Boards for the Durham Region Association of Realtors (DRAR), Quinte & District Association of Realtors (QDAR), and Northumberland Hills Association of Realtors (NHAR) have announced the amalgamation of all three associations to form a larger collective regional association.
According to a joint statement, members of DRAR, QDAR, and NHAR voted overwhelmingly in support of this amalgamation on Friday. The new board will have over 2,000 members, and once approved by the Ontario Real Estate Association, will be known as the Ontario Lakes Association of Realtors (OLAR).
“DRAR, QDAR & NHAR have been working towards this regional framework for years, with the common goal of maximizing service to members, increasing access to data throughout the region, and enhancing professionalism within the industry,” the statement says.
Meredith Kennedy, DRAR president, Natasha Huizinga, QDAR president, and Erin Brown, NHAR president, have all expressed excitement about the vote results, stating that this is the right step forward for all of their members.
“As we now join over 2,000 members within a new regional identity and name, we have the ability to strengthen our services to members and unify data throughout our region,” said Wendy Giroux, CEO of DRAR.
Statement from TRREB
In a statement, the Toronto Regional Real Estate Board (TRREB) congratulated the boards for their “forward-thinking leadership in creating a larger regional association.”
As an Ontario MLP Partner Board, TRREB says members will benefit from its services and greater access to data TRREB’s MLS database, tools, and technologies.
This is the sort of silent creep that will water down the current clout all the brokerages have when it comes to the assembly’s voting strength at OREA.
This particular amalgamation saw 3 boards with a total of between 7 and 9 votes, (depending on their actual complement) reduce to 5 votes.
For a short while and a short while only, the consolidation of boards means that the 51% voting share they have carries clout since it requires fewer boards to reach the majority in any vote. However, as they continue to consolidate that will be be eroded to the point that OREA’s by-laws will be changed to ensure 10,000 or fewer members have no chance of defeating the one, two or three boards with 90% of the membership.
Barrie and Brampton’s 10 or so votes dissapeared as they instead were absorbed into TRREB’s 49%.