The Indigenous Association of Realtors launched this week with the aim of uniting Indigenous real-estate agents across Canada, expanding education and improving how Indigenous communities work through the housing market.
Founders outline mission
Board chair Tanya LaRose of Saskatoon, director Alyx Lamy from Winnipeg and agent Kevin Isbister of eXp Realty in Prince Albert announced the new national group after roughly six months of planning.
Isbister said the idea grew from a clear gap in representation. Existing bodies under the CREA umbrella rarely record whether members are Indigenous, making it hard to gauge how many Indigenous agents work in the country.
Education and land ownership
To become a voting member, applicants must be Indigenous, provide proof of identity and hold a current real-estate licence in good standing. Membership fees start at $100.
The organization secured trademark approval from CREA, a step its founders deemed essential. They stressed that they do not intend to replace existing bodies or alter professional standards, but rather to add Indigenous perspectives within the current framework.
Beyond internal representation, the network hopes to ease challenges faced by Indigenous homebuyers. Many are first-time purchasers for their families, lacking relatives who can explain paperwork, legal duties and other transaction complexities.
Providing culturally aware guidance can make a tangible difference for buyers who otherwise feel isolated in the process.
Understanding the distinction between fee-simple ownership and reserve land is another priority. Reserve land follows a separate legal regime that influences leasing, development and transfer, and misconceptions persist on both sides.
Isbister highlighted the federal additions-to-reserve process, noting that converting land to reserve status can be lengthy and isn’t always the best route for a First Nation seeking commercial flexibility.
Practices in British Columbia, such as reserve-land leasing around Kamloops, illustrate models other provinces could study. The group aims to facilitate dialogue between those experienced professionals and communities elsewhere.
Looking ahead, the three-year plan begins with establishing governance, recruiting members and building relationships with governments and industry groups. Year-one goals include a code of ethics, a reconciliation policy, an Elders and Knowledge Keepers Council and an Indigenous real-estate designation.
Immediate work centers on locating the Indigenous agents already active in the field and bringing them together. “There’s definitely strength in numbers, and then it will be reaching out to individual communities,” Isbister said.
Expanding the network
Recruitment drives now focus on Indigenous agents in Atlantic, Central and Western provinces, aiming to balance regional participation across the country.
Leadership emphasizes hearing from every community as quickly as possible, hoping to add new board members from each major region.
Future initiatives
Organizers intend to host a national summit that gathers Indigenous Realtors, Elders, developers and government officials to share experiences and solutions.
The association aligns its work with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Call to Action 92, encouraging corporate sectors to adopt the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
By providing education to non-Indigenous professionals, the group seeks to improve industry understanding of Indigenous land rights and development processes.
