What Is the MLS® in Canadian Real Estate?

TL;DR

In Canada, the Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) isn’t one website.

It’s a co-operative network of regional databases run by local real estate boards/associations.

REALTORS® use these systems to share listings, set up cooperation with other brokerages, and negotiate offers. REALTOR.ca is not an MLS® — it’s a national public portal that displays portions of MLS® listings from across the country. In Québec, Centris plays a parallel role for consumers and brokers.

The quick definition (in plain English)

An MLS® System is a private, professional database where REALTORS® list properties, cooperate with other REALTORS®, and maintain detailed records (active and historical). These systems are run by local boards/associations (e.g., TRREB in the GTA), not by the government. The MLS® trademarks are owned by the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA). There are dozens of regional MLS® Systems in Canada — there is no single “national MLS.”

MLS® vs. REALTOR.ca vs. Centris (Québec)

What it is Who runs it Who sees it What’s inside
MLS® System Local board/association REALTORS® (members) Full listing detail, offer instructions, cooperation terms, historical statuses/data (subject to each board’s rules)
REALTOR.ca CREA (national portal) Public A subset of MLS® fields meant for consumers; leads route back to the listing brokerage/agent
Centris (QC) QPAREB/Centris Public + Québec brokers Québec’s broker tools + consumer portal; province-wide aggregation of broker-listed properties

How a home gets on the MLS®

  1. You sign a listing agreement with a brokerage/REALTOR®.
  2. Your agent inputs the listing into the local MLS® System following board rules (data fields, photos, deadlines, disclaimers).
  3. The listing syndicates to public portals like REALTOR.ca (and, in Québec, Centris.ca), and can also distribute to approved third-party sites via CREA’s Data Distribution Facility (DDF®) if the brokerage opts in.

Can a seller post directly to the MLS®?

No. Only a licensed

brokerage/REALTOR® can place a listing on an MLS® System. However, since a 2010 Competition Bureau – CREA consent agreement, brokerages may offer “mere posting”/limited-service options (e.g., a flat fee to place your listing on MLS® without full service), and boards/associations cannot discriminate against those listings.

Who can access what data?

  • REALTORS® (members): See the full professional dataset inside their board’s MLS® System, including many fields not shown publicly.
  • Consumers: See a public subset on portals (REALTOR.ca/Centris). In the GTA specifically, after a long competition case, password-protected Virtual Office Websites (VOWs) may show additional data like sold prices—subject to rules—once you create an account.

The REALTOR® Cooperation Policy (effective 2024)

To improve transparency and access, CREA adopted a REALTOR® Cooperation Policy (often nicknamed “the three-day rule”):

  • If a residential listing is publicly marketed (yard sign, social media, email blast, website, etc.), the listing must be placed on an MLS® System within a board-set window, up to a maximum of three days, unless an exemption applies.
  • Exclusive (office-only) listings are still allowed—but once you market publicly, the MLS® obligation is triggered.

This policy aligns with the MLS® system’s co-operative purpose while preserving seller choice in privacy-sensitive cases.

Why the MLS® matters (and its limits)

Strengths

  • Maximum exposure to motivated buyers working with agents; one input, many eyes.
  • Data integrity & rule enforcement through boards/associations.
  • Professional cooperation—streamlined showings, feedback, offer logistics.
  • Limits
    • Regional silos: Access is regional; there is no single national professional login. (REALTOR.ca stitches the consumer view together.) reso.org
    • Public view is partial: Consumers don’t see all fields (instructions, some historical data) unless permitted through specific channels like VOWs.

A brief history of competition and data access

  • 2010 — CREA consent agreement: Ensured boards/associations cannot block mere postings or discriminate against limited-service models. CREA
  • 2016 – 2018 — TRREB case: Canada’s Competition Tribunal and Courts required the GTA board to stop restricting members’ online use of certain MLS® information (e.g., sold data on VOWs). The Supreme Court of Canada declined TREB’s appeal in August 2018. Government of Canada Competition Bureau Canada

Common misconceptions

“MLS® is REALTOR.ca.”

No — MLS® Systems are the professional databases; REALTOR.ca is a public-facing advertising portal that pulls from them. CREA

“There’s a single national MLS®.”

No — Canada has dozens of regional systems; CREA coordinates standards and consumer display (REALTOR.ca), but boards run the databases. reso.org

“I can post my own listing to the MLS®.”

Only a brokerage/REALTOR® can post. What changed in 2010 is that limited-service (mere posting) options must be allowed and not discriminated against. CREA

“Exclusives are banned now.”

No — exclusives remain permitted. The 2024 cooperation policy just says: if you publicly market an exclusive, you must move it to MLS® within the set window (max three days) unless an exemption applies. CREA

Practical takeaways for sellers and buyers

If you’re selling:

  • MLS® exposure typically broadens your buyer pool — that’s the core benefit of a co-operative system. If privacy is paramount, talk to your agent about exclusive options and exactly when public marketing would trigger an MLS® requirement. CREA

If you’re buying:

  • Use REALTOR.ca (and Centris in Québec) to monitor the market publicly, then lean on your agent’s MLS® access for real-time detail, context, and strategy. CREA

Key terms (quick glossary)

  • MLS® System: A regional, professional listing database operated by a board/association. CREA
  • REALTOR.ca: CREA’s national consumer portal displaying a subset of MLS® data. CREA
  • DDF®: CREA’s Data Distribution Facility—optional syndication tool for members. support.crea.ca
  • VOW: Virtual Office Website — a passworded site where brokerages can show enhanced data in permitted regions (e.g., GTA sold data post-2018 rulings). Government of Canada
  • Mere posting: A limited-service listing where a brokerage posts to MLS® without full service; protected since the 2010 consent agreement. CREA

Trademarks & governance note

MLS®, Multiple Listing Service®, REALTOR®, REALTORS® and related logos are trademarks owned/controlled by CREA and used to identify professional services provided by members. Individual MLS® System rules vary by board/association. CREA

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Faiza Ahmed (Broker)

As the founder of PropertyMesh, Faiza Ahmed is dedicated to making real estate more transparent and cost-effective. While she actively challenges the high-commission model to help sellers keep more of their equity, her core passion is empowering all clients — buyers and sellers alike — to make informed decisions in an ever-evolving market.

Faiza is a licensed real estate broker registered with the Real Estate Council of Ontario (RECO Registration #4791581) and an active member of the Toronto Regional Real Estate Board (TRREB).