Whether moving to Québec from another Canadian province or another country, recent arrivals to our province are sometimes struck by certain aspects of daily life here, particularly regarding housing.
In fact, houses in Québec tend to share certain characteristics that are sometimes very different from those found in homes elsewhere around the world.
1. Basements Are Commonplace
In many parts of the world, houses are constructed directly on a concrete slab or only have a crawl space underneath. But in Québec, most houses include a basement.
One of the reasons: foundations must be dug to a significant depth to withstand frost. Having excavated the ground for the foundation, builders opt to convert the newly created area into a fully functional living space.
Many recent arrivals to our province are quite surprised to discover a family room, bedrooms, or even a home office in the basement.
2. Heating Is Central
In many countries, people only heat their dwellings for a few weeks a year. In Québec, heating plays a crucial role in home life for several months.
New Quebecers often discover that electric baseboard heaters are installed in almost every room. They also quickly learn the importance of good insulation, energy-efficient windows (double-glazed) and an effective heating system.
Here, home buyers and renters make winter comfort a priority.
3. Homes Are Built to Withstand Snowy Winters
Roofs here are generally engineered to cope with the large quantities of snow we receive every winter.
The roof pitches, drainage systems, and structures of buildings are all constructed to endure potentially harsh weather conditions.
The amount of snow a house can bear without any problems often impresses new arrivals, provided architects have designed it properly.
4. Homes Come With a Garage and a Shed
In Québec, it’s customary for a property to include both an attached garage and a shed in the backyard. The garage often serves as a transitional space between the outdoors and indoors, and it also protects the car from the elements, especially in winter.
The shed, for its part, quickly becomes essential for storing tools, patio furniture, winter tires, and anything else that doesn’t fit inside the house. The garden shed thus embodies a way of life marked by the changing seasons.
5. Homes Have Front Yards
In North America, front yards usually lack fences and boast colourful landscaping. Lawns are also ubiquitous, which is certainly not the case worldwide. Access to water remains limited in many regions, making it difficult to grow healthy grass!
6. Backyards Are All-Important
Because summers are short in Québec, people here want to make the most of each week. Outdoor living spaces thus often figure prominently in residential design.
For many recent arrivals from large urban centres where private outdoor spaces are scarce, having a backyard definitely appeals to them.
Additionally, shelling out for a swimming pool, only to use it for just two months a year, often strikes them as illogical. And newcomers from nations where citizens pay a significant sum for treated water sometimes find such a use of this precious resource perplexing.
7. The Seasons Determine the Maintenance Schedule
People who have recently relocated to Québec also soon realize that every season comes with a unique list of obligatory home maintenance tasks. Summer is often spent tending to the garden and yard, whereas autumn is associated with raking leaves and preparing the property for winter. The colder months, meanwhile, bring their own set of responsibilities, including shovelling snow and spreading salt on steps and driveways.
Québec homes reflect the province’s climate, history, and residents’ way of life. Almost every home feature has been developed to serve a practical function, honed over generations.