NEW - The Price of a Canadian House Down Payment Buys You Access to 27 Countries

Shane Hewitt and The Nightshift · Feb 18, 2026 · 19m

Second passport options for Canadians start at 250,000 euros in Portugal, which is roughly what you'd put down on a Toronto house. You're sitting on home equity that could buy your kids access to 27 European Union countries for education, work, and healthcare, but you're treating it like it only unlocks Canadian real estate. The gap between what your money can do here versus what it unlocks there is wider than you think.

Portugal's golden visa lets you invest 500,000 euros in a fund or donate 250,000 to arts and culture, visit one week per year, and after five to seven years with basic…