Answering your Questions about Condominium Manager Licensing
| August 17, 2021
As you’re likely aware, RECA will begin regulating condominium managers on December 1, 2021.
In preparation, the Residential Property Manager Industry Council has created licensing eligibility standards, requirements, and fee amendments. With these resources, RECA is able to give licensees, and future licensees, an idea of what they can expect from this transition. However, they are not set in stone and are subject to change due to realities outside of RECA’s control, such as third-party course providers not having education ready by December 1, 2021.
Will I need a condominium manager licence with RECA?
The short answer is, everyone who practices condominium management in Alberta, whether currently licensed with RECA in another area or not, needs a licence.
Existing real estate or mortgage brokerages that provide condominium management services will require a separate condominium manager brokerage licence to provide condominium management services after December 1, 2021.
A new brokerage entity will not be required. As is the case for brokerages licensed in both real estate and mortgage brokerage, current real estate or mortgage brokerages can obtain a condominium manager brokerage licence using their current brokerage’s business entity (proprietorship, partnership, or corporation).
What if my brokerage is licensed in property management?
You will still need a condominium manager brokerage license. Condominium management is a separate activity. If companies would like to practice both condominium management and property management, they must do so under separate brokerages. A condominium manager brokerage licence is required to provide condominium manager services, and a real estate brokerage licence is required to provide property management services. Individuals must be licensed and registered with these brokerages.
Why was this model chosen?
This model was chosen in 2016 based on feedback from stakeholder consultations the Condominium Manager Implementation Advisory Committee (CMIAC) undertook in late-2015. Additional reasons for adopting this regulatory structure include:
- trading in real estate as a real estate broker involves the disposition of real property. Condominium management activities involve assisting a condominium corporation to manage itself and its common property. These activities are separate and distinct.
- including condominium management as part of a real estate licence would require condominium manager brokers to obtain residential, rural, commercial, and property management licences, and to complete re-licensing education in these sectors even if they are not intending to practice in those sectors.
- including condominium management as part of a real estate licence would require existing real estate brokers and associate brokers to take condominium management education in order to retain their broker or associate broker licences, even if they do not intend to manage condominiums.
How will condominium manager licensing work?
License classes: There are three condominium manager licence classes: condominium manager broker, condominium manager associate broker, and condominium manager associate.
The function of each class is similar to corresponding real estate classes, where:
- a broker is the individual in charge of a brokerage and there is only one broker per brokerage
- an associate broker is an individual who has all of the qualifications to be a broker, but is not in charge of a brokerage. They must be registered with a brokerage in order to offer condominium manager services on behalf of that brokerage
- an associate is an individual who offers condominium manager services on behalf of a brokerage, and must be registered with that brokerage. There can be multiple associates and associate brokers registered to a brokerage.
Brokerages themselves must also be licensed.
Timing of licence applications: RECA opened the licensing eligibility process on August 3, 2021, and expects to start processing licence applications on October 12, 2021. This way the condominium management industry can complete their applications for licensing well before December 1, when the regulation of the condominium management industry will begin. Condominium manager brokerages and brokers will have to be processed and approved for licensing before individual condominium manager associates can complete their licensing application. RECA strongly recommends prospective brokers to start the process as soon as it opens to avoid delays.
Licence Eligibility:
Individuals who are currently offering condominium management services who hold a licence with RECA in another industry Associates:
- two years of experience in condominium management within the last five years, by affirmation
- must include the names of five condominium corporations managed
Associate brokers & brokers:
- two years of experience in condominium management oversight role within the last five years, by affirmation
- must include the names of five condominium corporations managed
Individuals who are currently offering condominium management services who DO NOT hold a licence with RECA in another industry
- ability to work in Canada
- minimum 18 years of age
- certified criminal record check
- good character as defined in RECA’s Good Character Policy
*Note: approved lifetime withdrawal applicants are not eligible
Additional eligibility standards for current condominium managers who wish to become licensed as condominium manager associates:
- two years of experience in condominium management within the last five years, by affirmation
- must include the names of five condo corporations managed
Additional eligibility standards for current condominium managers who wish to become licensed as condominium manager associate brokers & condominium manager brokers:
- two years of experience in condominium management oversight role within the last five years, by affirmation
- must include the names of five condo corporations managed
New Condominium Managers
- ability to work in Canada
- minimum 18 years of age
- criminal record check
- good character as defined in RECA’s Good Character Policy
- proof of English proficiency
- proof of education
Do I have to take any courses?
Yes, but in some cases, not right away. Individuals who currently offer condominium management services who meet all eligibility criteria above will be issued a conditional licence by December 1, 2021. The licence will be conditional on successful completion of the pre-licensing education exams by November 30, 2022.
Challenging exams: RECA strongly encourages existing condo managers to enroll in the pre-licensing courses to be recognized by RECA. That said RECA will allow licensees with at least two years’ condominium management experience in the last five years to challenge the exam. However, some of the exam questions will relate to regulation and RECA’s legislation, which may not be familiar to current condo managers who are not licensed with RECA in another area. The competency profiles below provide an idea of what will be covered in the exams.
Courses: pre-licensing education will be delivered by third-party course providers. RECA will notify all stakeholders immediately when course providers meet the RECA Course and Course Provider Requirements and are accepted as third-party course providers. There will be three condominium management courses provided by third-party providers. RECA deems successful completion of the education requirement as a grade of at least 70% on the course exams.
The three courses are:
- Fundamentals of Condominium Management
Must be completed by:
• new condominium manager associates entering the industry
• all individuals who currently offer condominium manager services who DO NOT currently hold a licence with RECA in another industry - Practice of Condominium Management
Must be completed by:
• new condominium manager associates entering the industry
• all individuals who currently offer condominium manager services who DO NOT currently hold a licence with RECA in another industry
• all individuals who currently offer condominium manager services who DO currently hold a licence with RECA in another industry - Condominium Manager Broker Program
Must be completed by:
• new condominium manager brokers
• all individuals who currently offer condominium manager services as an associate broker or broker who DO NOT currently hold a licence with RECA in another industry
Competency Profiles: the Residential Property Manager Industry Council recently developed condominium manager competency profiles (for associates and brokers) with the help of subject matter experts and competency experts. After obtaining input through stakeholder consultation earlier this year, the Residential Property Manager Industry Council approved the final competency profiles at their June 4, 2021 meeting. These competency profiles will be used by third-party education
providers to assist in building their courses.
Will I have to pay a fee for my licence?
Condominium manager brokerages: firms applying to become licensed as condominium manager brokerages on December 1, 2021, will have to pay a licence fee but will not be charged the application review fee. The brokerage license fee is $450.
Changing your licence to become licensed in condominium management: brokerages and individuals currently licensed by RECA who wish to terminate their existing licence and become licensed in condominium management will be allowed to do so at no extra cost on December 1, 2021.
Associate and associate brokers: for a new individual, the licence fee is $475.
