
In 2017, the Ontario Real Estate Association celebrates its 95th anniversary. The current membership consists of almost 92,000 brokers and salespeople who are members of the province’s 34 real estate boards across Ontario. OREA serves its members through a variety of publications, educational programs, and special services. The OREA mission is to help Ontario REALTORS®, brokerages, and associations succeed.
Timeline
Here’s a timeline of key events through the decades in the history of OREA:
In 1922, a handful of volunteers formed the Ontario Association of Real Estate Boards (OAREB), with a vision to organize real estate activities province-wide and to bring higher standards to the profession.
After 8 years of lobbying, this small association of fewer than 200 members scored a major victory when the provincial government passed the Real Estate and Business Brokers Act in 1930. This pioneering act required salespeople and brokers to obtain a licence. It marked the start of ongoing efforts to bring standards, respect, and public trust to an emerging profession.
In 1972, the association was renamed the Ontario Real Estate Association (OREA) and, today, it has almost 92,000 members across the province. However, our mission to focus on professionalism and standards continues to be the driving force behind our progress.
Over the years, the association has faced many challenges and achieved great successes in raising the bar for the profession, protecting consumers, fighting for the rights of REALTORS®, and embracing technology.
Today’s association delivers registration education courses on behalf of the Real Estate Council of Ontario (RECO), represents the interests of members through government relations activities, and promotes the value and professionalism of REALTORS® through communication and public relations initiatives. In addition, we produce standard forms used by members daily in real estate transactions, and we support charitable causes and communities through the OREA Foundation.
Thanks to the commitment of OREA’s founders and the dedicated efforts of volunteers, Ontario real estate professionals are now recognized as among the most knowledgeable and best educated in the world.
OREA has grown from the small group of the 1920s to an association of 92,000 members and 34 real estate board.
Milestones through the decades:
1920s – OAREB is founded to bring province-wide standards to an unregulated, emerging profession.
1930s – The new Real Estate and Business Brokers Act requires salespeople and brokers to obtain a licence simply by registering their name.
1940s – The Canadian Association of Real Estate Boards is established. The issue of rent control, seen as curtailing housing for those engaged in wartime efforts, was on OAREB’s agenda.
1950s – OAREB makes education courses available and basic examinations for registration become law.
1960s – To become a member of any of Ontario’s 42 real estate boards, prospective salespeople must attend 16 lectures and pass a 2½ hour examination. Mandatory education is established.
1970s – OAREB’s mandatory registration education program is extended to include 150 hours of course study. OAREB becomes OREA.
1980s – Mandatory articling is introduced and members are required to complete continuing education within the first two years after registration. OREA begins lobbying for self-regulation.
1990s – OREA publishes a universal agreement of purchase and sale. Written agency disclosure that specifies the persons for whom the salesperson or broker is working is included in the REALTOR® Code of Ethics. OREA and the provincial government sign an historic agreement granting the profession the right to self-management.
2000s – Mandatory continuing education for salespeople and brokers becomes law. Landmark changes are made to the REBBA for the first time in 50 years. Revisions include tougher consumer protection regulations that promise to elevate respect for the real estate profession.
2010s – OREA pushes for amendments to legislation that would require home sellers to provide buyers with home energy audits, secures an exemption for real estate brokers from having to take mortgage brokerage educations courses, and successfully lobbies for better protection of property owners from mining claims.
OREA Presidents
Leaders of OREA have come from all corners of Ontario – from Thunder Bay to Windsor to Ottawa. Here is a list of OREA's leaders from 1922 to 2021:
1922 R. B. Rice, Toronto
1923 A. Simmers, Windsor
1924 G. Gibson, Toronto
1925 F. K. Hamilton, Hamilton
1926 W. H. Bosley, Toronto
1927 W. H. Bosley, Toronto
1928 W. H. Bosley, Toronto
1929 M. H. Lounsbury, Hamilton
1930 H. J. Finch, Windsor
1931 C. W. Ross, Ottawa
1932 C. R. DeMara, Hamilton
1933 C. R. DeMara, Hamilton
1934 A. E. LePage, Toronto
1935 J. C. Suydam, Toronto
1936 J. C. Suydam, Toronto
1937 W. H. Bosley, Toronto
1938 W. H. Bosley, Toronto
1939 W. H. Bosley, Toronto
1940 C. E. Purnell, Hamilton
1941 C. E. Purnell, Hamilton
1942 C. E. Purnell, Hamilton
1943 C. K. Jutten, Hamilton
1944 C. K. Jutten, Hamilton
1945 R. H. Rice, Toronto
1946 R. H. Rice, Toronto
1947 E. J. Oliver, Ottawa
1948 E. J. Oliver, Ottawa
1949 S. C. Askin, Windsor
1950 S. Chambers, Hamilton
1951 E. C. Brisco, Chatham
1952 B. E. Willoughby, Toronto
1953 P. J. Harvey, Brantford
1954 M. Bosley, Toronto
1955 B. Katz, Ottawa
1956 C. R. Whitney, Kitchener
1957 P. A. Seagrove, Hamilton
1958 F. N. McFarlane, Ottawa
1959 C. W. Rogers, Toronto
1960 P. H. McKeown, Ottawa
1961 K. S. Raven,, Kingston
1962 E.B. Fleming, Sault Ste. Marie
1963 R. E. Sanderson, Mississauga
1964 A. Wiebe,, Kitchener
1965 D. R. Wymark, Ottawa
1966 E. A. Mitchell, Brampton
1967 R. W. Telford, Toronto
1968 T. N. Shea, Markham
1969 A. Fish, Guelph
1970 L. G. Metcalf, Oshawa
1971 J. H. Boyd, Smiths Falls
1972 G. A. Grisdale, Thunder Bay
1973 T. G. Chambers, Hamilton
1974 G. X. Walker, St. Catharines
1975 E. L. Hoppe, Kitchener
1976 W. D. Allan, Toronto
1977 R. A. Shea, Markham
1978 A. F. Johnson, Georgetown
1979 A. W. Murray, Hamilton
1980 M. W. Park, Toronto
1981 R. H. Pedler, Windsor
1982 P. L. Mason, Toronto
1983 W. J. Dean, Orillia
1984 J. T. Stafford, Kingston
1985 W. D. Hopkins, Brantford
1986 M. S. Lamond, Toronto
1987 F. M. Reardon, Ottawa
1988 J. A. Cathcart, Caledon East
1989 T. E. Mouradian, St. Catharines
1990 M. J. (Knox) Schiedel, Guelph
1991 T. W. Bosley, Toronto
1992 K. T. O’Connor, Niagara-on-the-Lake
1993 J. M. Edwards, Burlington
1994 R. Godsoe, Mississauga
1995 R. E. Leroux, London
1996 R. Wood, Tillsonburg
1997 R. Storring, Tamworth
1998 H. Foy, Brantford
1999 T. Trembinski, Sault Ste. Marie
2000 R. Merkley, Brockville
2001 D. Usher, Toronto
2002 B. Sukkau, St. Catharines
2003 L. Baumgartner, Haliburton
2004 L. Leyser, Stratford
2005 T. Fahmi, Burlington
2006 T. Lee, Smiths Falls
2007 B. Walker, Richmond Hill
2008 G. Weir, London
2009 P. Aunger, Smiths Falls
2010 D. Mason, Markham
2011 B. Sukkau, St. Catharines
2012 R. Abraham, Toronto
2013 P. Dorner, Belle River
2014 C. Poulopoulos, London
2015 P. Verge, Ottawa
2016 R. Ferris, Simcoe
2017 E. Cardarelli, Mississauga
2018 D. Reid, Gravenhurst
2019 K. Cox, Chatsworth
2020 S. Morrison, Burlington
2021 D. Oikle, Ottawa
2022 S. Evoy, London