DID YOU KNOW? TREB's REALTOR® STORE offers Member discounts on tickets to some of the GTA's top attractions and venues.

The weather is not the only reason to visit Canada's Wonderland this summer. We're excited to announce that TREB Members can now take advantage of the following Exclusive Ticket Offer to Canada's Wonderland:

• $37.99 per Regular Ticket;
• $36.99 per Junior/Senior Ticket;
• $49.99 per Two-Day Ticket;
• And more*

The country's premier amusement park, Canada's Wonderland (map) has dozens of rides and attractions to be enjoyed by your family, friends, and/or clients.

To take advantage of these special rates, which have been arranged for Members by TREB's REALTOR® STORE, and to purchase tickets for yourself or as a gift, click hereor on this poster below.

* Plus processing fee and HST. Prices may vary depending on time of purchase.

TREB is also pleased to offer its Members access to exclusive rates or discounts of between 15 to 35% off regular ticket prices to these other GTA attractions and venues:

• Ripley's Aquarium of Canada;
• Royal Ontario Museum;
• Select Niagara Falls Hotels; and
• Ontario Science Centre.

Click here to read details and discover a full list of TREB Member discounts!

About the REALTOR® STORE 
From open house signs and lock boxes, to office supplies and more, TREB's REALTOR® STORE provides a wide variety of real-estate related products, all offered at exceptional value.

You can buy supplies online or in person from any of our REALTOR® STORE locations (click here for details). Plus, thanks to the REALTOR® STORE's shipping policy, all in-stock items are sent in 2 to 4 business days to your registered office.

TREB is encouraged by the decision of the Mayor's Executive Committee on June 19 to unanimously pass Mayor Tory's recommendation to establish a Standing Committee on Housing with the following mandate:

"The Housing Committee's primary focus is the housing and accommodation of Torontonians, with a mandate to monitor and make recommendation on housing and shelter in the City."

Under this recommendation, the current Affordable Housing Committee would be converted from a special committee to a standing committee responsible for all housing, shelter and accommodation matters including those currently considered by the Community Development and Recreation Committee and the Tenant Issues Advisory Committee.

Housing - ownership or rental accommodation - is a major issue for the City of Toronto and its residents. TREB has always been advocating that no matter the price tag or density – from affordable to luxury housing, from single detached houses to missing middle (home types that bridge the gap between detached houses and condominium apartments) options to high-rise towers, housing should be a priority for the success of the City as a whole. This will help to ensure its residents enjoy a better quality of life and continue to live and work here.

This recommendation is a clear sign the City is recognizing that housing should be given the attention and cross-divisional planning it requires.

This proposal will be considered before City Council on June 26. TREB strongly urges Council to pass this motion, paving the way for the creation of the new Housing Committee so that the City can deal with housing issues more effectively.

TREB will continue to keep its Members informed of any further developments.

Even in the age of the internet, unsolicited calls (or cold calls) are often seen by many marketers and salespeople, including real estate professionals, as a way to generate new business.

Before you pick up the phone to conduct cold calls to random prospects, as a TREB Member, you must familiarize yourself with your compliance obligations pertaining to the National Do Not Call List (DNCL) to:

• Avoid significant financial penalties; and
• Ensure you are operating your business on the right side of the law.

Read on for a description of the DNCL, information on what is and is not allowed according to DNCL Rules, and the consquences of non-compliance, including a real-life case study of Telelisting and the fine they had to pay.

WHAT IS THE DO NOT CALL LIST? 
The DNCL is a list of telephone numbers of consumers who have explicitly stated that they do not wish to receive unsolicited marketing calls. Over 12.7 million numbers are currently registered on the National DNCL.

Outside of a few exceptions, marketers and salespeople, including REALTORS®, are prohibited from contacting numbers on the DNCL to sell or promote a product or service.

The National DNCL is enforced and regularly monitored by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), a public authority in charge of regulating and supervising Canadian broadcasting and telecommunications.

WHAT ARE YOUR OBLIGATIONS UNDER THE DO NOT CALL LIST?
If you conduct any form of unsolicited cold calls, you must ensure compliance with the DNCL. The Broker, and not individual sales representatives, must get a subscription to the DNCL because the brokerage is the legal entity that signs all the contracts, and there is a principal-agent relationship between the salesperson and the brokerage.

• Brokerages must register their business with the National DNCL operator and pay for a subscription on the National DNCL website (here);
• Please note: The use of a third-party telemarketing service provider is not a replacement for a subscription and you and/or your Brokerage must subscribe to the DNCL as well if you choose to hire a third-party telemarketing service to conduct calls on your behalf.
• Monitor the most current version of the DNCL, which is made available every 31 days, and remove any numbers found on it from your call lists;
• Maintain your own, internal Do Not Call List; in which:
• You and/or your Brokerage must remove the name and number of a consumer who contacts you to indicate they no longer wish to receive your calls within 14 days of their request. Please note: Proof of their removal from your call lists must be maintained for three years and 14 days following their removal.
• Ensure any third-party service provider who will conduct unsolicited calls on your and/or your Brokerage's behalf is operating in compliance of the National DNCL; and
• You must abide by the CRTC's Unsolicited Telecommunications Rules (UTR), a few of which are outlined in the next section.

WHAT ARE THE RULES FOR DNCL SUBSCRIBERS WHEN CONDUCTING AN UNSOLICITED CALL?
Once you have subscribed your business to the DNCL and cleaned up your call lists, every live phone call you and/or your Brokerage makes must abide by the Unsolicited Telecommunications Rules (UTR), some of which have been outlined below:

• You are not permitted to sell or provide the contents of your DNCL subscription to outside organizations, as every organization must receive their own list from the National DNCL website (here);
• You may only call customers during the following hours: Monday to Friday 9:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. / Saturday and Sunday 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.;
• At the start of the call, you must communicate the name(s) of the person or organization who is making the call, or who the call is being made on behalf of;
• You are required to provide a contact name and working phone number when asked;
• Customers must be able to view a call back number, which must be answered by either a live operator or a voicemail system; and
• The use of Automatic Dialing and Announcing Devices (ADADs) is prohibited, unless you have received consent from the consumer prior to the call. ADADs are equipment that can be used, in some capacity, to deliver pre-recorded voice messages over the phone.

WHAT ARE THE CONSEQUENCES OF VIOLATING THE DNCL?
Since Canada's UTR and National DNCL went into effect in 2008, the CRTC has received over 1.2 million complaints from consumers. The consequences of receiving a DNCL notice of violation varies depending on the severity of the violation, and may include the following:

• A warning letter for less egregious cases, where no violation is alleged or determined;
• Having your name and/or your Brokerage name and the details of your violation listed on the CRTC website for the public to view (here); or
• A Notice of Violation with a monetary penalty of:
• Up to $1,500 per violation for a person; or
• Up to $15,000 per violation for a corporation.
  "Per violation" refers to every phone call which was conducted against DNCL Rules.

CASE STUDY: TELELISTING ORDERED TO PAY $260,000
In the past, real estate brokerages and industry affiliates have incurred significant penalties for violating the UTR and the DNCL. An example of such a case was the settlement involving Telelisting, a provider of telephone directory services for online lead generation, a service which is commonly used by Realtors. Telelisting incurred $260,000 in penalties in 2015 for wrongfully providing the contents of its DNCL to its clients.

TREB Members are reminded that the use of a third-party telephone directory service provider is not a replacement for a subscription to the DNCL, and you and/or your Brokerage are not allowed to provide the contents of your subscription to outside organizations, nor should you and/or your Brokerage accept an offer to use another individual and/or Brokerage's subscription.

ARE THERE EXCEPTIONS TO THE DNCL? 
In almost all cases, you are not allowed to conduct unsolicited calls to a number on the DNCL. However, there are exceptions to the rule depending on your business situation and/or your relationship with a customer.

Here are a few exceptions of when calling a number on the DNCL may be permitted by a Realtor:

• Calls to consumers who have given their consent to receive calls. Consent must specifically refer to phone calls and, while consent must be absolutely explicit, it may be granted via:
• Written or online forms; or
• Verbally, with proof of recording or other forms that can be verified by an independent third party.
• Calls to consumers who have an existing business relationship with the brokerage (e.g., those who have purchased, leased, or signed a written contract with you within the past 18 months);
• Calls to consumers who have made an inquiry with you about a product or service within the past six months (e.g., a consumer called for a listing presentation);
• Calls to other business telephone numbers.

These exceptions apply for the time periods stated above unless a consumer requests to no longer be contacted.

For more information about the DNCL and Members' obligations, consult CREA's FAQs.

RECO’s latest For the RECOrd bulletins highlight two matters of importance to registrants.

Lockbox Compliance 
RECO reports that they regularly receive complaints from consumers and registrants regarding misuse of lockboxes.

Having a convenient way to access the property is critical to the sale of a Listing; however, it is essential that registrants maintain the trust of consumers and protect the safety and privacy of the buyer and seller.

A new Registrar's Bulletin from RECO explains the procedures registrants must follow when using lockboxes.

2018 RECO Insurance Collection 
RECO’s annual insurance collection period begins in early July with payment due by August 17. RECO notes that their new back-end system may require some fine tuning and appreciates your patience during this high-volume collection period.

Read the For the RECOrd bulletins: Lockbox Compliance and Insurance Collection.

COURSE REGISTRATION

Are you looking to expand your knowledge of the real estate industry and develop new skills that you can apply to your business? Then, you should register for one of TREB's professional development courses from the e-Commerce webpage.

From webinars on how to use TREB services and seminars on different segments of the market, to professional designations, and more, there is no shortage of learning opportunities available to Members.

To view a current list of courses, visit the Professional Development Calendar.

Plus, don't miss our Professional Development at a Glance campaign. It is updated twice monthly and delivered to your inbox on the first business day of each month, as well as featured in every issue of Across The Board, TREB's monthly e-newsletter.

BROKERAGE OUTREACH

Is it the commute to TREB's offices that's stopping your Salespeople from attending TREB's Professional Development Courses? Or, are you simply looking for a way to provide professional development opportunities to your Salespeople in-house? Thanks to Brokerage Outreach, you can invite TREB trainers to host courses for your Salespeople from the convenience of your office.

Some of the information and topics explored in these sessions include:

• How to use Collaborate
• Creating a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA)
• Compliance and Best Practices when using Forms
• The Do Not Call List and CASL anti-spam legislation;
• And more
  

OTHER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SERVICES AND INFORMATION:

• Professional Development Calendar
• Training Videos
• Webinars

Don't forget to visit the Interactive Member Tools & Services Map on Stratus for all 100+ tools and services, any time and on any device. 

A Member has reported that he received a call from an "official Trebnet representative" who was inquiring if "everything was up to date" with the Member. 

The caller appeared to be looking for the Member's personal information, perhaps to try to access his email or Stratus. When the Member replied with some questions of his own, the caller hung up.

If Members receive such a call, TREB recommends to not supply any personal information and to end the call. Please also report such an incident to memberalerts@trebnet.com so that we may track the frequency of these calls.

DID YOU KNOW?

There are differences and similarities between current alcohol, cigarette, and marijuana legislation.

Mark Weisleder provides a great opportunity for you to learn about this and more in Cannabis Act: What REALTORS® Need to Know - Register Here!

SEMINARS & WORKSHOPS

In a two-hour program focused on Best Practices and Compliance, TREB will cover information regarding:

• Coming Soon Signs
• Interference of Contracts
• Handling Pre-Emptive Offers
• Stigmatized Issues
• Multiple Offers
• Offers Received by a Listing Brokerage
• Commission Rebates
• Trademarks
  

These are issues that affect the day to day activities of all Brokers and Salespeople, and will help you ensure compliance with industry best practices.

Bev Patel covers this in Best Practices - Everyday Compliance - Register Here!

VIRTUAL LEARNING

In the 1-hour eSignatures Using Authentisign® webinar we will explore how to create eSignatures for transactions in WEBForms® and Instanet®.

Check out the Webinar Wednesdays page on Stratus.

CLOSER TO YOU

Keep an eye out in e-Commerce for a lineup of our most popular courses and designations being held at TREB's satellite offices in Mississauga, Ajax and Newmarket - Access e-Commerce here!

Simply click on the "Location" heading to sort the list by location name and look for TREB - Mississauga Office, TREB - Ajax Office, or TREB - York Office.

CERTIFICATE COURSE

C-RETS - Position Your Business for Profit - Register Here! 
In today's environment, profitability for many real estate teams is razor-thin. A keen appreciation of the numbers behind the numbers will give you the edge you need. The learning objectives for this course include:

• Understanding basic financial terms and definitions
• Understanding a basic financial statement
• Identifying factors affecting the profitability of a team
• Developing an expense budget to monitor your team's progress
• Analyzing the effects of operational changes to your bottom line

BROKERAGE OUTREACH

A Comprehensive Review of MLS® Rules - this two-hour program reviews MLS® Rules that are currently in place regarding Forms, MLS® Listings, Advertising, Showings & Appointments, Reporting of Transactions, and Commissions Regarding Transactions. It is designed to give real estate professionals a better understanding of some key MLS® Rules that affect their daily activities.

Let TREB come to you! Brokerage Outreach sessions are available to Brokerage offices through the Broker of Record or Manager. Email professionaldevelopment@trebnet.com for more information.

TECH TRAINING

In the hands-on Working with WEBForms® class you will explore all the features of WEBForms®, including completing a form, inserting clauses, creating a new transaction kit and much more! - Register here!

Looking for more great Professional Development opportunities? Visit e-Commerce for the full list of courses available for registration!

TREB endeavours to ensure the accuracy and timeliness of information, but it is not guaranteed.

As of Tuesday, July 3, TREB has phased out the old Clareity Token as well as the MobilePASS app. All Members of TREB and Partner Boards must now have the new Clareity Authenticator App on their smartphones in order to access Stratus.  

The Authenticator App can be installed only on phones that are running either an iOS or Android operating system.  

You can download the Clareity App by clicking on one of the links provided below, or by going to either Google Play or the App Store, and then downloading the app from there (search for 'Clareity').  

iOS App:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/mobileauth/id1182954733?ls=1&mt=8

Android App:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.clareity.mobileauth&hl=en

For instructions on how to enroll the Clareity Authenticator App, click here.

For an online video of the app enrollment procedure, click Authenticator App Enrollment.

You can call the TREB Help Desk at 416-443-8111 if you require further assistance in getting the app set up on your phone.

Do you know a shelter-related charity that could benefit from a grant? If so, TREB encourages you to invite the charity to submit an application to the Ontario REALTORS Care® Foundation.

Ontario REALTORS Care® Foundation grant applications for 2018 are now available, and TREB Members are encouraged to invite local charities to submit an application to TREB for consideration of endorsement.

Click here for the Ontario REALTORS Care® Foundation Grant application form.

PLEASE NOTE: Any provincial shelter-related charity is eligible for the grant but must be endorsed by a local real estate board. The Ontario REALTORS Care® Foundation defines shelter as:
"a refuge, haven or protection that provides or improves quality of life from hunger, the elements, physical/psychological abuse, disabilities and illness."

Support the charities who help to serve the most vulnerable people in your communities by connecting them to TREB and the Ontario REALTORS Care® Foundation.

Grant Application Process and Deadline

Completed grant application packages (including all required supporting documentation), as well as any questions you/the applying charity may have, must be forwarded to Angela Marini, Senior Manager, Corporate Events at amarini@trebnet.com no later than August 15, 2018.

About the Ontario REALTORS Care® Foundation's Every REALTOR® Campaign 

At TREB's May 2018 Spring Annual Meeting, GTA REALTORS® voted to participate in the Ontario REALTORS Care® Foundation's Every REALTOR® Campaign for the eleventh consecutive year by donating $1 per Member per month. A total of over $3 million has been donated to the campaign directed to shelter-based charities across the TREB Member area. 

Watch this video for first-hand accounts of how TREB's donations are making a difference for shelter-based charities in your local communities.

We wrote in the past about recent legislative changes to the rental housing system in Ontario. As a follow-up, this article should assist in providing you with what you need to know about the Rental Fairness Act and its implications for your clients.

The Rental Fairness Act, 2017 is a piece of legislation introduced on May 30, 2017 to amend the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006. This new legislation expands rent control to all private rental units, including those first occupied on or after November 1, 1991 and sets an annual cap on rent increases tied to the Consumer Price Index. The legislation also introduces additional protection for tenants, including enabling a standard lease and protecting tenants from eviction due to abuse of the "landlord's own use" provision.

Expanding Rent Control
As part of the Fair Housing Plan, the Ontario government expanded rent control to most private rental units in the province. As such, effective April 20, 2017, landlords in Ontario cannot increase the rent for most private rental units built on or after Nov. 1, 1991 by more than the amount set by the rent increase guideline. The annual cap for 2018 is 1.8 per cent. Once a unit is vacant, landlords can legally raise the rent without limit.

The Landlord and Tenant Board can approve a rent increase above guideline of up to three percentage points above the cap for capital expenses (not including normal ongoing maintenance), unusually high increases in municipal taxes and charges, and the cost of security services. However, as of January 1, 2018, landlords won't be able to apply for above guideline rent increases for utility costs or in buildings with outstanding elevator work.  

Standard Lease
Effective April 30, 2018, landlords of most private residential rental units (single and semi-detached houses, apartment buildings, condos, and secondary units) – from individual landlords to property management companies – must use the standard lease template for all new leases. A standard lease is not required for tenancies that have special rules or partial exemptions under the Rental Tenancies Act, including care homes, mobile home parks, land lease communities, social and supportive housing, co-operative and transitional housing. For more info on the standard lease, click here.  

Ending a Lease
To protect tenants from eviction due to abuse of the "landlord's own use" provision which saw some landlords terminate a lease only to turn around and re-lease the unit to a different tenant for a higher rent, the government introduced three provisions related to when a landlord terminates a lease for "own use":

1. only landlords who are individuals can terminate a lease for "own use," not corporations;
2. landlord is now required to demonstrate that they need the unit for a minimum of one year;
3. tenant must be compensated for one month's rent for lease termination, or be offered another acceptable rental unit;
4. if landlord acts in bad faith, they could face a fine of up to $25,000.

TREB encourages all of its Members dealing with rental leases to review the legislation and the recent changes so that you can inform and guide your clients accordingly.

Now in its twelfth year, TREB's Past President's Scholarship program annually awards scholarships on behalf of REALTORS® to graduating high school seniors pursuing post-secondary education. Two $5,000 first place scholarships and two $2,500 second place scholarships are available. 

Earlier this year, applications were distributed to nearly 300 public and Catholic secondary schools in the GTA, as well as posted on Stratus, TREBhome.com, TREB social media websites, and scholarshipscanada.com. 

A record of academic achievement and a range of leadership qualities and community involvement are required for application; however, judging is based on a 1500-word (minimum) essay.

We offer the 2018 winners our congratulations and best wishes for their future studies. 

The first place winners are Kristina Miller and Tega Aror.

The second place winners are Milen Negash and Alex Hu.

We thank all scholarship applicants for their submissions and wish them much success in their future endeavours.

Click here to read the winning essays. 

 If you have any questions regarding the scholarship, please contact Christine Shallhorn in the Communications and Government Affairs Department at 416-443-8000 x8030 or cshallhorn@trebnet.com

TREB has received the below communication from CREA and is reposting it for the benefit of TREB Members.

Please see the below update from CREA regarding an updated REALTOR.ca logo and branding guidelines.

CREA Introduces a Refreshed REALTOR.ca Logo and Brand Guidelines

The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) has introduced a refreshed REALTOR.ca logo aimed to simplify and modernize the well-established REALTOR.ca brand. Alongside the logo, a new font has been selected to support the minor brand refresh.

Benefits to REALTORS®:

• The simplified logo more accurately reflects a dynamic,
  REALTOR® centric and future-focused REALTOR.ca.
• The refreshed logo and brand guidelines honour the iconic REALTOR® trademark to support and enhance consumer recognition of the brand.

In the upcoming three months, the updated REALTOR.ca brand logo and fonts will be incorporated in all CREA print and digital marketing materials, including the REALTOR.ca website and apps.

Here is the new logo:

More information about how you are able to use the REALTOR.ca logo will be provided in the fall after the logo is updated in the Trademark Manual.

Download Logo Files.

If you have any questions, please contact us at support.

The July issue of TREB's Across The Board newsletter is now available for online reading or download!

You'll want to read this month's issue for the latest news and updates, as well as a welcome message from your new 2018/2019 TREB President, Garry Bhaura. Plus, scroll down for a sneak peek of what's covered in July's Across the Board as well as a glimpse at the new email version of the newsletter!

Message From 2018/2019 President Garry Bhaura Welcome 2018/2019 President Garry Bhaura & Board of Directors!
	Farewell Message from 2017/2018 President Tim Syrianos Watch a farewell message from 2017/2018 TREB President Tim Syrianos (now Past President).
	TREB Member Discounts to Top GTA Attractions Discover how to take advantage of exclusive TREB Member discounts at top GTA attractions, including Canada's Wonderland, this summer.
	Market Watch to Your Inbox How can you get behind the latest GTA real estate market numbers? Learn more about the new Market Watch to Your Inbox campaign.
	Ontario REALTORS Care® Foundation Grant Applications Ontario REALTORS Care® Foundation grant applications are now open. Read more on how to nominate a shelter-related charity inside.
Other issue features
Mark your calendars for REALTOR® QUEST 2019 on Wednesday, May 29 and Thursday, May 30 at the Toronto Congress Centre. Details inside!	Read the latest instalment of TREB's Best Practices campaign on your compliance obligations regarding the Do Not Call List (DNCL).
Plus More News DIS Notices Now Sent Via Email Only TREB Encourages Members to Run in Municipal Elections New TREB Office in Ajax TREB Gives Back by Sponsoring Community Events Twelfth Annual Past President's Scholarships Awarded Using Authentisign® in WEBForms® Rental Fairness Act, 2017: What You Need to Know Collaborate: Search Stratus on Any Device and Interact with Your Clients in Real Time TREB Continues to Call for Traffic Signals at Don Mills & Kern Spotlight On: MLS®, Collaborate & Related Services - Part 2 Spotlight On: Professional Development Join a TREB Facebook Group & Connect with Your Fellow REALTORS® Professional Development at a Glance & more

Can't Access Across The Board?

If you're having trouble accessing the links above, you can also access Across The Boardthrough the Tools & Services Map clickable from the top-most menu on the Stratus home page.

Looking for a Previous Issue?

To read a previous issue, visit the Across The Board archives here, or access the archives from the Your Resource Centre page.

Questions About Across The Board?

If you have questions about Across The Board, please send them to acrosstheboard@trebnet.com.

KNOW YOUR CUSTOMER - CORPORATE & INDIVIDUAL DUE DILIGENCE

Due diligence is a critical stage in any commercial property transaction and can reveal details that would otherwise be obscure or potentially harmful to your business, your client, or a real estate asset. 

ESC CORPORATE SERVICES offer a suite of entity verification tools tailored to help TREB Members carry out the necessary due diligence on a buyer, seller, lessee, or property. This user pay service offers the following:

• Business Name Search
• Corporate Profile Report
• Federal Bankruptcy Search
• Litigation Search
• PPSA Search
• Property Title Search
• Writ of Execution Search

ROUGH/ADVANCED GUIDE TO CONSTRUCTION COSTS

Published on an annual basis, the Rough/Advanced Guide to Construction Costs offers in-depth information on the costs involved in the construction of different property types to help Commercial Members looking to add value to their clients' real estate investment portfolios.

OTHER COMMERCIAL TOOLS AND SERVICES:

• Altus/RealNet
• Commercial Broadcast Email Service
• Commercial Realty Watch
• Commercial Social Media
• Commercial Terminology Glossary
• RealTrack (sales)

Don't forget to visit the Interactive Member Tools & Services Map on Stratus for all 100+ tools and services, any time and on any device.