The power to do more - Launch of the Mandatory Continuing Education Program for all Québec real estate and mortgage brokers

BROSSARD, QC, April 30, 2015 /CNW Telbec/ - Starting tomorrow, the world of real estate and mortgage brokerage in Québec will begin the very first cycle of its new Mandatory Continuing Education Program.

"It's an important day for public protection, because the profession as a whole has chosen to get the tools it needs to standardize and adapt its practices to meet its changing needs," noted Robert Nadeau, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Organisme d'autoréglementation du courtage immobilier du Québec (OACIQ).

The main objective of the Program is to maintain and develop the skills of Québec's 15,000 brokers in order to ensure quality real estate and mortgage brokerage practices in the province. "Our mission is to protect the public, and one way to do this is by ensuring broker competence," added Nadeau. "We feel that the training activities completed under this Program will help brokers enhance their service offer, which can only be beneficial for the public." By this new initiative, the profession indicates its resolve to get the training it needs to stay abreast of best practices in order to meet consumer expectations. "Today's announcement clearly shows that the real estate field is evolving and, at the same time, that its members are prepared to do what it takes to keep pace with these changes," concluded the President and CEO.

Under the new Program, each holder of a brokerage licence issued by the OACIQ must, during the first cycle of the Program which extends from May 1, 2015 to April 30, 2017, complete a given number of continuing education activities. These activities, which are given either by accredited providers or by the Organization itself, touch on various topics including ethics, the Real Estate Brokerage Act, contracts and forms, assessment of the market value of an immovable, financing, environmental issues, and more. The training activities completed will be entered in each broker's record and will be viewable by all in the "Find a broker" section of the oaciq.com home page.

About the OACIQ
The OACIQ ensures public protection by overseeing the profession and ensuring quality real estate and mortgage brokerage in Québec. For more information, visit oaciq.com.

SOURCE ORGANISME D'AUTOREGLEMENTATION DU COURTAGE IMMOBILIER DU QUEBEC (OACIQ)

Image with caption: "May 1, 2015: Launch of the Mandatory Continuing Education Program for all Québec real estate and mortgage brokers (CNW Group/ORGANISME D'AUTOREGLEMENTATION DU COURTAGE IMMOBILIER DU QUEBEC (OACIQ))". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20150430_C7575_PHOTO_EN_15973.jpg

Stéphanie Fournier - Media Relations - OACIQ, Tel.: [phone], or 1-800-440-7170, ext. 8693, [email protected], oaciq.com | thinkbroker.ca