How many Canadians have "cottages"?

[Docere]

Is there any data on this? What percentage of Canadians have cottages of their own or shared with extended family?

[megadude]

It's a good question. In certain circles it seems like virtually everyone has a cottage.

At work, which is an investment office, lots of people have one. But all these people are all over 55. Meaning they bought them at a time when they were't really that expensive compared to now. Or for those in their 20s at my work, their parents have one. These are in Muskoka, Kawarthas, Huron and Haliburton.

Surprisingly, it's not just white people at my work. There's one each from Trinidad, Guyana and Sri Lanka. Have also known a couple other minorities with cottages too, but vast majority is white as one would imagine.

With my in-laws with their cottage up by Georgian Bay, it's from the 70s when it was dirt cheap. No way they would have bought one at today's prices.

It would be interesting to read if you do somehow stumble upon this information.

And I've always wondered what percentage of people who live in small cities or towns also own cottages like 30 to 60 minutes away because houses/cottages are relatively cheap in both places.

[megadude]

Just a wild guess but I'll say like 10%.

[SignalHillHiker]

It seems common enough here, but no idea the percentage. They're called cabins, and generally away from the coast or, if on the coast, in forcibly resettled communities otherwise abandoned since the 1960s at latest, but same idea. My parents had one, most of my uncles and aunts do as well. Those who didn't had something - a camper, a trailer, whatever. Some of them are barely middle class so it's not really a status thing - and depending how far off the beaten track you're willing to go, you can get a cabin here for near pocket change. Even among people my age - I don't own one, never will, but at least once a summer we're invited for a weekend at someone's cabin that they own, and in some cases before they own a home.

[1overcosc]

In Ontario, they're actually quite pricey now, but 20+ years ago they were a lot cheaper. Most people I know who have one are multi-generational families who have inherited them from relatives who bought them in an earlier time when they were affordable.

[Coldrsx]

Yeah, really hard to say and it would be an interesting statistic to know. We have a 4th generation cottage here on Huron and very much WASP's from Toronto or London.

[TownGuy]

Originally Posted by SignalHillHiker

It seems common enough here, but no idea the percentage. They're called cabins, and generally away from the coast or, if on the coast, in forcibly resettled communities otherwise abandoned since the 1960s at latest, but same idea. My parents had one, most of my uncles and aunts do as well. Those who didn't had something - a camper, a trailer, whatever. Some of them are barely middle class so it's not really a status thing - and depending how far off the beaten track you're willing to go, you can get a cabin here for near pocket change. Even among people my age - I don't own one, never will, but at least once a summer we're invited for a weekend at someone's cabin that they own, and in some cases before they own a home.

If they aren't on the ocean coast are they on a lake of some kind or just in the woods? In Ontario a prerequisite of a cottage is being on a lake. A cabin would be in the woods away from any body of water.

[SignalHillHiker]

Both - but it's impossible to not be relatively close to a body of water here. The intention, often, is to be in the woods. It's hot there - sheltered, on a boggy moorlands, easily 30C and humid during the summer even if it's barely 20C on the coast. So they hunt, forage, cook on a fire, etc. Water-related activities are definitely secondary, and typically associated with children.

[TownGuy]

Cottage Country here is quite similar in that you are always going to be close to water. I guess I will say to be a cottage you need to be directly adjacent to the water or have a dock. If not then it is a cabin. Consequently I don't know anyone who has a cabin.

[Andy6]

Cottages don't need to have their own private water access, like the ones at Winnipeg Beach don't. But they would need to be close to water. A cabin is in the bush somewhere, is of relatively simple construction, and while perhaps rustic and cozy in the eyes of some, is not a place of creature comforts. You could possibly have a dishwasher in a cottage but not in a cabin. If a cabin were to get one, it would then just be an oddly located house.

[Docere]

Originally Posted by megadude

Just a wild guess but I'll say like 10%.

Pretty close. According to this book, about 8% of Ontarians owned cottages ca. 2000.

https://books.google.ca/books?id=PXg...rrison&f=false

But yeah if you're in a certain age/class milieu, it probably does seem like "everybody" has a cottage.

[Architype]

Originally Posted by SignalHillHiker

Both - but it's impossible to not be relatively close to a body of water here. The intention, often, is to be in the woods. It's hot there - sheltered, on a boggy moorlands, easily 30C and humid during the summer even if it's barely 20C on the coast. So they hunt, forage, cook on a fire, etc. Water-related activities are definitely secondary, and typically associated with children.

Mostly in NL they are on rivers, lakes, ponds, or beaches, often in little summer communities. The terrain in NL is such that ponds, lakes, and rivers are everywhere. An interesting phenomenon is the resettled coastal communities; some are not accessible by road, or even on islands. Otherwise, summer places are also common in existing coastal villages. I think most people I know who live in the city there have a getaway, some are quite elaborate. In BC it doesn't seem as common, and requires a higher income given the price of real estate. Among high income people in BC a second residence is common, sometimes in another country, or local, in the sense of a pied-à-terre.

[kwoldtimer]

I've never understood the appeal of a "cottage".

[FrankieFlowerpot]

Originally Posted by kwoldtimer

I've never understood the appeal of a "cottage".

Well when you live in a concrete jungle for 90% of the year - I can see the appeal.

[SignalHillHiker]

Originally Posted by kwoldtimer

I've never understood the appeal of a "cottage".

It's where you can let your guard down, be drunken and merry, even if you're upper class. And it's your base for hunting, horseback riding, berry-picking, all those things that the upper class have near-uniforms to do but can never participate in while in town.

[kwoldtimer]

Well that explains why I don't understand the appeal....

[mistercorporate]

Originally Posted by kwoldtimer

I've never understood the appeal of a "cottage".

Pride of ownership of a country home on a large acreage overlooking a beautiful natural and majestic lakeside vista, growing your own organic vegetables and fruit, your family can run around on it, build facilities with very little permit headaches and develop beautiful memories. Trying doing that on a small quarter acre city lot.

I have a photo in my living room showing the view from our country property, whenever visitors come they marvel at its beauty and ask, which country is that from? They're shocked when they realize it's right here in Ontario and it's our very own. Many people from other countries find it hard to believe such large expanses are so easily affordable for Canadians.

[Coldrsx]

Originally Posted by kwoldtimer

I've never understood the appeal of a "cottage".

Yeah, me neither...

















@ianoyeg

[SignalHillHiker]

Originally Posted by kwoldtimer

Well that explains why I don't understand the appeal....

I was teasing.

They're just fun.

[thenoflyzone]

My parents used to own a cottage 45 mins north of Montreal. I have some fond memories of that place. They sold it when I was still young. The upkeep was too much, and the usefulness of the place too little, considering both my parents worked at/near downtown Montreal, and going up there every weekend was not possible.

Bottom line is, a second property is a headache. Your not there often enough, so when you are there, you spend most of your time cleaning up the place, maintaining it, etc.
However, You don't need to have a cottage to experience the cottage life. As was said, cottages an hour or two outside the major metropolitan areas are pretty expensive now, and people can barely afford one property, much less two. Hence the reason for the low cottage ownership rate. Renting one for a few days is most likely the go to option for most Canadians.

With the likes of airbnb and vrbo, it's very easy to do. On the flip side, for a cottage owner, its a bit easier now to get some additional income from a second property like a cottage, but again, it's considered a headache for a lot of people.