2 per cent from 2024)