You can absolutely buy a teardown in Montreal for under a million. You can actually buy a really nice house in a decent neighbourhood for under a million.
https://www.realtor.ca/real-estate/23885137/80-49e-avenue-mo...
https://www.realtor.ca/real-estate/23885137/80-49e-avenue-mo...
Anyway, give it another year or two, it will get there.