CREA says the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) continues to enforce compliance with the Unsolicited Telecommunications Rules or the National Do Not Call List (DNCL). The DNCL includes consumer telephone numbers who have chosen to no longer receive marketing calls.
The DNCL was established in September 2008 and both CREA and the Board have shared information on the requirements with members on several occasions. A full compliance guide is available on REALTOR Link® to help members understand their obligations.
It is important for brokerages to understand their responsibilities and ensure full compliance. Failure to do so may result in significant financial penalties administered by the CRTC. CREA encourages you to review the steps below and update your internal policies accordingly.
- If a brokerage makes calls or sends faxes to consumers for the purpose of solicitation, the brokerage must register at here.
- If a brokerage signs a contract with a telemarketing service provider to do telemarketing on their behalf, the brokerage must still register with the federal government here.
- If a brokerage or their service provider conducts telemarketing, the brokerage must purchase a subscription for the area codes that will be called.
- It is the responsibility of the brokerage to ensure its office has access to the most up-to-date version of the National DNCL and that those numbers are removed from the calling list.
The DNCL applies to brokerages as well as service providers. CREA urges brokerages to exercise caution when hiring a third party service provider to assist in managing their telemarketing operations. Hiring a third party to manage a brokerage’s telemarketing operations does not absolve the brokerage of its DNCL responsibilities. Each brokerage is responsible for calls made on their behalf, therefore, if the service provider does not abide by the law, the brokerage may be at risk, particularly if the CRTC launches an investigation.
For more information about the DNCL and members’ obligations, please consult CREA’s FAQs or contact their staff at info@crea.ca.