Home inspection in Little Canada.

What we see in Little Canada homes.

Benjamin Gervais claimed land here in 1844 to build a grist mill, and Lake Gervais carries his name on the city's east side. New Canada township formed in 1858, the community became a village in 1953 and a city in 1974. Most housing dates from the postwar years, with some older farmhouses and newer townhomes and apartments added along the way. The city covers 4.49 square miles of rolling glacial upland with small lakes, and Interstate 35E, Interstate 694 and Highway 36 cut through it. The 2020 census counted 4,814 housing units.

Postwar houses here mean original clay or cast-iron sewer laterals, older panels, and roofs and furnaces near the end of their life. Around Lake Gervais and the smaller lakes, grading, sump pumps and basement moisture are the things to watch. Highway corridors put some homes near constant noise, which affects window and insulation choices. The few older farmhouses need a closer look at old wiring, foundations and additions. For townhomes, buyers should ask what the association covers. Ramsey County is EPA Radon Zone 1, and MDH recommends radon testing for every Minnesota home.

Local facts checked September 2026 against: Wikipedia, Minnesota Department of Health.