There are a few reasons why Canadian First nations didn't have permanent structures comparable to what is found in South America. Let's consider Algonquin tribes - this group of tribes occupied large portion of the Northeast US and Eastern Canada, and mostly subsisted on agriculture with hunting/fishing being a secondary food source.

The cultures of choice for these tribes were "the three sisters" - corn, beans and squash; the constant use of these cultures eventually exhausted the land and deteriorated crop yields, so the tribe could move to a new location once in a few decades. As a result, for the most part, the permanent structures that would be able to withstand centuries were impractical; what was constructed were mostly wooden structures that utilized wooden frame covered with bark; although such structures could be very considerable in size, they would deteriorate very quickly if left unoccupied.

There are historic records of more permanent trading settlements, typically located on an island along the trade routes; however, even such settlements would typically have wooden fortifications and the same tree bark on a frame longhouses. The known religious practices of the time used natural formations for sacred places, which were at times altered with rock paintings, but not modified beyond that.

Note that a big factor at play here is Canadian geology: the areas of Canadian Shield are typically unsuited for agriculture due to very poor soils, but are capable of supporting forest ecosystems. As a result, there always was a ready supply of wood, as clearing the forest to make way for fields was not an option.

If we look at the Pacific coast fishing tribes which rarely changed location, then we'll also find permanent structures, of which colourful totem poles are the most well-known examples; however, these were also made of wood, and, as a result, relatively few survived to modern era when preservation efforts really took off.

A similar situation exists in Eastern European history, where there are considerably less surviving structures from the Medieval period even for densely populated cities, since a ready supply of wood meant that a considerable number of structures were built with less durable (at the millennial time scale) yet cheaper materials.

There's always room for discussion but perhaps the section Cities and Monumental Architecture from our FAQ will answer your inquiry.