Honestly, as a Canadian, this is what I find so dumb about our urban planning. People demand adequate house spacing, backyard space, etc... Only for it to be usable for 4 months of the year. Meanwhile, all that dead space makes our cities unwalkable in the other 8 months. I guess people are just so used to having to drive everywhere that they don't see how else it could be.

It probably depends on the stage of your life. I had a house with backyard when I was single and didn't use it much.

Now, I have family and kids and totally enjoy having it even though I only get to use it 4-5 months out of the year: - kids spend a lot of time there on the trampoline - my wife has an organic garden and beautiful flowers - my dog chases rabbits and squirrels - enjoy being outside without having to go to a park (reading books, playing with my kids) - family gatherings, BBQs and etc

There's no way I'm going back to living in an apartment or even a townhouse with no backyard unless I really have to...

May-Sept is generally regarded as "spring/summer" and, while the backyard is useless half the year, it is still apparently nice to have.

I think they're a ridiculous pain in the ass and largely useless but that's beside the point -- some people still derive enjoyment from them.

For folks with kids, if it is cold, the backyard becomes more useful because you can then make a backyard ice rink pretty easily.

Honestly, as a Canadian, this is what I find so dumb about our urban planning. People demand adequate house spacing, backyard space, etc... Only for it to be usable for 4 months of the year. Meanwhile, all that dead space makes our cities unwalkable in the other 8 months. I guess people are just so used to having to drive everywhere that they don't see how else it could be.