Ontario Real Estate Glossary
REBBA 2002
The Real Estate and Business Brokers Act, 2002 — Ontario's predecessor real estate legislation, in force from 2006 until renamed to TRESA on December 1, 2023. Long-tail variant; see /glossary/rebba for the full historical context.
What is REBBA 2002?
REBBA 2002 is the Real Estate and Business Brokers Act, 2002 — the Ontario legislation that regulated real estate trading from March 31, 2006 until December 1, 2023, when its TRESA Phase 2 amendments came into force and the Act was renamed the Trust in Real Estate Services Act, 2002.
The "2002" refers to when the Act was originally passed. References to "REBBA 2002" in older course materials, registered documents, and case law all map to TRESA today, with substantive differences in the representation framework, Code of Ethics, and discipline remedies introduced by the Phase 2 amendments.
This page is a long-tail variant. For the canonical entry with the regulatory-history timeline, the substantive REBBA-vs-TRESA changes, and the practical implications for current registrants, see:
Practice this topic
ExamAce covers the REBBA-to-TRESA transition and the Phase 2 changes in the Course 1 question bank.
See it in practice
Walk through a realistic Ontario scenario where REBBA 2002 matters — with the decision point, the correct move, and the pitfall.
Authoritative sources
Related terms
REBBA
The Real Estate and Business Brokers Act, 2002 — the predecessor legislation that regulated Ontario real estate trading from 2006 until December 1, 2023, when it was renamed and replaced in full effect by the Trust in Real Estate Services Act (TRESA).
TRESA
The Trust in Real Estate Services Act, 2002 — Ontario's consumer protection legislation governing real estate trading. Came fully into force April 1, 2023, replacing the Real Estate and Business Brokers Act (REBBA).
RECO
The Real Estate Council of Ontario — the provincial regulator that administers the Trust in Real Estate Services Act, registers brokerages and registrants, runs the discipline process, and operates the mandatory insurance program.