Photo by fPat Murray
Quebec realtors are campaigning against the unexpected large increase in licensing fees, which have to be paid to the Organisme d’autoréglementation du courtage immobilier du Québec (OACIQ), regulatory body controlling licenses, records, disciplinary proceedings, indemnity fund and many other key parts of real estate administration.
The fee went up from $410 to $906 quite unexpectedly, annoying most of the agents. They immediately started petition, collected votes of more than 2000 agents so far, and even held little demonstration at OACIQ offices. You can also join their fan group on Facebook.
OACIQ superseded former regulatory body, ACAIQ, in May this year. While at the beginning, many agents believed this change was going to be a vast improvement, most of them lost any zeal for the new system soon and some of them even say they were misled. OCAIQ renamed all agents into brokers, but that brought no real positive difference for the industry professionals. Ex-agents, now brokers, believe OCAIQ is not representing them as ACAIQ used to and it does not protect them at all.
OCAIQ extended the fees collection deadline from June to September, but continues to threaten the brokers with license revocation. According to REM Online, the leader of the revolt, Montreal based broker Mario Rizzi, believes some 3,000 of current 18,000 realtors in Quebec will give up their jobs, if the fee increase remains so high, OCAIQ does not seem responding to their plea. Nevertheless, they still have a plan, if everything fails – to get some seats in the OACIQ board during the upcoming elections and reverse the fees for the next year.
For those interested parties the fee increase is not the only issue. The ACAIQ has promised in its’ discussions with the government that the impending changes would be to better the profession.
With the creation of a new agency, of course unique to Quebec, the OACIQ these are the improvements “dumped” upon us;
1) No educational requirements for new agents / brokers, an individual need only demonstrate a level “secondaire 3? roughly equal to grade 10, competency in French, however if the exam is taken in French no such requirement exists.
2) No course is required to write a real-estate license exam
3) The compulsory E&O insurance with all its’ exclusion does not cover us for ANYTHING.
4) In Quebec a drug insurance coverage is compulsory & if you are not covered by your spouse in a group plan you must take the plan from either the OACIQ or the local chamber @ $300 per month.
5) Brokers bear the full responsibility of their actions, the agency is discharged of any liability.
6) We no longer have the right to call an emergency session of the OACIQ to contest its’ “illegal” actions, basically we have no rights.
7) The local chambers have been conspicuously silent in these changes although they are supposed to be the voice of brokers.
The list goes on for many pages of abuse, threats and intimidation, hence why we have created an association http://www.adciq.com affiliated with the Steelworkers Union to fight for our rights.
Norbert Bedoucha
Vice-President ADCIQ
Very interesting info Norbert, thanks! Seems much more complicated than I thought. I wonder to see what will be the final deal about MLS now, changes all around…
hi Norbert
you have made some interesting and important comments. Who are you?