With September just around the corner, OREA’s Government Relations (GR) team is getting ready for the new session at the Ontario Legislature scheduled to resume September 9th. Our staff is looking forward to continuing advocating on behalf of REALTORS® at Queen’s Park and building on successes from the past legislative year. And it was successful, indeed!
In its 2013 budget, the Government of Ontario included OREA’s proposal to amend the Electronic Commerce Act (ECA), 2000. Once proclaimed, this amendment will give REALTORS® and consumers the confidence to use modern technology that will make transactions more efficient and accessible.
Getting the amendment into the budget is a significant accomplishment for OREA and REALTORS® with dozens of organizations competing for attention at Queen’s Park. OREA’s success on electronic signatures speaks to the strong advocacy campaign the association has coordinated over the past year with the help of hard working volunteers from the real estate boards across Ontario.
OREA also worked with MPP Lisa MacLeod (Nepean-Carleton) to introduce a Private Member’s Bill, which, if passed, would establish a marijuana grow operations (MGOs) and clandestine drug laboratory registry. For over 10 years, OREA has been a vocal advocate for the registry that would help protect homebuyers. In October of 2012, OREA commissioned a study by Ipsos Reid, which found that 93 per cent of Ontario residents want to know if a home they are planning to purchase was formerly used as a MGO or clandestine drug lab. The research showed that 88 per cent of Ontarians support the creation of a province-wide registry.
Finally, OREA’s team continues advocating for REALTORS®’ ability to form personal real estate corporations and preventing Ontario cities from levying a municipal land transfer tax similar to the one charged by the city of Toronto.
Wondering what else OREA GR has done to make your business better over the past years, take a look at our recent video.
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