Housing market activity in northeastern British Columbia declined in the first quarter of 2026, with Fort St. John and Fort Nelson both reporting lower sales compared with a year earlier.
In Fort St. John, 132 properties worth $59.1 million changed hands in the first quarter, down from 149 sales in the same period last year, though total dollar volume rose from $56.1 million. Sales included 56 single-family homes, 16 half-duplexes, 11 homes on acreage, two manufactured homes in parks and nine manufactured homes on land.
At the end of March, there were 384 properties of all types available for purchase through the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), up slightly from 366 a year earlier, suggesting a modest increase in supply.
In Fort Nelson, market activity remained subdued. Five properties worth $1.1 million were sold in the first three months of 2026, compared with 13 sales worth $3.6 million during the same period in 2025.
Inventory in Fort Nelson rose despite weaker sales. There were 96 properties listed on MLS at the end of March, compared with 105 a year earlier.
Across the B.C. Northern Real Estate Board area, sales totalled 825 in the first quarter of 2026, down from 911 a year earlier. The board said market activity has softened across much of the region, reflecting broader economic uncertainty.
The board said factors such as U.S. tariffs, volatility in oil prices and uncertainty around Bank of Canada policy continue to weigh on northern markets. It added that improved affordability and greater economic stability could support sales in the second half of the year.
