Council's Direction

Ralph Salomons, Chair

I would like to use this opportunity to discuss RECA’s current direction in education as it appears to be a topic of conversation within the industry. As always, Council looks forward to continuing the dialogue with industry members on issues of mutual interest and importance.

As early as the fall of 2006, RECA began to re-focus its attention on education when it made changes to the professional development requirements of industry members, which were implemented in 2007. Council was of the opinion that its role in continuing education should be to focus on the Real Estate Act, Rules and related regulatory and consumer protection issues. These are areas where RECA has direct responsibility, experience and expertise.

In 2008, Council reinforced policy decisions it made in 2006, with respect to licensing and re-licensing education. RECA, as part of its core services, will develop and deliver licensing education courses in those areas that RECA has the expertise. For real estate, this means the education areas that are common to all sectors of the real estate industry.

The topics which are common to all sectors will be the focus of Phase 2 of the Real Estate Associates’ Program, or REAP. It is anticipated the topics to be covered will include the Real Estate Act, the Rules, contract law, agency law, the land titles system, ethics, the Condominium Act, planning law, privacy legislation, competition law and other provincial or federal statutes that affect the practice of all industry members.

RECA’s target date for developing and delivering Phase 2 of the Real Estate Associates’ Program is January 2011.

Both RECA and the Alberta Real Estate Association (AREA) recognize it will take time to develop and implement this new program. Accordingly, RECA signed a two-year extension of its current agreement with AREA that will see AREA continue to deliver the Real Estate Associates’ Program in its current format until December 31, 2010.

In accordance with the recommendation of Council’s Real Estate Education Committee, Council will also be reviewing Phase 1 of the REAP Program. Specifically, Council will examine whether it should be mandatory that all individuals complete “Introduction to a Career in Real Estate” course before proceeding to Phase 2 and 3 of the Program. RECA will initiate its review of this course later this year.

With respect to the development and delivery of licensing education for industry members that is industry sector specific, RECA will undertake a request for proposal (RFP) process to determine the appropriate organization to develop and deliver the residential, commercial and agri-business modules of Phase 3 of REAP. The RFP will incorporate the core values adopted by RECA, as well as the other significant factors in education development and delivery that have been adopted by RECA. We anticipate AREA will submit a proposal to be the supplier of education programming for the real estate components of Phase 3 of REAP.

 

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