Canada’s housing market is stable. Sort of. Maybe.

Here’s what the quest for home ownership in Canada can feel like: In the country’s most desirable cities, it costs more than most people can afford to own a halfway decent home. In communities near those places, families pushed down the highway are driving prices higher in places that should be safe refuges from the price wars in Toronto and Vancouver. In smaller towns, you can afford a lovely home — if you can find work. It can seem like a no-win situation.

Governments in Canada have tried several things to stabilize the market-especially in hot zones. Has any of it worked? As the usually robust spring season begins, are there any signs the hottest markets are cooling? How fraught with emotion can the homebuying process be in markets with high prices and low inventory? And will you, you know, ever own a house?

GUEST: Sarah Niedoba, Maclean’s, Livabl

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