The new legislation was announced at the Ontario Real Estate Association's REALiTY conference and AGM
The Ontario Government has passed the Trust in Real Estate Service Act, 2019 (TRESA), and was announced at the Ontario Real Estate Association’s REALiTY Conference and AGM by new OREA President Sean Morrison.
The legislation was called back on Wednesday, and the Bill was unanimously passed after its third and final reading. TRESA amends the Real Estate & Business Brokers Act, 2002 (REBBA).
“This is a huge win for our Realtor members, their clients and hardworking Ontarians across the province,” said OREA President Sean Morrison. “Thanks to the Ford Government’s newly passed legislation, Ontario’s homebuyers and sellers can have greater confidence that the Realtor at their side during the largest financial transaction of their life has the highest professional standards, training and modern tools in North America, such as the ability to form personal real estate corporations.”
TRESA is one of the few pieces of legislation in Ontario to receive bi-partisan support following constructive debate in the Legislature led by Minister Lisa Thompson and NDP Consumer Critic Tom Rakocevic and other MPPs.
“By strengthening consumer protection and fixing the broken real estate discipline system, the Government of Ontario is showing Realtors and home buyers and sellers that it is on their side,” said OREA CEO Tim Hudak. “Ontarians deserve the best when it comes to making the biggest financial transaction of their lives and TRESA will make this province the North American leader once again when it comes to a well-regulated real estate market.”
OREA has been advocating for a review of REBBA for over a decade and finally, the Ontario Government has passed this historic piece of legislation.
There are five primary goals in the proposed legislation: enable regulatory changes that would improve consumer protection and choice; improve professionalism among real estate professionals and brokerages through enhanced ethical requirements; update the powers available to RECO to address poor conduct and improve efficiency; create a stronger business environment; and bring legislation and regulations up-to-date and reduce regulatory burden.
Ontario’s real estate rules were nearly 20 years old and this legislation brings the profession into the modern age, Hudak indicated.
OREA will continue to work closely with the Government of Ontario as they develop regulations for the Bill, and work towards enacting the legislation into law.
