News Releases

Calgary, Alberta—on March 28, 2023, the Real Estate Council of Alberta (RECA) cancelled the real estate associate licence of Caren Sylvia Kelley. Kelley cannot reapply for a licence until June 28, 2023.

Under s.43(1)(a) of the Real Estate Act, if a Hearing Panel finds the conduct of a licensee is deserving of sanction, they may make an order cancelling any licence.

Kelley cannot trade in real estate in Alberta at this time. If any consumer has transactions in progress or existing client relationships with Kelley, please contact Kelley’s brokerage, Twin Oakes Real Estate 1993 Inc. o/a REMAX House of Real Estate.

Kelley was found by the Hearing Panel to have breached the following Real Estate Act Rules:

s.41 Licensees must:

(c) disclose to their clients, at the earliest practical opportunity, how they will be paid for their services

(d) fulfill their fiduciary obligations to their clients

(g) practice in strict accordance with the Real Estate Act, Regulations, Rules, Bylaws and any other laws that govern trading in real estate, mortgage transactions or property management in Alberta

s.42 (b) Licensees must not participate in fraudulent or unlawful activities in connection with the provision of services or in any dealings

s.43(3) a licensee must deliver to the client a true copy of a service agreement and of any amendment or addition, immediately upon its signature

s.57(a) the basic obligations of a licensee who is in a sole agency relationship with a seller are to use best efforts to market the property and to promote the interests of the seller

Kelley was also ordered to pay $20,000 in fines and $7,642 in costs.

Kelley was last registered as a real estate associate with Twin Oakes Real Estate 1993 Inc. o/a REMAX House of Real Estate.

See the full details of the Hearing Panel decision here.

Share this story: May 12, 2023 – Caren Sylvia Kelley- Real Estate Licence Cancelled

Calgary, Alberta—On March 14, 2023, the Residential Real Estate Broker Industry Council of the Real Estate Council of Alberta (RECA) approved an application by Michael Emmanuel Francis under s.54 of the Real Estate Act to permanently withdraw their licence, effective immediately.

At the time of their application, Francis was the subject of an investigation under the Real Estate Act, due to several complaints. A total of nine matters were under investigation. The most serious issues under investigation were:

Multiple instances of:

• failing to act competently in a transaction, contrary to s. 41(b) of the Real Estate Act Rules
• signing a backdated Contract for Posting Without Representation with an inflated purchase price that had been prefilled by an unlicensed third party
• listing the property on an online listing database prior to having this contract signed, and did so with an inflated purchase price, despite the broker advising  the price was too high
• posting the property on an online listing database without measuring it, and relying on measurements from an unlicensed third party
• failing to provide their broker in a timely manner all original documentation provided to the parties or maintained by other brokerages, contrary to s. 53(c) of the Real Estate Act Rules

And further instances of:

• relying on an unlicensed third party to pull title
• providing backdated FINTRAC sheet to the brokerage
• failing to provide their brokerage with the transaction record sheet or the measurements of the property
• provided the Contract for Posting Without Representation and FINTRAC sheet to the brokerage more than a month after the property was already listed
• did not inform their brokerage of this transaction yet a third party drafted forged documents from their brokerage confirming commissions.
• did not provide their brokerage with any information about the listing and transaction until the brokerage demanded it during the investigation well after the listing and sale
• inflated the purchase price on an online listing database without basis
• presented a Residential Purchase Contract to sign which was prefilled by an unlicensed third party, and falsely listed the buyer’s associate

The review of three of the nine matters is complete. No finding of conduct deserving of sanction or a referral to a hearing has been made by RECA’s Registrar on any of the issues under investigation.

Under the Real Estate Act, the approved withdrawal application results in Francis’s lifetime prohibition as a licensee, effective immediately. Conduct proceedings are also discontinued.

For more information, please see the approval letter issued by the Chair of the Residential Real Estate Broker Industry Council.

Share this story: March 30, 2023 – Michael Emmanuel Francis: Lifetime Withdrawal from Industry

Calgary, Alberta–On March 14, 2023, the Residential Real Estate Broker Industry Council of the Real Estate Council of Alberta (RECA) approved an application by Tejinder Singh Gill under s.54 of the Real Estate Act to permanently withdraw their licence, effective immediately.

At the time of their application, Gill was the subject of an investigation under the Real Estate Act, due to several complaints. The issues under investigation were:

• participation in Fraud in connection with services by forging client’s signatures on a purchase contract, contrary to rule 42(b) of the Real Estate Act Rules
• failure to cooperate with investigators by not fully responding to their requests, contrary to s. 38(4) of the Real Estate Act
• engaging in conduct that undermines public confidence in the industry by knowingly working with unauthorized individuals providing real estate services, contrary to rule 42(g) of the Real Estate Act Rules

The review of these matters is complete. No finding of conduct deserving of sanction or a referral to a hearing has been made by RECA’s Registrar on any of the issues under investigation.

Under the Real Estate Act, the approved withdrawal application results in Gill’s lifetime prohibition as a licensee, effective immediately. Conduct proceedings are also discontinued.

For more information, please see the approval letter issued by the Chair of the Residential Real Estate Broker Industry Council.

Share this story: March 30, 2023 – Tejinder Singh Gill: Lifetime Withdrawal from Industry

Calgary, Alberta—The Real Estate Council of Alberta (RECA) is warning consumers about the activity of Gagandeep Singh, a former real estate and mortgage licensee who was suspended by RECA in November 2020 pending the outcome of an investigation into allegations of acting dishonestly, misleading consumers, and participating in fraud. Singh continued to provide real estate and mortgage services despite their suspension. RECA issued six separate $25,000 administrative penalties to Singh for this activity, totaling $150,000, for unlicensed trading in real estate and dealing in mortgages between April and September 2021. RECA also issued a consumer alert about Singh’s unlicensed activity on February 18, 2022.

The proceedings against Singh have now concluded. On February 13, 2023, a RECA Hearing Panel (the Panel) cancelled Singh’s suspended real estate and mortgage licences and prohibited Singh from applying for new licences for 10 years, beginning December 1, 2020. Should Singh choose to become licensed after the 10 years have passed, Singh will be required to successfully complete all licensing education requirements before becoming eligible to apply, as if they had never been licensed previously.

The Panel found Singh participated in fraud in four separate transactions, which included creating and distributing false documents, including work permits, mortgage pre-approval letters, and employment letters. The Panel imposed a global fine of $80,000 for all conduct deserving of sanction. The Panel also ordered Singh to pay $23,465 in costs.

Should individuals in these circumstances continue to operate without a licence, the RECA Industry Councils can issue an order under s.10 of the Real Estate Act, ordering the individual to cease their activity. Should that prove unsuccessful, RECA can make submissions to the Courts for an injunction that prohibits the person from these activities.

Protect Yourself

Using licensed brokerages and individual licensees protects you as a consumer. Licensing ensures individuals have the necessary education and experience to competently provide services to the public and are accountable to high standards of practice. All licensees must also carry errors and omissions insurance, and consumers who use a real estate, mortgage or property management licensee are further protected through the Consumer Protection Fund in case of fraud or breach of trust.

RECA urges consumers and licensees to verify the licence status of brokerages and individuals on RECA’s website by following these steps:

• go to RECA’s “Find a Licensee” search tool
• click “search by person” or “search by brokerage”
• type the full name, click “search”
• check whether the status is “active” in the far left column

Singh was last registered as a real estate associate with Grand Realty & Management Ltd. o/a Grand Realty and as a mortgage associate with Grand Financial Group Ltd. o/a Dominion Lending Centres Grand Financial in 2020.

For full details please see the full Panel decision.

If you have concerns regarding Singh or any RECA licensees, please contact info@reca.ca.

Share this story: March 29, 2023 — Consumer Alert: Gagandeep Singh’s Real Estate and Mortgage Licences Cancelled

Calgary, Alberta—January 13, 2023, the Real Estate Council of Alberta (RECA) suspended the real estate associate licence of Tejinder Singh Gill under s.53 of the Real Estate Act (the Act). Effective immediately, Gill cannot trade in real estate in Alberta. If any consumer has transactions in progress or existing client relationships with Gill, please contact Gill’s brokerage, 4 Million.ca Inc o/a Estateview.

Suspensions under s.53 (1)(a) are made when, during an investigation into alleged breaches of the Act, RECA determines it is in the public interest to temporarily suspend an individual pending the outcome of that investigation.

The suspension will continue until the current proceedings under Part 3 of the Act concerning Gill’s conduct are concluded. All RECA investigations resulting in discipline are posted on reca.ca.
Allegations against Gill include breaches of:

Real Estate Act Rules s.41

Licensee must:

(a) act honestly
(b) provide competent service

Real Estate Act Rules s.42

Licensee must not:

(a) make representations or carry-on business that is reckless or intentional and that misleads or deceives any person or is likely to do so
(b) participate in fraudulent or unlawful activities in connection with the provision of services or in any dealings
(g) engage in conduct that undermines public confidence in the industry, harms the integrity of the industry, or brings the industry into disrepute

Gill was last registered as a real estate associate with 4 Million.ca Inc o/a Estateview.

Share this story: January 13, 2023 – Tejinder Singh Gill – Real Estate Licence Suspended