U.S. visits to Canadian real estate website spiked several times in 2026: realtor

A Canadian realtor says it has seen repeated spikes in traffic to its website from the U.S.

U.S.-originated sessions on Royal LePage’s consumer real estate portal have recorded increasingly significant spikes throughout the first half of 2026, with traffic surging during periods of major economic and geopolitical uncertainty, Royal LePage said this week.

“The first months of 2026 have been marked by a relentless cycle of breaking news and unsettling headlines, from war and economic volatility to growing political and civil unrest,” said Phil Soper, president and CEO, Royal LePage. “During periods like these, we often see Americans revisit the idea of relocating to Canada as a way to distance themselves from the turbulence surrounding U.S. politics and public life.”

Soper said the company saw similar patterns emerge during the lead-up to the 2024 presidential election and again in its aftermath.

The first major increase in U.S.-based user traffic in 2026 occurred from Jan. 11 to 17, following the death of Renée Good, who was fatally shot by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

During that period, traffic to royallepage.ca rose 78 per cent week over week and 65 per cent year over year.

U.S. traffic to the website set a new record high during the week of April 5 to 11.

This upward trend coincides with heightened geopolitical tensions surrounding the Iran conflict. The U.S. and Iran agreed to a temporary two-week ceasefire after President Donald Trump issued a widely publicized ultimatum on Truth Social (April 7), warning that “a whole civilization will die tonight,” if an agreement was not reached.

During that week, U.S.-originated traffic to royallepage.ca surged 125 per cent week over week, an increase of 233 per cent compared to the same period in 2025.

Following the Iranian ceasefire, U.S. traffic to royallepage.ca continued to climb.

Additional major spikes were recorded from April 26 to May 2 and May 10 to 16, coinciding with legal and political developments surrounding the mailing of mifepristone, a medication commonly used for abortions outside of clinical settings.

Soper suggests U.S. residents are considering a move to Canada.

“Canada’s cultural similarities, geographic proximity and shared language make a transition feel accessible for many Americans,” Soper said. “When combined with Canada’s political stability, universal healthcare system and internationally recognized quality of life, it’s understandable why interest in living here tends to rise during moments of heightened uncertainty.”

Changes to Canada’s citizenship-by-descent rules in December 2025 have sparked increased interest among Americans to explore potential pathways to Canadian citizenship, Royal LePage noted.

Spikes in U.S. traffic to royallepage.ca have previously coincided with major American political moments dating back to Trump’s first presidency in 2017, and then again in 2024, the realtor said.

Traffic surged following the first presidential debate between then-President Joe Biden and the presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump, and again after Trump’s re-election, Royal LePage said.

Lead photo:  Thomas K