The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) is hosting its 2025 Annual General Meeting today in Ottawa, bringing together Realtors and member boards and associations from across the country to vote on key motions, elect new directors and chart the path forward for the national association.
The AGM kicks off with an open forum at 8:30 a.m. EDT, followed by the formal meeting. This year’s agenda includes proposals that could reshape aspects of CREA’s finances and legal strategy.
What’s on the table
$75 special legal assessment
CREA is asking members to approve a one-time $75 per-member fee to bolster its Legal Defence Fund. The fund, which has held a balance of $2-million in the past, has been heavily drawn down due to mounting legal costs— including ongoing litigation related to commission lawsuits and a Competition Bureau investigation. The goal is to increase the fund to approximately $10-million to prepare for future legal challenges, CREA says. If passed, the fee would go into effect January 2026.
New member fee hike
A proposed motion would raise CREA’s new member initiation fee from $200 to $500 starting June 2025. The fee hasn’t changed since 2006, and CREA says the increase reflects expanded services and will help replenish the Contingency Reserve Fund.
By-law amendments
One change aims to prevent CREA directors from serving on the boards or being employees of local or provincial associations or MLS-related entities, citing potential conflicts of interest. Another amendment would allow more flexibility in how often CREA holds its annual conference, shifting from a mandatory yearly event to at least once every two years.
Director elections
Members will also elect three Directors-at-Large from a slate of eight candidates. The elected directors will serve two-year terms on CREA’s national board.
The meeting will also feature the presentation of the Realtors Care Award and the Association Executive Network Award of Excellence, as well as an address from CREA’s new Chair following the installation of the 2025 Board of Directors.
Regarding the special assessment: maybe the assessment should be to the provincial associations based on their total membership. If provincial associations can’t afford it, then pass it down to the local boards and final if required, to the individual members.
The bulk of the membership comes from Ontario/TRREB, both organizations are sitting on tens of millions of dollars of money that can not be used for operational funds, thus might be a perfect opportunity to tape into these funds.
It might be time to think of the role the CREA plays in our industry.
Do we as members really need them?
What benefit can a Canadian Association pay in a country where Provincial and Municipal Governments have so much influence in our markets.
There is little common ground amongst our housing market that requires such a large team of individuals.
Maybe downsizing this association would be the correct path forward.
The point of establishing a for-profit wholly owned subsidiary of Crea, especially when you can’t afford the legal bills you know are pending, was?