To celebrate 25 years of serving Canada’s real estate community, REM asked a small group of real estate leaders this question:

“Who had the biggest impact – good or bad – on Canadian real estate in the last 25 years?

This is not a popularity contest or a marketing exercise. We want to know who you think had the biggest impact on the industry in the last 25 years – even if it was, in your opinion, a negative impact. Your choices could include Realtors, company executives, association executive officers, regulators, service company executives….even politicians! Who has had the most impact during the last 25 years in making the industry what it is today?”

REM took those consensus picks and added our own and the results will be revealed on REM online every day until the end of June.  Take a look and see if you agree with these choices, and then let us know who we missed. Add your comments below or drop an email to [email protected].

U. Gary Charlwood

“U. Gary Charlwood brought big business to Canadian real estate, introducing the Century 21 brand in 1976,” says Brian Rushton, EVP of Century 21 Canada. “It was the first franchise in the industry to span coast-to-coast. Charlwood was inducted into the International Franchise Association Hall of Fame for his ability to adapt to international consumers and the ever-changing industry. He’s an inspiration to entrepreneurs.”

Through his Charlwood Pacific Group, he founded the Uniglobe Travel franchise and Centum Financial Group, a mortgage brokerage.  Charlwood was described by the National Post as “quite possibly Canada’s most successful franchisor.”

Charlwood has turned his company into a family affair, bringing sons Christopher and Martin into the fold. Martin is now the CEO of the Charlwood Pacific Group’s real estate division.