General information only — not legal, tax, financial, or real-estate advice. Verify with a licensed BC professional before acting.
New buyers and sellers frequently confuse BCFSA and CREA. Here's what each is and why it matters.
The provincial statutory regulator for real-estate licensees in BC. Enforces the Real Estate Services Act (RESA), issues licences, sets rules of conduct (DoRTS, MRS, Anti-Money-Laundering), and disciplines licensees.
The national industry trade association for REALTORS®. Owns the REALTOR® and MLS® trademarks in Canada. Provides shared tools (WEBForms®, DDF®, REALTOR.ca) to member boards + brokerages. Not a regulator.
A person licensed by BCFSA to practice real estate in BC may (but is not required to) also be a member of a real-estate board (e.g. GVR, FVREB) and CREA — that membership is what grants use of the REALTOR® trademark and MLS® access.
For a licensee's conduct, complain to BCFSA. For a REALTOR®'s adherence to CREA's Code of Ethics, complain to their local board or CREA. Two different pathways.