The Competition Bureau of Canada has expanded its investigation into real estate commission rules, now including the Greater Vancouver REALTORS® (GVR) in addition to the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA). This investigation aims to determine if the commission rules enforced by GVR may violate the Competition Act's provisions against abuse of dominance.

The Bureau's inquiry began in 2024, initially concentrating on CREA's policies regarding commission structures and their impact on competition among real estate agents. The commission rules dictate how agents are compensated and require sellers to offer compensation to buyers' agents when properties are listed on Multiple Listing Service (MLS) systems.

Recent developments have prompted the Bureau to seek further information on how GVR implements these commission rules in the Greater Vancouver area. The investigation is particularly concerned with whether these rules discourage competition by limiting buyers' agents from offering lower commission rates or alternative pricing models, and whether they encourage practices like 'steering' that could inflate costs for buyers and sellers.

A court order has been obtained to compel GVR to provide relevant records and information for the ongoing investigation, which has not yet concluded with any findings of wrongdoing.