The OP should probably just walk into the nearest Canada Computers and buy whatever extender they want in the $60-120 range.
http://www.canadacomputers.com/index.php?cPath=27_1056_1058
The op might also want to figure out how to log onto their router to see if they can boost their wifi's power. (Google it's model number and RTFM.) If your wifi performance is still shit you might want to consider a wifi analyzer app for your phone / computer, then try setting your wifi router to the least used channel. Though many newer routers will check for the least used channel, AFAIK.
This. Your modem and wifi don't need to be in the same place.
The problem being many people now get a combo modem-router/wifi box from Bell or Rogers, and forget that they can still plug a router in. Frankly, I'd never trust a mystery box that can do whatever it wants to your network traffic, but people should do whatever they want. It's one thing for your ISP to be able to see your (hopefully encrypted) traffic to the public internet, it's another thing to let them, anyone who can issue a warrant, or has an exploit for that model of device, go playing on your LAN (that increasingly includes IoT devices like cameras, TVs, to full on 'Digital Home' type stuff). I don't do anything particularly shady, but nope.
Let the modem be the gateway device and disable all of the routing stuff on it (which will often improve latency), then use a router for hard lines / wifi. At a minimum make sure the router is still being updated, if it's not consider an open source 3rd party firmware, or just use a 3rd party firmware that's open source in the first place. Mind you, all of this requires medium level technical skill.
