You can think of Canada as the big country with a small town feel. By area, it is one of the largest nations on earth, second only to Russia. But by population, it’s among the smallest. Most of Canada’s residents live in the thin strip along the country’s southern border. The rest of the territory gets a bit too cold for nearly anyone besides the moose and the polar bears.

And even in that narrow band of southern Canada, most of the population is concentrated in five or six major cities. So the bottom line is that 37 million people who call themselves Canadian have more than enough room to spread out. And the options for housing in Canada are more plentiful that you might imagine.

You might think of everyone in Canada living in a log cabin with a maple syrup tree in the backyard and a hockey rink in the driveway. Or maybe you’ve zipped through central Toronto and think that every Canadian lives in a high rise apartment building. Of course, those options do exist—more or less—but there are dozens of other types of housing available as well.

“Variety is the spice of life” is a proverb that comes to mind when you consider housing in Canada. The residential possibilities know no end here. You’ve got condos, “plexes”, single family homes, high-rise towers, detached houses, semi-detached houses, lofts, bungalows, cottages, just to name a few. They all make up the diverse architectural landscape of Canadian housing.

Are you a city dweller? Then you’ll have the greatest variety of choices. You can opt for a “condo”. A condominium is an individually owned unit in a building with common facilities and can be assimilated to an apartment. Generally, you can find a condo in high-rises towers. If you’re in Toronto, Canada’s most populous city, you might take a look at Parklawn Condos.

You can also choose a “plex”. These are 2 to 3 storey properties (duplex, triplex…) divided into as many as 6 apartments, with balconies, and winding wrought iron staircases outside.

Feel like an artist? Many lofts are available in major Canadians cities!

Prefer the countryside? You can decide to live in a cottage to get close to nature. Treat yourself with peace of mind, far from the hustle and bustle of urban life. Homesteading is making a huge revival these days. Learn to tend a garden, can your own fruit, and bake your own bread. Maybe even figure out how to skin a bear.

Finally, if you are looking for a compromise between urban and rural, you can settle in a single family house, detached or semi-detached, in one of the many suburban areas in Canada. Many people are finding that to be the perfect balance, away from the most congested areas, but close enough to the epicenters of entertainment and employment.

Don’t hesitate to visit Montreal Real Estate to learn more about the housing options in the Great White North.

Also check out some of our in-depth articles on Canadian real estate:

Photo Credit: Wikipedia