News Releases

To protect consumers and uphold the professional standards and integrity of the industry, Alberta’s real estate regulator, the Real Estate Council of Alberta (RECA), has barred former real estate associate Anwar Al-Hamidi from trading in real estate. Al-Hamidi is not eligible to re-apply for a licence for one year following the receipt of $14,500 in total fines. He also must complete mandatory education before any future application is considered.

Sanctions for multiple breaches of the Real Estate Act Rules (Rules)

On August 22, 2025, an independent Hearing Panel (Panel) determined Al-Hamidi engaged in serious misconduct while operating as a real estate associate in 2021, breaching three sections of the Rules. Al-Hamidi agreed to the breaches and sanction in an Agreement of Conduct Deserving of Sanction and a Joint Submission on Sanction. Al-Hamidi’s real estate associates’ licence is currently expired, and he has not been registered with a brokerage since 2022. The Panel ordered that Al-Hamidi be ineligible to re-apply for any licence for a period of one year following receipt of full payment of the $14,500 in fines, also ordered by the Panel.

Summary of Rule breaches

• s.42(b): created and provided to a mortgage broker, a fake purchase offer for a property.
• s.42(a): mislead buyers by falsely claiming a property was a foreclosure, creating a false purchase offer, and giving offer reasons that were untrue.
• s.46(2): allowed an unlicensed person to do business only allowed to be performed by a licensee, such as showing a property, negotiating price, and preparing a purchase contract.

The Panel’s full written decision can be found here.

If you’re a consumer or licensee with questions regarding this Panel decision, please contact info@reca.ca

About RECA

RECA is Alberta’s real estate regulator. We protect consumers by setting and enforcing professional standards for real estate, mortgage, property management, and condominium management industries across the province.

We publish Hearing Panel decisions to protect consumers, uphold industry standards, ensure transparency, and provide education to licensees and the public on the Real Estate Act standards of practice.

Consumers are strongly encouraged to engage licensed professionals when navigating their real estate transactions. RECA ProCheck allows anyone to search for a licensee (real estate, mortgage, property management, and condominium management) to confirm the licensee is properly licensed.

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Decision affirms zero tolerance for fraud in Alberta real estate

September 23, 2025: The Real Estate Council of Alberta (RECA) has permanently banned Eric Drinkwater from trading in real estate in Alberta, effective September 22, 2025. This ban is effective for the rest of Eric Drinkwater’s natural life.

This decisive outcome follows RECA’s extensive investigation and arguments before an independent Hearing Panel, which confirmed that a permanent ban was the appropriate sanction in this case.

During the hearing, Eric Drinkwater admitted to serious breaches of professional standards, including operating a Ponzi scheme involving fraudulent bridge loans. The Panel found that Eric Drinkwater contravened section 42(b) of the Real Estate Act Rules—which prohibits fraud and other forms of criminal dishonesty (such as using deceit or falsehood to deprive people of money or property). This is one of the most serious breaches a licensee can commit, and as the Panel noted in its decision, “Drinkwater’s Misconduct was “among the most severe type of misconduct” addressed by RECA.”

“Fraudulent misconduct doesn’t just break the rules, it erodes public trust and protecting consumers is RECA’s highest duty,” said Stacy Paquin, RECA’s CEO. “By presenting clear evidence and demonstrating why this misconduct deserved the strongest possible sanction, this outcome underscores our responsibility to enforce the law and maintain confidence in Alberta’s real estate profession — and we will continue to act decisively where misconduct threatens consumer protection and industry integrity.”

The Panel determined, and Eric Drinkwater admitted, that he defrauded approximately 71 people and collected more than $3.5 million through his Ponzi scheme. In addition to this permanent ban, the Panel also ordered Eric Drinkwater to pay $9,500 in hearing costs. This is the third permanent ban issued by an independent Hearing Panel since 2022.

Under RECA’s legislated procedures, Eric Drinkwater has up to 30 days to appeal the Panel’s sanction decision. As Alberta’s real estate regulator, RECA must respect the appeal period and is unable to offer further comments at this time. To read the Panel’s full written decision please click here.

During all material times, Drinkwater was licensed with RE/MAX Real Estate (Central) or RE/MAX Complete Realty.

Civil lawsuits and criminal proceedings in relation to charges laid by the Calgary Police Service are ongoing and are separate from RECA’s investigation and disciplinary processes. RECA will provide documentation and records to law enforcement and the courts if required.

Subsequent Notices of Hearing were issued in June 2025 for David Lem (broker) and Pat Hare (brokerage owner), whose conduct came to light during the Eric Drinkwater investigation. If any licensees have additional information that relates to this matter, we encourage you to bring it to RECA’s attention as quickly as possible as part of your Duty to Report. These matters are now before RECA’s regulatory enforcement process, and we are unable to comment beyond what has been published in these Notices of Hearing.

To read the timeline of events related to the Eric Drinkwater matter, please click here.

To read more information on the Consumer Protection Fund, please click here.

Media inquiries, please contact communications@reca.ca or (403) 228-2954.

RECA, Alberta’s real estate regulator, is advising the public that John William Wade’s licence to trade in real estate is cancelled and he is not eligible to reapply for two years, until June 11, 2027. Wade also won’t be allowed to apply for a licence again until he completes mandatory education.

On June 11, 2025, a Hearing Panel (Panel) cancelled Wade’s real estate licence after finding that he breached multiple sections of the Real Estate Act Rules (Rules). Wade was also ordered to pay four fines totaling $25,000 and $12,070 in costs associated with the investigations.

The vast majority of RECA licensees adhere to high standards of professionalism and integrity. In its decision, the Panel recognized Wade’s very serious unprofessional conduct and breach of the Rules on multiple occasions. It is of the utmost importance to RECA that the public has confidence in our regulated professionals, as a profession’s most valuable asset is its collective reputation and the confidence it inspires.

The Panel made a finding of conduct deserving of sanction to ensure consumer protection and maintain public trust in the real estate profession. Specifically, Wade breached four counts of the Rules:

• s.41(d): where the fiduciary duties owed to his clients were breached
• s.42(d): where he discouraged his client from seeking expert advice
• s.42(b): when he participated in fraudulent activities in connection with the provision of his services
• 43(1): where he failed to enter a written service agreement with his clients

As soon as the Panel’s full written decision is available, it will be published at reca.ca.

Consumers should be aware that at the time of conduct, Wade was registered as a real estate associate with Irealty Calgary Inc. o/a Re/Max Irealty Innovations. At the time of his licence cancellation, Wade was registered as a real estate associate with Greater Property Group Inc. If you’re a consumer or licensee who has real estate transactions in progress with John Wade, please contact info@reca.ca.

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About RECA

RECA is Alberta’s real estate regulator. We protect consumers. We set and enforce professional standards for real estate, mortgage, property management, and condominium management industries across the province.

We publish Hearing Panel decisions to protect consumers, uphold professional industry standards, ensure transparency, and provide education to licensees and the public on the Real Estate Act standards of practice.

RECA ProCheck allows anyone to search for a licensee (real estate, mortgage, property management and condominium management) to confirm they are licensed and in good standing.

Learn more about consumer protection in real estate at recaprotects.ca.

The Real Estate Council of Alberta, the organization that licenses and regulates real estate industry professionals in Alberta, is advising the public that Larry David Hahn’s real estate associate licence is cancelled until October 2028. If an application for relicensing is received after this time, all suitability requirements will be evaluated.

On April 15, 2025, an independent Hearing Panel (Panel) cancelled the real estate associate licence of Hahn under s.53 of the Real Estate Act. Hahn was also ordered to pay $15,000 in fines and $3,000 in costs associated with the hearing.

The vast majority of RECA licensees adhere to high standards of professionalism and integrity. However, the Panel found, and Hahn admitted, that he seriously breached his professional standards when he mishandled trust funds for his own personal benefit over a period of seven years, on 11 separate occasions.

A real estate purchase or sale is often one of the largest financial transactions a consumer will be involved in. Trust funds are often significant sums of money and Hahn’s fraudulent handling of his client’s trust funds has undermined public confidence in the industry. The Panel made a finding of conduct deserving of sanction to ensure consumer protection and maintain public trust in the real estate profession.

Specifically, the Real Estate Act Rules s.42(b), s.53(c) and s.54(1)(c) state that:

• a licensee must not participate in fraudulent or unlawful activities in connection with the provision of services or in any dealings
• a real estate associate must provide to their broker in a timely manner all original documentation and copies of original documents provided to the parties or maintained by other brokerages
• a real estate associate must not accept a commission, referral fee or other remuneration, directly or indirectly, for a trade in real estate except through the brokerage with which they are registered

This decision is currently under appeal. For further details and the specific facts regarding this misconduct, please see the full Panel written decision.

It is of the utmost importance to regulatory bodies, such as RECA, that the public has confidence in a profession. A profession’s most valuable asset is its collective reputation and the confidence it inspires. Licensees must understand how important it is to follow the rules and act honestly to maintain the public’s confidence in the integrity of the real estate profession.

If you are a licensee or consumer with any questions regarding the cancellation of Hahn’s real estate associate licence, please contact info@reca.ca.

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About RECA

RECA is Alberta’s real estate regulator. We protect consumers. We set and enforce professional standards for real estate, mortgage, property management, and condominium management industries across the province.

We publish Hearing Panel decisions to protect consumers, uphold professional industry standards, ensure transparency, and provide education to licensees and the public on the Real Estate Act standards of practice.

Consumers are advised to only work with specific licensed professionals in their real estate transactions. RECA ProCheck allows anyone to search for a licensee (real estate, mortgage, property management, and condominium management) to confirm they are licensed in the correct sector you require and in good standing.

Learn more about how we help protect consumers at recaprotects.ca.

The Real Estate Council of Alberta, the body tasked with licensing and regulating real estate industry professionals in Alberta, is advising the public that Vipul Dhawan is suspended from dealing in mortgages, effective February 7, 2025, until April 7, 2026.A Hearing Panel (Panel) suspended the mortgage licence of Dhawan under s.43(1)(a) of the Real Estate Act. Dhawan was also ordered to pay $10,000 in fines and $2,215 in costs associated with the investigations.

The vast majority of RECA licensees adhere to high standards of professionalism and integrity. However, the Panel found, and Dhawan admitted, that he breached his professional standards on several occasions through inappropriate, unwelcome and demeaning physical contact. The Panel made a finding of conduct deserving of sanction to ensure consumer protection and maintain public trust in the real estate profession.

Specifically, the Real Estate Act Rules s.42(f) and s.42(g) state that:

• Licensees must not physically, sexually, emotionally or verbally abuse a client, customer, licensee or party to [their licensed practice]
• Licensees must not engage in conduct that undermines public confidence in the industry, harms the integrity of the industry, or brings the industry into disrepute

For further details and the specific facts regarding this misconduct, please see the full Hearing Panel written decision.

As the Panel noted, it is of the utmost importance to disciplinary bodies that the public has confidence in a profession.  A profession’s most valuable asset is its collective reputation and the confidence it inspires. Licensees must understand how important it is to treat others with respect and maintain the public’s confidence in the integrity of the real estate profession.

Most recently, Dhawan was registered as a mortgage associate with 9191712 Canada Inc. (o/a Dominion Lending Centres “Mortgages Are Marvellous”). If you’re a consumer or licensee who has a mortgage deal in progress with Vipul Dhawan, please contact info@reca.ca.

About RECA:

The Real Estate Council of Alberta (RECA) licences and regulates individuals in the residential and commercial real estate, mortgage, property management, and condominium management industries in Alberta. RECA publishes Hearing Panel decisions to protect consumers, uphold professional industry standards, ensure transparency, and provide education to licensees and the public on the Real Estate Act standards of practice.

RECA’s Find a Licensee tool anyone to search for a licensee (real estate, mortgage, property management, and condominium management) to confirm they are licensed and in good standing.

The Real Estate Council of Alberta, the body tasked with licensing and regulating real estate industry professionals in Alberta, is advising the public that Justin James Fraser is permanently prohibited from dealing in real estate, effective December 20, 2024.

A Hearing Panel permanently cancelled the real estate licence of Fraser under s.43(1) (a) of the Real Estate Act. The appeal period for this decision has passed and the written decision is now available.

The vast majority of RECA licensees adhere to high standards of professionalism and integrity. However, Fraser’s conduct breached these standards, resulting in a lifetime ban to ensure public protection and maintain trust in the real estate industry.

Based on evidence presented during the conduct hearing, the Hearing Panel found Fraser broke Real Estate Act Rules s.42(f) on four occasions. Real Estate Act Rules s. 42(f) states:

• Licensees must not physically, sexually, emotionally or verbally abuse a client, customer, licensee or party to [their licensed practice]

In its decision, the Hearing Panel also banned Fraser from ever obtaining any other RECA licence. Prior to this lifetime cancellation, RECA had suspended Fraser’s real estate licence since October 5, 2021, pending the outcome of the hearing.

RECA licences and regulates individuals in the residential and commercial real estate, mortgage, property management and condominium management industries in Alberta. RECA publishes licence cancellations to protect consumers, uphold professional industry standards, ensure transparency and provide education to licensees and the public on the Real Estate Act standards of practice.

RECA’s Find a Licensee tool allows anyone to search for a licensee (real estate, mortgage, property management and condominium management) to confirm they are licensed and in good standing.

As part of the Real Estate Council of Alberta’s (RECA) mandate to protect consumers and uphold professional standards, we’re advising the real estate industry and public that Michael Cordell Banks’ (Banks) real estate associate licence is currently suspended. As of January 31, 2025, Banks cannot trade in real estate for one month, until February 28, 2025.  

On January 17, 2025, a Hearing Panel suspended Bank’s licence and fined him $21,000 for breaking three counts of the Real Estate Act and the Rules.  

Banks was found by the Panel to have:  

• traded in commercial real estate without holding a commercial real estate licence, contrary to s.17 of the Real Estate Act.
• violated the Education Code of Conduct for Learners, by falsifying information, therefore not acting with honestly, integrity and respectfulness, in violation of s.41 of the Rules.
• carried on behaviour that was reckless or intentional and that could mislead or deceive a person, in violation of s.42(a) of the Rules, by misleading potential clients and a third party exam provider into thinking various actions had been taken that were untrue.

The full Hearing Panel Decision, is available here. 

Enforcement of the responsibilities set out under the Real Estate Act and the Rules is something RECA takes seriously. This decision reflects our commitment to protect consumers and the integrity of Alberta’s self-regulated real estate industry.

If you are a consumer or licensee with deals in progress with Banks or have any questions about this licence suspension, please contact info@reca.ca or (403) 228-2954 (option 4).

RECA publishes suspensions to protect consumers, uphold professional industry standards, ensure transparency and provide education to licensees and the public on the Real Estate Act standards of practice.

RECA’s Find a Licensee tool allows anyone to search for a licensee (real estate, mortgage, property management and condominium management) to confirm they are licensed and in good standing.