In May we announced that CREB^® and the REALTORS^® Association of Edmonton (RAE) had agreed to explore whether a merger of the two organizations would benefit our members. This message is to let you know that we have engaged a consultant, T3 Sixty, to guide us through this exploration.

Whether to merge or not will truly be a member-driven decision right from the start, and we are now recruiting CREB^® members to join working groups that will explore the pros and cons of merging in various areas of our business. 

If you’re interested in participating in one of the working groups, keep reading.

Organized real estate is reorganizing

Before diving into what’s happening, we’d like to talk about why the discussion with RAE is happening. Organized real estate is reorganizing. In 2024, local boards in New Brunswick amalgamated into a single board, New Brunswick REALTORS^®. In 2019, a number of local boards in Quebec merged to form QPAREB, which now represents 92% of brokers in the province. This year in Alberta, RASCA members voted to dissolve and become part of AREA.

The real estate market is also shifting in real time. Technology has put more data, and more “intelligence,” than ever at the fingertips of consumers. Brokerage business models are diverging. Amid all this, the number of REALTORS^® and the cost of doing business are increasing faster than the number of sales.

All of these changes directly affect your business. The discussion with RAE is an opportunity to explore one option to start driving that change rather than just reacting to it. That's why we accepted the invitation from RAE to talk. This is a journey that everyone at CREB^® is on together to find out why merging is either the right change for our members, or why it is not. We’re calling this exploration Our Journey, Your Why.

Working groups

Each of 11 working groups will focus on one specific business domain, and will include members from both CREB^® and RAE. When they finish their work in January of 2027, the working groups will report what they found to a Joint Merger Steering Committee (JMSC) comprised of CREB^® and RAE Board Chairs, a director from each board, both organizations’ CEOs, and two experienced volunteer members from each organization. 

If the working groups determine that, overall, the value of a merger to members outweighs the risks, the JMSC will work with T3 Sixty to develop a merger proposal and recommend each board put the decision to a member vote in Spring of 2027.

You can find a full list of the 11 working groups on the Our Journey, Your Why hub on CREB^®Link.

CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS

Both RAE and CREB^® have strong volunteer cultures, and we are excited to jointly invite members to roll up their sleeves and join the working groups. T3 Sixty has set up an application survey that will help us ensure the right talents and skills are matched with each volunteer role. 

By contributing your expertise and vision to a working group, you’ll have an important voice in discussions about Governance & Bylaws, Member Services & Value Proposition, Education & Professional Development, and more.

COMPLETE THE WORKING GROUP APPLICATION FORM HERE

The working groups will begin meeting in August and wrap up their work in January 2027. The deadline to complete your application survey is August 4, 2026. 

Find out more about the merger exploration

We have created the Our Journey, Your Why hub on CREB^®Link to provide a single source of information for members. Here, you’ll be able to learn more about the working groups, the Joint Merger Steering Committee, FAQs and more. 

If you have any questions, please reach out to CREB^® President and CEO Alan Tennant using the Ask a Question tab in the Our Journey, Your Why hub. 

“This is an exciting time to be a REALTOR^® and a member of CREB^®. The discussion with RAE is the first step in the journey of determining the best path forward for our members and our organizations as our industry evolves including whether a potential merger should be put before the members for consideration.”

- Susanita de Diego, CREB^® Chair.

Sincerely,


Susanita de Diego
Board Chair
CREB^® 


Alan Tennant
President & CEO
CREB^®