Re/Max Canada has abruptly ended its franchise agreement with Calgary’s Re/Max Real Estate (Central), regarded as one of its top-performing offices. Read More
”This action was taken to protect the Re/Max brand and your business,” Re/Max Canada president wrote to associates
“This action was taken to protect the Re/Max brand and your business,” Re/Max Canada president wrote to associates
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Re/Max Canada has abruptly ended its franchise agreement with Calgary’s Re/Max Real Estate (Central), regarded as one of its top-performing offices.
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“We are writing to inform you that effective today … Re/Max Real Estate (Central) has been terminated and is no longer affiliated with the Re/Max brand,” Re/Max Canada president Don Kottick wrote on Thursday in an internal email to associates.
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“This action was taken to protect the Re/Max brand and your business.”
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Noon News Roundup
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In a separate message to Re/Max Central associates, managing broker David Lem confirmed the termination and emphasized the brokerage remains licensed with Alberta’s real estate regulator.
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“This morning, we received official notification from Re/Max Canada that the franchise agreement for Re/Max Central has been formally terminated, effective immediately,” Lem wrote. “This does not affect our status as a brokerage registered with RECA, our trust or commission accounts and is still operating as a licensed brokerage.
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Texts of both emails were obtained by Postmedia.
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“Like you, we were blindsided and completely shocked,” Lem added, inviting agents to attend an information session hosted by Re/Max Canada in Calgary later in the day.
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Re/Max Central is owned by Pat Hare, a relative of Eric Drinkwater, a former associate at Re/Max Central who’s facing a charge of defrauding investors.
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On May 8, Calgary police announced Drinkwater had been charged with one count of fraud over $5,000 in connection with a $1.9-million fraud scheme involving 16 victims between 2020 and 2024.
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A victim came forward in July 2024 with allegations they had invested $80,000 with a realtor but had never received repayment, Calgary police said in a release at the time.
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Hare is named in an ongoing civil lawsuit that also includes the Real Estate Council of Alberta and a numbered company.
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Drinkwater, who had his licence as an associate broker suspended by RECA in June 2024, settled with the four complainants in March.
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Senior official resigns from Real Estate Council of Alberta
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The termination of Re/Max Central’s franchise has sparked wider industry fallout, including the resignation of a senior official with the industry regulator.
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Jason Bamlett resigned Thursday as vice-chair of RECA’s residential industry council, citing frustrations with the regulator.
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“I can no longer lend my time and efforts to this organization, an organization that continues to fail by every measure,” he wrote in a Calgary realtors Facebook group.
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In an interview with Postmedia, he said seeing Re/Max Central lose its franchise was the final straw that led to his resignation.
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“It breaks my heart. This is a very sad day for a lot of good friends of mine in the business,” he said.
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