Top 10 Poorest Cities in Canada (2024)

There are poor people everywhere, no matter how affluent a country may be. Just like the rich, poor people like to congregate in communities where their needs can be met. These will be the cheapest or poorest cities in Canada; places where people can live on their small earnings without overextending themselves- cheap houses, inexpensive food, affordable clothing, and so on.

A person thinking of immigrating to Canada, or a young person who is just out of school may decide to start small by looking for an affordable or ‘poor’ city or neighborhood from where he can work or do business, thereby working his way up the economic ladder. Despite being labeled poor, many of these cities have lots of interesting people struggling to make a better life for themselves.

Top 10 Poorest Cities in Canada

1. Sept-Îles, Quebec

The City of Sept-Îles, is located in Quebec’s Côte-Nord region, which is on the north shore of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence. With a population of around 28,500, the city can be called a medium-sized city, full of people who work blue-collar jobs. 

The economy is largely supported by iron and aluminum which are mined and processed in this city. The city is also popular among ocean-going travelers who come to take boat cruises. Sept-Îles also has many jobs in the services sector, financial services, transportation, and other services are important in this city. The vast majority of the city’s inhabitants are French-speaking. 

The average price for a house in Sept-Îles is $204,042.

2. Bécancour, Quebec

Becancour, in Quebec, is an important but poor city in Canada. The city is divided from Trois-Rivières by the Saint Lawrence River. About 12,500 people call Bécancour home and many commutes to Trois-Rivières for work while living in Bécancour. The city is clean, but might not be as conducive due to the abundance of industry in the locality.  

This is an industrial city where petroleum products, refractory metals and industrial parts are produced, and many other industries such as aeronautics too are available. Considering that petroleum and aerospace engineers have some of the highest paying jobs in the world, it I not unusual to find some rich people living in this poor city.

The average price of a house in Bécancour is $206,748.

3. Quesnel, British Columbia

Quesnel, in British Columbia, is another nice town where a person could live relatively cheaply. About 12,000 people, many of whom work in tourism call this city their home, and then there are the thousands of visitors who come into Quesnel as an overnight stop for on their way to the Rocky Mountains, or on other adventures in the North Cariboo region.

The average price for a house in Quesnel is $209,133. Quesnel is also known as one of the places with the lowest taxes in Canada.

4. Cornwall, Ontario

The city of Cornwall is the easternmost city in Ontario, Canada. This city is located on the banks of the Saint Lawrence River just where it becomes a natural border with the United States. Cornwall can be called a border city with America. The nearly 47,000 people who live here work in a diversified economy, including lots of call centres, water transport, and other services.

The average price of a house in this city is $211,715.

5. Timmins, Ontario

Timmins is a slow community in Ontario, Canada. The economy of Timmins is based on mining and lumber, but the city is best known for producing one of the most accomplished and richest musicians of this generation; Shania Twain. Nearly 42,000 people live in Timmins, and many of them are young people chasing their dreams while trying to spend as little as they can.

The average price of a house in Timmins is $212,922.

6. Saint-Georges, Quebec

Saint-Georges is another city in Quebec where a person could live relatively cheaply, but still enjoy some of the good things that come with proper city life. The city is home to about 31,000 people, making it the largest city in southern Quebec. 

The economy is diversified; many different manufacturing and services companies call this city home, although its most popular resident is semi-trailer manufacturer Manac which has has its headquarters here. 

On average, the price of a house in Saint-Georges is $219,124.

7. Rimouski, Quebec

Rimouski, in Quebec, comes in next on our list of cheap or poor cities, great for a poor person who wants to save some money. The city is located on the southern bank of the Saint Lawrence River and is home to nearly 47,000 people.

The economy is supported by marine activities including fishing, marine transport, and the several marine research centres, including the St. Lawrence Global Observatory located here. Rimouski is a hub for science and engineering. 

The average price of a house in Rimouski is $227,673.

8. Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario

Sault Ste. Marie, in Ontario, is number 8 on our poorest cities list. The city is the administrative capital of the Algoma District, in Ontario. With a population of over 73,000 people, it’s the third largest city in Northern Ontario. 

The economy is boosted by Steel production, while other industries are renewable energy and tourism, which are some of the important industries that provide jobs to the city’s inhabitants.  As per tourism; Marie is the starting point for one of the most popular train trips in the whole of Canada: the trip to the Agawa Canyon. 

The average price for a house in Sault Ste. Marie is $238,013.

9. Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec

Located on the shores of Osisko Lake near the border with Ontario, in the heart of Canada, Rouyn-Noranda is another poor city where you can live frugally and save money. This is home to over 42,000 people. As is the norm in most of Quebec, more than 95% of the residents of this city speak French as their first language. 

The local economy is supported almost exclusively by copper production; the city is nicknamed the National Copper Capital. 

The average price of real estate in Rouyn-Noranda is $240,191.

10. Sainte-Marie, Quebec

Sainte-Marie, Quebec concludes this list of the poorest cities in Canada. The city is located on the Chaudière River in southern Quebec, some 59 km southeast of Quebec City. Nearly 13,000 people, most of whom are French-speaking, live in Sainte-Marie. Despite being classified as poor, this is one of the most beautiful places in Canada. 

The average price for a house in Sainte Marie is $243,980.

Related: 

• Top 10 Richest Indians in Canada
• Richest Families in Canada
• Top 10 Richest Cities in Canada

Conclusion:

If you are researching the poorest cities in Canada so as to look for an inexpensive place to live, the list above should provide you with good information to work with. Always look out for other factors such as security and availability of health management facilities when making a choice. Another prospect to look out for is the possibility of making profit due to the increase in home process, in case you decide to purchase a property.