CREA looks to raise dues to offset shrinking membership, mounting legal costs

Janice Myers has spent three years scrutinizing the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA)’s budget, finding $6 million in savings overall to keep things running and legal bills paid. 

But for the next eight weeks, CREA’s CEO will be campaigning for an increase in Realtors’ annual financial commitments, as the trade organization feels the pressure of inflation and a declining membership.

At CREA’s annual general meeting on April 14, CREA will propose a two per cent annual cost-of-living adjustment to member dues beginning Jan. 1, 2027. The adjustment would apply until CREA’s board of directors deems it no longer necessary. 

A motion will also be put forth for a two-year, $30-per-member annual special assessment (totaling $60). This would raise approximately $9 million to cover expected litigation costs over the next two years.

“We are being more prudent with the budget, and these are all things that are resonating well with members,” said Myers in an interview with Real Estate Magazine. “Everybody is experiencing this at the same time. Everyone has their cost of living that’s making it harder for boards to meet those needs. It’s a challenging time overall. Members are having issues with the market. All of that is feeding into this.” 

Budgeting with a shrinking membership

Because membership dues of $310 have not increased since 2013, their real dollar value has eroded by roughly $104 per member when adjusted for inflation, said Myers. 

For years, membership growth was sufficient to offset inflation. Since the membership peak between 2021 and 2023, of roughly 165,000 members, CREA’s base has steadily declined.

“This has had a significant impact on the budgets,” said Myers. 

In 2024, CREA cut $3 million from the budget and tightened spending by another $1.2 million the following year. Another $1.7 million was cut for the 2026 budget, which is based on a projected membership level of 155,000 members, a six per cent decline from the peak. 

“We really did cut across the organization,” she said, citing cost-cutting from board meetings, national ad campaigns, advocacy work, grants to boards and assocations and the elimination of a program that recruited international members. 

$2-million litigation spend forecast for 2026

CREA’s Legal Defense Fund has now been depleted, and $2 million from operations has been used for ongoing legal defense, the association says. 

CREA spent $4 million in 2024 and $1.8 million in 2025 on legal costs tied to Sunderland and McFall litigation and the Competition Bureau investigation, and the association is accounting for another $2 million in legal expenses this year, said Myers. 

“Some of that will be somewhat offset by insurance coverage, but that will be maxed out,” she said.

The two $30 special assessments are being introduced to replenish the legal war chest. While a similar proposal for a $75 fee was rejected at the 2025 AGM, Myers is hopeful for a different result this year.

“Some of their concerns were ‘Maybe you could have been better prepared.’ But I don’t think anyone could have foresaw the steep increase we had in 2024,” she said. “At the end of the day, everyone sees the need. We have to defend how members get paid.”

CREA is also increasing new member fees and directing a portion of those fees to the legal fund, which is expected to generate about $2.4 million annually.

“Between that and the money we hope to raise from the special assessments, we are feeling confident in our ability to manage our legal expenses over the next couple of years,” said Myers.  

Has CREA done enough?

Saskatchewan Realtors Association (SRA) CEO Chris Guérette said CREA can make an argument for taking accountability over the last year, citing moves like carving out Realtor.ca, and “looking inward” at expenses.

“I think the next question should be ‘Is that enough?’ and ultimately that’s what will be discussed,” said Guérette.

Guérette said she empathizes with CREA’s battle with inflation, and she anticipates eventually going to her own membership base for fee increases.

SRA’s board of directors hasn’t deliberated on the motions yet, but Guérette said the association will be transparent about its voting intentions. 

“I think what’s really unfortunate is when we get to an annual general meeting and there’s a lot of secrecy and siloed conversations,” she said. 

Other board and association representatives REM contacted either said they had not looked at the AGM information yet, or declined to comment.