Why on earth would you want to buy a cheap full-suspension bike with a pogo shock and poorly-made pivots for mainly city streets and smooth gravel trails? Even a rigid bike let alone a hard-tail should provide far better bang-for-Canadian-dollar while giving a smooth enough ride. Surely you'd want as much of your budget to go into quality components (wheelset, drivetrain, brakes) instead of into some crappy hinge-in-the-middle frame, no?
On a budget of $250, I'd be looking at used (CraigsList) rather than department store bikes. I bought this hardtail bike not long ago for $85 off CraigsList in Cleveland, Ohio as a bike to keep at my in-law's house. It's nothing brilliant but I'd rate it above any department store bike in your budget. It even came with a cable lock:
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On a budget of $250, I'd be looking at used (CraigsList) rather than department store bikes. I bought this hardtail bike not long ago for $85 off CraigsList in Cleveland, Ohio as a bike to keep at my in-law's house. It's nothing brilliant but I'd rate it above any department store bike in your budget. It even came with a cable lock:
