RECA releases information to the media and the public when we have announcements, issue a consumer alert, suspend a licensee, or when licensees take a lifetime withdrawal. Media should contact communications@reca.ca for more information.
RECA’s consumer protection mandate means RECA must use every means at its disposal to communicate important information to consumers. Browse the current year’s news releases below or select a previous year from the archives menu:
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:
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:
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:
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:
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.
