The dream of a truly mobile Canadian workforce, where a registered professional in one province can easily work in another, is long overdue.
In an era of global economic instability exemplified by the ongoing U.S. trade war and rising protectionist policies, labour mobility must be part of Canada’s plan to strengthen its internal economy.
But resilience should be built on a foundation of trust, especially in sectors as vital and consumer-facing as real estate.
When it comes to buying or selling a home, the largest financial transaction most Canadians will ever make, consumer protection must not be sacrificed on the altar of as-of-right labour mobility.
Stakes are higher compared to other professions
Across Canada, provincial governments are introducing legislation, like Ontario’s Bill 2, the Protect Ontario Through Canada Free Trade Act, 2025, to permit “as-of-right” recognition of professional registrations or licenses.
On paper, that’s a promising step. Real estate professionals, like their clients, should be able to practice across provincial borders with minimal barriers and red tape.
Except real estate is not like other regulated professions.
If a hair stylist or an accountant from another province makes an error because they lack knowledge of local regulations, the consequences are usually fixable. In real estate, a bad transaction can be financially devastating, upending a family’s future, draining life savings, or leaving someone without a home.
When it comes to dealing with the financial well-being of Canadians, the stakes are too high to treat real estate labour mobility as a rubber-stamp process.
Frameworks built on hyper-localization
Real estate professionals do not operate in one uniform national market, but in deeply local ones shaped by regional cultures, economies, and consumer expectations. The provincial regulatory frameworks governing those markets did not emerge by accident. They were shaped by the unique needs of local consumers across each province.
Ontario’s regulatory system, for example, is designed to balance the complexity of Toronto’s condo market with the very different realities of rural or northern transactions.
While each provincial framework may not always get it right, they have evolved to remain flexible enough to work across a wide range of property types, transaction structures, and market pressures. To ignore that complexity in the name of expedient labour mobility is to misunderstand how real estate functions in this country.
Proceeding with guard rails
Real estate industry leaders should advocate for as-of-right labour mobility with requirements.
Rather than fight against the removal of internal trade barriers, industry associations, regulators and government should collaborate to design reciprocal registration recognition frameworks that allow real estate professionals to get certified quickly, while also ensuring that consumers are protected.
For example, out of province registrants should be required to demonstrate knowledge of provincial real estate laws and regulations. That would mean, for example, implementing jurisdiction-specific knowledge tests, such as the Real Estate Council of Ontario (RECO) interprovincial challenge exam to ensure that agents understand the legal and regulatory frameworks they’re working within.
It also means requiring proof of appropriate insurance coverage in the province of practice.
In Ontario, for example, this would involve mandatory participation in RECO’s professional liability program.
Agents or brokerages should also be required to maintain trust accounts within the province where they are trading to ensure consumer deposits are subject to local oversight and can be audited if necessary.
And finally, in a future where corporate brokerage headquarters could be anywhere in Canada, there must be clear lines of accountability so that consumers know exactly who to contact if they need to resolve a complaint or get support during a transaction.
Big changes set for Canada Day
For real estate association leaders across Canada, this future is coming faster than you may think.
Prime Minister Carney and Canada’s premiers have set a target of July 1st, 2025 for removing all internal trade barriers.
Many provinces have entered memorandums of understandings (MOUs) to negotiate the specific changes and as-of-right labour mobility regulations.
Thankfully, associations like the Toronto Regional Real Estate Board (TRREB), the Ontario Real Estate Association (OREA), and the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) are at the table for these discussions alongside our provincial regulators.
Beyond changes to government policy, association leaders should also prioritize professional development programs that equip agents and brokers with the knowledge needed to operate effectively outside their home province.
Brokerages, particularly those in multiple provinces, must proactively develop compliance systems that meet or exceed the highest regulatory standards across jurisdictions.
At the same time, real estate regulators must collaborate to develop shared disciplinary databases that prevent individuals with problematic histories from simply moving provinces to avoid consequences.
The future is coming fast. Labour mobility is not a matter of if, but when. The real estate industry must lead in designing a system that encourages greater mobility while keeping consumers safe.
Let’s ensure that when we say any license can work anywhere, we also mean that every consumer is protected everywhere.
Matthew Thornton founded Real North Strategies in 2023 after working over 16 years at Queen’s Park and as a public relations executive at Canada’s largest provincial association. He is on a mission to build a better Canada by helping associations, not-for-profits, and organizations solve the biggest public policy challenges of our time by providing world-class advocacy and communication services. From multi-million-dollar campaigns to working with volunteer committees & boards, he has a track record of innovation, creativity, and success when it comes to public affairs, media relations and government relations. Matthew is a proud University of Western alumni, having graduated with an Ivey Business School Executive MBA (’22), Master of Arts (’07) and Bachelor of Arts Honors (’05). He also achieved the CAE designation from the Canadian Society of Association Executives in 2012.
As someone who’s written extensively on governance, REALTOR® identity, and the widening gap between liability and authority in our industry, I wanted to weigh in on this.
Matt, you raise some critical points, but I’d argue that the conversation around labour mobility deserves deeper scrutiny, especially when it comes to who’s at the table and why.
The article suggests, explicitly, that associations should take the lead in preparing agents for this shift. I’d challenge that assumption directly.
Brokerages, not boards or associations, carry the operational responsibility for getting mobility right. They manage compliance systems, maintain trust accounts, absorb liability, and work directly with agents and consumers when things go wrong. They are the ones tasked with translating national policy into daily practice. If they’re not part of the policy design process, we’re building a framework disconnected from its implementers.
Boards often frame their inclusion in intergovernmental talks as proof of sector representation, but being at the table isn’t the same as being equipped to lead. Many associations across the country have struggled to modernize enforcement tools, align MLS systems across regions, or deliver consistent professional standards within their own jurisdictions. Their presence, in this case, may reflect proximity to government more than proximity to risk.
If labour mobility is inevitable (and it is) then we need those responsible for execution to help shape its design. That means brokerages. Not because they’re louder, but because they’re accountable. If we ignore that, we risk further entrenching a system where those furthest from the consequences continue making decisions on behalf of those most accountable for them.