KAREA is pleased to introduce In House, a Better Together initiative and our new local approach to Professional Standards Compliance.

Beginning the first of August, Professional Standards Compliance is now delivered through your Association. This change responds directly to Member feedback and brings support, service, and guidance closer to the KAREA Members we serve every day.

For most Members, this will not change your day-to-day business. What changes is where support comes from when you have questions, need guidance, or are involved in a Compliance or Professional Standards matter.

By bringing this work in house, Members will have direct access to local support, timely service, and a team that understands our market, our systems, and our Membership.

Whether you have questions about MLS® Compliance, Professional Standards, Arbitration, random audits, or simply want to better understand the process, your local KAREA staff are here to help.

What This Means for Members

• Local support from a team that knows our market and our Members.
• The same MLS® rules and Professional Standards expectations Members know today.
• Clearer communication about Compliance, processes, and Member responsibilities.
• New educational resources to help Members understand the process and avoid common issues.
• A stronger focus on partnership, guidance, professionalism, and early resolution.

Understanding the Process

Every Professional Standards matter follows one of three general pathways:

• Early Complaint Resolution, also known as ECR: Used for simple correction-focused matters, including general MLS® data integrity issues. The goal is to resolve concerns early, clearly, and efficiently.
• Specific Administrative Fine: Applies to specific MLS® Rule violations where the policy prescribes a defined penalty.
• Professional Standards: Deals with conduct-related matters and includes a process for peer review when required.

Most matters are resolved long before a hearing.

Random Audits

As part of KAREA’s local Compliance process, random audits will help support MLS® data integrity and Member education. The purpose is to identify issues, provide guidance, and help Members correct concerns before they become larger problems.

There will be two emails for PSC: audits@karea.ca (for the random audits) and professionalstandards@karea.ca

A Focus on Education First

As we transition to local delivery, our focus during the first few months will be communication, education, and helping Members adapt to the process.

Our aim is to work with Members to resolve issues through guidance and correction before considering enforcement. Where penalties are required during the introductory period, they will begin at a nominal amount.

We believe the best Professional Standards program is one that works with Members to prevent problems through clear communication, education, and practical support.

This is what Better Together looks like in action: local support, clear communication, shared accountability, and a commitment to helping Members succeed.