At a Special General Meeting on March 15, 2023, members of the Calgary Real Estate Board (CREB®) voted down a resolution to dissolve the board. Passing it would have started a merger with the Alberta Real Estate Association (AREA).
The vote
- 1,526 members took part and voted at the meeting.
- CREB has more than 7,000 members, who are part of AREA’s provincial membership of more than 13,000.
- The proposal followed months of outreach and member research on a simpler membership structure.
“It’s not the result we wanted, but the turnout was really strong,” said CREB Chair Christian Twomey. CREB said it will review why the plan was defeated and whether members want a different structure or a new direction.
What it means for you
For people buying or selling in Calgary, nothing changes. CREB continues to run the local board and publish the monthly statistics we report on here, and REALTORS® continue to serve clients as before.
What was proposed
CREB is the local board for Calgary and the surrounding area, and its members are also part of the Alberta Real Estate Association, the provincial body. The leadership of the two organizations proposed a consolidation plan after member research supported a simpler membership structure. Dissolving CREB would have been the first step towards bringing the two organizations together.
Membership and turnout: the CREB® merger vote, March 15, 2023
A close and active debate
Chair Christian Twomey said a considerable number of members were on both sides of the vote, which shows how different the views on consolidation are. He added that “this is how decision-making works in a governance-based organization” and thanked members for engaging in the process. AREA CEO Brad Mitchell also pointed to the turnout and engagement, saying the process “moved the dial on collaboration” between the two organizations.
What happens next
In the near term, CREB will review the initiative and the feedback from members about what they value from the board. Twomey said CREB will explore why the plan was defeated, to learn whether there is an appetite for a different membership structure or for a new direction.
Why a board vote matters to the public
Most buyers and sellers never deal with a real estate board directly, but they use its work every day. CREB’s monthly statistics are the source for the benchmark prices, sales and inventory numbers we report each month for Calgary, Airdrie, Cochrane and Okotoks. Its rules and services also shape how listings are shared between brokerages. Because the merger did not go ahead, these services continue as they were.
Practical takeaways
- Buyers and sellers: no action is needed; listings, contracts and your agent’s services are not affected.
- Market watchers: CREB’s monthly release will continue in the same format, so comparisons with earlier months remain valid.
Two levels of organized real estate
In Alberta, real estate professionals belong to organizations at several levels. Local boards such as CREB serve members in a specific area, while AREA works on behalf of members across the province. The idea behind consolidation was to bring the work of the two levels closer together under one structure. Twomey described the initiative as complex and said it takes considerable effort to deliver with clarity and purpose. He also said he was proud of the work done to put the opportunity before members.
Turnout matters in a vote like this. With 1,526 members taking part out of more than 7,000, roughly one in five CREB members voted, which the leadership of both organizations described as strong.
We will report on any new proposal about CREB’s structure if members are asked to vote again. For our clients, the important point today is simple: the local board, its data and its services stay in place.
