Real estate boards and associations (TRREB, OREA, CREA)토론토·온타리오·캐나다 부동산 협회

What are they?

Real estate agents in Canada belong to three levels of organizations: a local board (in Toronto, TRREB), a provincial association (in Ontario, OREA) and the national association (CREA). When an agent joins a local board, they normally become a member of the provincial association and CREA as well, and from then on may use the REALTOR® trademark.

These are associations that work for their member agents, not regulators that protect consumers. In Ontario the body that registers and disciplines agents is RECO. RECO describes OREA as a professional association whose membership is voluntary and whose mandate is to work on behalf of its members.

At a glance

Member counts are the figures each organization states on its own website (checked October 30, 2026). They change often.

TRREB: Toronto’s MLS and market statistics

TRREB is a not-for-profit corporation founded in 1920, with about 70,000 broker and salesperson members in and around the GTA. Its core member service is the MLS® System, which TRREB describes as accessible to REALTORS® only. In other words, to see the full listing information you go through a member agent.

Its monthly Market Watch report is the source of the "GTA home prices" you see in the news. It covers sales, new listings, average prices and the MLS® Home Price Index, and the figures are based on firm transactions entered into the TRREB MLS® System. For example, October 2026 had 5,603 sales and an average selling price of $1,024,108.

TRREB arbitrates commission disputes between its members and runs professional standards for members, but it is not the regulator that handles consumer complaints. TRREB’s own website lists RECO as its regulatory body.

OREA: Ontario’s standard forms

OREA is the provincial association, with about 100,000 Ontario REALTORS® and 23 local boards. The part of OREA that consumers meet most often is its standard forms. RECO explains that OREA develops forms and clauses such as the Agreement of Purchase and Sale, the Listing Agreement and the Buyer Representation Agreement. Most of the documents you sign when buying or selling are OREA forms.

OREA also lobbies the Ontario government (Queen’s Park) on real estate laws and taxes, and provides education for members. Its own history notes that it published a universal agreement of purchase and sale in the 1990s, and that in the 2000s REBBA (the real estate law at the time) was changed in a major way for the first time in 50 years. The forms and OREA’s "Forms Explained" notes on them are on its website, but you need a member login to see them. Ask your agent or lawyer to explain the forms you will sign.

CREA: REALTOR.ca and the REALTOR® trademark

CREA is the national association, with more than 155,000 members and 60 boards and associations. REALTOR® and MLS® are trademarks owned by CREA. That is why an agent registered with RECO cannot be called a REALTOR® unless they are a CREA member. Members must follow the REALTOR® Code; CREA notes that the Code sometimes sets a higher standard than the law, but where the two conflict, the law takes precedence.

REALTOR.ca is CREA’s listing site for consumers. According to CREA, since January 2025 it has been run by REALTOR.ca Canada Inc., a subsidiary 100% owned by CREA. CREA also publishes national monthly statistics and the MLS® Home Price Index.

No association sets commissions. CREA states that the fees members charge, and how they are divided, are solely the choice of those providing the services, and RECO states that fees are not fixed or approved by any real estate association or board.

They are not regulators

• Complaints about an agent go to RECO. The associations have ethics standards for members and can discipline them (CREA says violations of the Code may lead to serious consequences), but only RECO can revoke a registration, and neither can award damages.
• Being an association member (a REALTOR®) does not replace RECO registration. And a RECO-registered agent is not necessarily an association member.
• The associations represent their members’ interests. For example, in its September 2026 report TRREB argued for reducing Toronto’s land transfer tax. Keep this in mind when reading association statements.

How consumers use them

• REALTOR.ca: search listings across Canada. It shows less than the full MLS® System, so ask your agent for details such as past sale prices.
• TRREB Market Watch: early each month it publishes the previous month’s GTA figures (the October 2026 report came out on November 4). Numbers by area and home type help you get a feel for prices.
• OREA standard forms: ask your agent to explain what each clause means before you sign. OREA’s "Forms Explained" notes need a member login.
• Checking an agent: check the RECO public register for registration status before worrying about association membership.

Example