Janice Myers on stage at the 2024 AGM in Ottawa (supplied)
In the vibrant heart of Ottawa, on a crisp autumn morning, Janice Myers captivated a ballroom teeming with the nation’s foremost real estate leaders. It was October, a culmination of relentless dedication spanning months of intricate negotiations, meticulous strategic planning, and extensive listening tours across every Canadian province and territory. On this day, Myers achieved a landmark victory: securing the decisive vote to transform Realtor.ca into an autonomous, standalone subsidiary. This monumental decision, a testament to her unwavering leadership, was momentarily punctuated by a spontaneous, joyous “happy dance,” as she fondly recounts, marking a pivotal and deeply personal career milestone.
Reflecting on that indelible moment, Myers articulates, “Achieving that ‘yes’ vote in October was undeniably one of the most profound and prideful moments of my professional life. It was a raw outpouring of emotion, reaching the zenith of an immense and challenging undertaking. Our overarching ambition was to ensure the entire real estate community would embark on this journey with us, and their overwhelming support validated our efforts.”
Now, with several months having passed since that pivotal vote, Myers, the esteemed CEO of the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA), sits poised in her Ottawa office, an emblematic figure at the helm of the organization’s headquarters. Her gaze extends beyond the immediate, reflecting profoundly on the transformative lessons gleaned from the preceding year while simultaneously anticipating the intricate challenges that lie on the horizon for Canada’s dynamic real estate sector.
Myers speaks with an arresting candor, eloquently interweaving narratives steeped in deeply held family values, unwavering personal integrity, and audacious strategic goals. These threads converge to form a compelling vision for the future trajectory of Canada’s real estate industry. She keenly acknowledges the unprecedented pace of change reshaping the landscape—a milieu increasingly characterized by escalating legal complexities, heightened public scrutiny, and the rapidly evolving expectations of CREA’s diverse membership. Myers understands with acute clarity that this is a defining moment, demanding decisive, impactful action now more than ever.
Achievement, Competence, Empowerment, Harmony, and Grace: The Foundations of Myers’ Leadership
Throughout these tumultuous times, Myers, widely recognized for her serene and composed demeanor, has remained an anchor of stability. Her leadership philosophy is a finely tuned synthesis of empathetic, attentive listening harmonized with resolute, decisive action—qualities meticulously refined and fortified through years of navigating complex organizational structures and leading diverse teams.
Born into a family where community engagement and dedicated service were paramount, Myers’ professional trajectory has consistently revolved around steering organizations through periods of significant change and inherent complexity. Her illustrious career path includes a decade-long tenure as CEO of the Ottawa Real Estate Board, a role that preceded her appointment at CREA. Notably, her leadership at the 4-H organization stands out, where she confronted the arduous decision to divest a beloved, yet financially unsustainable, camp facility. “Our hearts yearned to preserve it; our hands instinctively sought to mend it. Yet, our heads unequivocally informed us of its financial impossibility,” she recalls, a poignant illustration of her willingness to make tough, pragmatic decisions, always underscored by profound empathy and unwavering transparency.
Her personal values—a meticulously cultivated framework encompassing achievement, competence, empowerment, harmony, and grace—are not merely abstract ideals but are palpably woven into the very fabric of her leadership style. Myers speaks openly and passionately about how these core values serve as her compass, guiding every decision, shaping every interaction, and defining her organizational ethos. She asserts, “My aspiration is for us to achieve extraordinary results. I want us to exude unwavering confidence in our capabilities. I am deeply committed to empowering others, particularly women leaders, to step forward, embrace their potential, and drive meaningful change.”
CREA 2.0: A Vision for a Refocused and Resilient Future
Now firmly at the helm of CREA, Myers has meticulously crafted and articulated a strategic blueprint she has aptly christened “CREA 2.0.” This ambitious initiative represents a profound organizational pivot, meticulously designed to strategically refocus the association on what Myers identifies as its fundamental, immutable core responsibilities: robust advocacy, unwavering professional excellence, and the relentless pursuit of tangible member value. These crucial tenets, she emphasizes, are not arbitrary but are direct, actionable takeaways synthesized from an extensive and comprehensive series of dialogues and listening sessions conducted with Realtors, local boards, and provincial associations across the vast expanse of the Canadian landscape.
“From those profound and wide-ranging conversations, three distinct and clear values emerged as paramount,” Myers observes. “Firstly, the imperative of collaboration; secondly, the absolute necessity of inclusivity; and thirdly, the critical importance of strategic alignment.” She underscores that the inherent complexity and multifaceted nature of contemporary housing issues demand nothing less than a unified, cohesive, and strategically aligned approach from all stakeholders within the industry.
Turning Vision into Action: Strategic Priorities for the Year Ahead
Myers’ transformative vision for a revitalized and enhanced CREA transcends mere philosophical discourse; it is a pragmatic, meticulously operationalized roadmap. With the successful and seamless transition of Realtor.ca now firmly complete, her formidable focus is squarely directed towards the diligent execution of a clearly delineated set of strategic priorities designed to propel the organization forward throughout the forthcoming year.
Foremost among these critical objectives is the finalization and official launch of the overarching CREA 2.0 strategy. This intricate process encompasses extensive consultation with all relevant stakeholders, ensuring a collective voice in its formation, and maintains an unyielding focus on two foundational pillars: professional excellence and robust advocacy. Myers outlines the communicative approach: “We will actively engage with our community, unequivocally stating, ‘This is what we have heard. These are the invaluable insights stakeholders have provided, this is the strategic direction we are now embracing, and these are the core areas upon which our collective efforts will be intensely concentrated.’”
Secondly, Myers is resolutely committed to significantly amplifying CREA’s leadership and influence on national housing policy. Building upon the strategic separation of Realtor.ca, she intends to cultivate a far more visible and publicly engaged profile. This heightened engagement will manifest through direct meetings with key government officials, strategic coalition partners, and influential media outlets, all with the explicit aim of ensuring that housing remains an unassailable national priority. Looking ahead to the impending 2025 federal election, she asserts with conviction, “Irrespective of which government assumes power, the issue of housing absolutely must retain its position at the pinnacle of the national agenda.”
Thirdly, she places profound emphasis on cultivating and meticulously maintaining a robust, mutually supportive, and synergistic relationship with the now-independent Realtor.ca. This crucial partnership encompasses coordinating shared operational services, rigorously ensuring the enduring financial viability of both entities, and sagaciously guiding both organizations to not only thrive independently but also to function cohesively as integral components of the broader Canadian real estate ecosystem.
Finally, Myers is unequivocally committed to judiciously navigating the escalating landscape of legal costs through stringent fiscal discipline. With CREA’s legal defense fund nearing depletion and a series of formidable legal challenges looming on the horizon, she is proactively bracing for difficult, yet necessary, financial decisions. “We are compelled to undertake a remarkably rigorous examination of our financial posture, particularly in light of the projected escalation in legal costs that will inevitably impact our core operating budget,” she states, acknowledging the gravity of the situation.
Navigating Ongoing Legal Challenges: Preserving Reputation and Driving Change
Addressing CREA’s proactive response to the persistent and complex legal challenges, most notably the prominent commission lawsuits that possess the potential to fundamentally reshape the intricate mechanics of how Realtors conduct transactions across Canada, Myers conveys a keen anticipation for an imminent ruling from the Federal Court of Appeal in the highly significant Sunderland case in the coming weeks. The implications of this ruling are not lost on her or the association.
When pressed on the pervasive question of how the continuum of ongoing litigation might detrimentally impact the esteemed reputation of Realtors, Myers unequivocally stresses the paramount importance of clear, proactive, and transparent communication. She emphasizes the critical necessity of applying invaluable lessons meticulously gleaned from similar, challenging experiences confronted by the National Association of Realtors (NAR) in the United States, thereby preemptively fortifying CREA’s strategic response.
“The plaintiffs in the U.S. litigation were remarkably adept at constructing a compelling ‘David-and-Goliath’ narrative,” Myers meticulously explains. “Their communication strategy, in hindsight, is an area where NAR itself expressed a desire for a different approach. This critical insight is something we are definitively working on, scrutinizing, and deeply contemplating for our own proactive strategy.” This demonstrates a keen awareness of the power of public perception and the need for strategic messaging.
Regarding the recent special assessment fee proposed with the explicit aim of bolstering CREA’s vital legal defense fund—a proposition that ultimately failed to secure the necessary member approval—Myers responds with characteristic thoughtfulness to the pointed criticisms articulated by Chris Guerette, the CEO of the Saskatchewan Realtors Association, who passionately urged CREA to adopt a “bold” response. “Chris is fundamentally correct in his assessment,” Myers concedes with humility and candor. “Now that Realtor.ca is essentially managing a significant portion of the membership dues, CREA is compelled to re-anchor itself firmly in our core priorities. It is entirely plausible that a bold, perhaps unprecedented, move will indeed prove to be necessary to navigate these unprecedented times.” This admission signals a readiness to explore new avenues for financial stability and strategic action.
An Unprecedented Opportunity to Positively Shape the Canadian Real Estate Industry
Amidst this confluence of intense pressures and profound transformations, Myers’ overarching approach remains meticulously measured and strategically astute. Her leadership is not merely aimed at adroitly navigating immediate crises but is, more fundamentally, dedicated to meticulously laying the foundational groundwork for a real estate industry that is inherently resilient, universally respected, and comprehensively future-ready. Her deeply embedded leadership philosophy is fundamentally centered on empowering individuals, fostering unparalleled organizational excellence, and upholding an unwavering commitment to transparency. These principles are deemed absolutely critical to substantively strengthening CREA’s pivotal role in actively shaping progressive housing policy and meticulously safeguarding the hard-earned reputation of every Realtor across Canada.
Ultimately, Janice Myers perceives her tenure at CREA not merely as a period defined by crisis management, but rather as an extraordinary and unparalleled opportunity to profoundly and permanently shape the Canadian real estate industry in an unequivocally positive direction. Her desired legacy, she ardently hopes, will be inextricably defined by her tangible achievements, a greater and more profound sense of unity within the sector, and the cultivation of a robust real estate system that all Canadians can justly view with immense pride and unwavering confidence for generations to come.