OACIQ

What OACIQ does

OACIQ (Organisme d'autoréglementation du courtage immobilier du Québec) is the sole statutory self-regulatory body for real estate brokerage in the province of Quebec, Canada. Established in 1994 under the Real Estate Brokerage Act and reporting to the Minister of Finance, the organization protects the public by licensing, overseeing, and disciplining real estate brokers and agencies operating in the province. It serves a dual constituency: the general public (homebuyers, sellers, renters) and licensed brokers/agencies, including aspiring brokers pursuing certification and agency executive officers responsible for compliance oversight.

OACIQ's technology stack is built around a digital regulatory platform anchored by three proprietary or tightly-integrated systems: (1) the Info OACIQ Virtual Agent "Élise," an AI-powered chatbot using natural language processing and knowledge retrieval against the Real Estate Brokerage Act and OACIQ documentation, available 24/7; (2) the Synbad platform, a broker management system used by agency executive officers to monitor license status, MCEP completion, and compliance; and (3) the Centris information dissemination service, the primary MLS system in Quebec, accessible exclusively to OACIQ-licensed brokers. The organization also maintains a library of approximately 50 mandatory or recommended brokerage forms, professional practices guides, standard clauses, and a public Broker's Record Registry. Certification examinations are administered digitally, with 1,368 candidates sitting for residential exams in 2025 (73% pass rate) and 443 for commercial exams (75% pass rate).

OACIQ operates as a non-profit, government-mandated organization rather than a commercial enterprise. It does not charge the general public for its protection services, information resources, or complaint resolution. Revenue is generated through licensing fees and administrative charges levied on real estate brokers and agencies, including license issuance, renewal, certification examinations, and continuing education accreditation. With 51-100 employees headquartered in Brossard, Quebec, the organization runs a regional mandate covering Quebec exclusively, though it participates in interprovincial mobility initiatives through the 2025 Mobility Act framework.

Name

OACIQ

Legal name

Organisme d'autoréglementation du courtage immobilier du Québec

Website

https://oaciq.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

OACIQ is Quebec's government-mandated self-regulatory body for real estate brokerage, licensing and disciplining brokers and agencies under the Real Estate Brokerage Act to protect consumers in the province.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Real Estate Brokerage Regulation

SIC

Real Estate Agents & Managers (For Others) (6531)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAJABAH

Special Purpose & Alternative Asset Brokerage

Business & Public Services/Real Estate Services (Brokerage, Property Management)/Commercial Real Estate Brokerage

Keywords

• Real estate regulation
• Broker licensing services
• Professional certification programs
• Consumer protection services
• Continuing professional education

Headquarters

HQ city

Brossard

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

OACIQ is the statutory self-regulatory body for real estate brokerage in Quebec, mandated to license and discipline real estate brokers and agencies, administer certification examinations and mandatory continuing education (MCEP), publish standardized brokerage forms and guidelines, and operate consumer protection services including the FICI indemnity fund, FARCIQ professional liability insurance, and a public complaint resolution department. The organization delivers these services through digital platforms including the Élise AI virtual agent, the Synbad broker management system, the Centris MLS, and a public broker registry.

Product overview

OACIQ (Organisme d'autoréglementation du courtage immobilier du Québec) is a regulatory organization for real estate brokerage in Quebec, not a traditional software product company. Its offerings consist of regulatory services, consumer protection mechanisms, professional development resources, and compliance tools. The core portfolio includes: (1) the Info OACIQ Virtual Agent (Élise) - an AI chatbot for real estate questions; (2) Brokerage Forms - approximately 50 mandatory/recommended transaction forms; (3) Professional Practices Guides and OACIQ Guidelines - regulatory compliance documentation; (4) Mandatory Continuing Education Program (MCEP) and certification services for broker licensing; (5) Consumer protection services including the Public Assistance Department, FICI indemnity fund, and FARCIQ insurance; (6) Standard Clauses for contract drafting; and (7) consumer resources like Buyer's/Seller's Guides and OACIQ Podcasts. The 'Toî' initiative represents a newer approach to broker professional autonomy support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Info OACIQ Virtual Agent (Élise) AI-powered virtual assistant available 24/7 to answer questions about real estate transactions and brokerage matters, based on the Real Estate Brokerage Act and OACIQ documentation; available to consumers and brokers.
• Brokerage Forms Approximately 50 mandatory or recommended forms for real estate transactions, including brokerage contracts, promises to purchase, counter-proposals, declarations, and amendments for residential and commercial transactions; used by licensed brokers in Quebec.
• Professional Practices Guides Guides providing details of general principles underlying brokers' daily work, covering mortgage financing, divided co-ownership, environmental issues, residential brokerage forms, leasing, and real estate law; aimed at licensed Quebec brokers.
• OACIQ Guidelines Regulatory framework explanations covering collaboration and remuneration sharing, complaint management, conflicts of interest, record-keeping, licence requirements, money laundering prevention, privacy protection, and advertising standards; for licensed brokers and agencies.
• Mandatory Continuing Education Program (MCEP) Program requiring Quebec brokers to complete predetermined continuing education units every two years, including elective and OACIQ mandatory trainings based on their field of practice; delivered via the formationsoaciq.com portal.
• Licence and Certification Services Services for obtaining, maintaining, renewing, and modifying real estate broker and agency licences, including adding competencies and labour mobility provisions for interprovincial brokers applying under the Mobility Act 2025.
• Inspection Services Oversight service ensuring brokers' and agency executive officers' activities comply with the Real Estate Brokerage Act, helping strengthen trust in the profession.
• Public Assistance Department Department for filing complaints against brokers or agencies, reporting violations, and requesting assistance with disputes arising from real estate transactions; for the Quebec public.
• Real Estate Indemnity Fund (FICI) Financial protection fund for consumers who are victims of fraud, dishonest tactics, or misappropriation of funds in real estate transactions carried through a Quebec-licensed broker.
• FARCIQ Professional Liability Insurance Professional liability insurance through the Fonds d'assurance responsabilité professionnelle du courtage immobilier du Québec, compensating consumers for losses from broker or agency faults.
• Broker's Record Registry Public registry allowing users to check a Quebec broker's license validity, completed trainings, disciplinary measures, and suspension or revocation status.
• Standard Clauses Drafting tips, examples, and reference index of standard clauses for brokerage contracts, promises to purchase, amendments, and enterprise sales; used by Quebec brokers.
• Buyer's and Seller's Guides Free guides to help Quebec consumers understand the steps of residential real estate transactions when working with a licensed broker.
• OACIQ Podcasts Podcast series (now available in video format) helping Quebec consumers understand buying or selling property through legal protections and OACIQ professional expertise.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• FARCIQ (Fonds d'assurance responsabilité professionnelle du courtage immobilier du Québec)coreOthersFARCIQ is responsible for compensating consumers for losses resulting from faults, errors, or omissions of real estate brokers or agencies where professional liability is demonstrated. All OACIQ-licensed brokers contribute to FARCIQ as a mandatory requirement.
• FICI (Fonds d'indemnisation du courtage immobilier)coreOthersFICI (Real Estate Indemnity Fund) offers financial protection to consumers who are victims of fraud, dishonest tactics, or misappropriation of funds during real estate transactions carried out through a licensed broker. All brokers contribute to this fund.
• Centris.cacoreTechnology or IntegrationCentris.ca is the primary information dissemination service between real estate professionals in Quebec. Only OACIQ-licensed brokers may list properties on this system. It serves as the exclusive MLS system in Quebec.
• RERC-ARCIC (Real Estate Regulatory Council of Canada)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOACIQ participates in interprovincial mobility initiatives for real estate brokers, collaborating with regulatory bodies across Canada. The Regulation on labour mobility was adopted in accordance with the Mobility Act 2025.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Barreau du Québec: Quebec's professional order for lawyers with a structurally identical mandate (statutory self-regulation, licensing, discipline, continuing education, consumer protection) under the Professional Code, providing a direct structural analog within the same provincial regulatory regime.
• Real Estate Regulatory Council of Canada (RERC-ARCIC): Federation of Canada's provincial and territorial real estate regulators that facilitates interprovincial mobility—the same framework OACIQ just adopted under the Mobility Act 2025—making it the natural peer for cross-jurisdictional coordination activities.

Broad incumbents

• Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA): National trade body representing Canadian REALTORS, including REALTOR.ca and standards initiatives; broader in scope than OACIQ (membership/standards vs. statutory regulation) but the closest national-level counterpart in the same real estate services ecosystem.
• National Association of REALTORS (NAR): U.S. national real estate trade association that governs member conduct, ethics, and professional standards at scale; comparable in function (member self-regulation, education, code of ethics) though operating under a trade-association rather than statutory framework.

Direct peers

• Real Estate Council of Alberta: Alberta's self-regulatory authority for real estate, mortgage, and property management professionals with licensing, discipline, and consumer protection functions analogous to OACIQ's Quebec mandate.
• Saskatchewan Real Estate Commission: Provincial real estate regulator in Saskatchewan with licensing, complaint, and education oversight mirroring OACIQ's structure, though serving a smaller market.
• Nova Scotia Real Estate Commission: Atlantic Canada real estate regulator that licenses brokers and agencies and enforces professional standards, parallel in scope to OACIQ at a smaller provincial scale.
• Real Estate Council of Ontario (RECO): Ontario's statutory regulator of real estate brokers and salespersons, directly comparable in mandate—licensing, discipline, consumer protection, and continuing education—with similar scope of authority in the largest Canadian province market.
• British Columbia Financial Services Authority (BCFSA): BC's integrated financial services regulator that oversees real estate brokerages alongside other financial sectors; comparable in regulating brokerage licensing, conducting inspections, and enforcing professional conduct in a single provincial market.

Regional players

• Manitoba Financial Services Authority (MFSA): Manitoba's integrated financial services regulator including oversight of real estate activity, comparable structurally as a multi-line provincial authority but serving a different geographic market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/OACIQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/oaciq
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/organisme-d-autor-glementation-du-courtage-immobilier-du-qu-bec-oaciq-

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about OACIQ