Frequently Asked Questions
MCEP and continuing education activities
Got questions? Contact Info OACIQ by email at [email protected], or by telephone at 450-462-9800 or 1-800-440-7170.
2. What the MCEP is all about?
3. Why are there mandatory training activities?
4. When can I register for OACIQ mandatory training activities?
5. What are the requirements and specifics of the MCEP based on the different types of situations related to your licence?
6. Where can I find the training courses to take during the current cycle?
7. How do I sign up for an OACIQ training course?
8. Are only OACIQ training activities eligible for the MCEP?
9. I am currently attending a training program in an educational institution. Will these hours count in the current cycle of the MCEP?
10. Will I be able to use the training activities I completed as advertising tools?
11. I have a revoked licence; I maintain my acquired rights each year and I plan to return to the practice of brokerage. What shall I do?
12. How much is it going to cost me to complete the training required?
13. What is my progress in the MCEP?
14. I took an elective training course that covered the same topic as one of the mandatory training courses of the current cycle. Do I still have to take the mandatory training?
15. I took a training course in a previous cycle. Can I retake it in the current cycle?
16. Will I get my CEUs if I log in late to a webinar?
17. Am I the one who enters my CEUs in the Professional Development Portal?
18. I have completed an accredited training course delivered by a provider other than the OACIQ and the CEUs do not appear in my record on the Professional Development Portal. What shall I do?
19. I work mainly in residential or commercial brokerage, what mandatory training courses do I need to take?
20. Why are agency executive officers and certified brokers AEO required to earn more CEUs?
21. Will the training activities organized by my agency lead to the allocation of CEUs recognized under the MCEP?
22. What happens if I don’t obtain the number of required CEUs on April 30, 2025?
23. I have made a voluntary commitment to attend a training course, or I was ordered to do so by the Inspection Committee or the Discipline Committee. Will the corresponding units be allocated to me under the MCEP?
24. If I obtain more CEUs than required for the current cycle, can my extra CEUs be transferred to the following cycle?
25. If I attend a training activity more than once during the same MCEP cycle, will my CEUs be counted more than once, whether or not I pay for the activity?
26. I want to cancel, postpone or be reimbursed for a training course. How to proceed?
27. Where can the receipts of the training courses I completed during the current cycle be found?
28. What is the difference between an online training (self-study) and a webinar?
29. Do I need to have a web camera or any other accessories to complete an online training (self-study)?
30. Can I take my training on an iPad, tablet or smartphone?
31. Do I have the necessary system requirements to attend a webinar?
32. I’m using a Mac computer and having problems logging in or out. What shall I do?
33. I am experiencing technical difficulties with a webinar or an online training (self-study). What shall I do?
1. What are the goals of the Mandatory Continuing Education Program (MCEP)?
- Protect the public
- Maintain and develop the skills of all brokers and agency executive officers
- Increase the credibility and trust of the public in professionals authorized by the OACIQ
- Develop and promote a continuing education culture within the profession
- Put the agency executive officer’s role at the forefront to ensure that broker activities are in compliance with the Real Estate Brokerage Act and its regulations
The 2023-2025 cycle deal with topics presenting ethical reflections on current residential and commercial real estate brokerage issues.
2. What the MCEP is all about?
Within a 24-month period, brokers and agency executive officers must complete OACIQ mandatory training activities and obtain a predetermined number of continuing education units (CEUs) by completing accredited training activities. The current cycle of the MCEP is from May 1, 2023 to April 30, 2025.
The OACIQ reserves the right to make any necessary amendments to the MCEP during the cycle should a change or major event occur, such as the revision of the Real Estate Brokerage Act or its regulations, or changes to brokerage forms. As a result, the number of mandatory training courses to be completed and the number of CEUs to be earned during the cycle could be adjusted.
Residential, commercial or full-service real estate brokers must earn 20 CEUs by completing:
- Mandatory training activities of the OACIQ (10 CEUs)
- Elective training courses offered or accredited by the OACIQ (10 CEUs)
Agency executive officers and certified brokers AEO must earn 14 CEUs by completing:
- Mandatory training activities of the OACIQ (12 CEUs)
- Elective training courses offered or accredited by the OACIQ (12 CEUs)
All the details can be found on this page.
3. Why are there mandatory training activities?
The mandatory training activities deal with current issues that have major impacts on the real estate industry and of which all brokers must be aware, or with problems that are detrimental to the image of real estate brokerage and require correction. Mandatory training topics are usually based on issues raised by brokers in the course of their practice.
During the 2023-2025 cycle, real estate brokers will have to take OACIQ mandatory training courses totalling 10 CEUs, while agency executive officers and certified brokers AEO will have to take OACIQ mandatory training courses totalling 12 CEUs. The mandatory training courses to be completed are adapted to the broker’s main area of practice. The exact information can be found on the current MCEP page.
4. When can I register for OACIQ mandatory training activities?
The courses will be offered over the two years of the current cycle. As they become available, you will be informed via the PRO@CTIVE newsletter and will be able to register for them.
5. What are the requirements and specifics of the MCEP based on the different types of situations related to your licence?
- Residential, commercial and full-service real estate brokers: you must complete OACIQ mandatory training activities totalling 10 CEUs and earn 10 elective CEUs for training courses chosen from the Catalogue of accredited training courses, for a total of 20 CEUs.
- Agency executive officers and certified brokers AEO: you must complete OACIQ mandatory training activities totalling 12 CEUs and earn 12 elective CEUs for training courses chosen from the Catalogue of accredited training courses, for a total of 24 CEUs.
- Brokers whose licences are suspended: when you file a request to lift licence suspension, you must comply with the requirements of the current cycle. What's more, if your licence was suspended during a previous cycle, i.e. 2021-2023 or earlier, you must finish the 2021-2023 cycle if you started it or take the Refresher Training Program before requesting the lifting of licence suspension.
- People whose licence is revoked and who maintain their acquired rights: when you wish to return to practice, you will have to meet the requirements of the cycles covering the period of your acquired rights to get your licence.
If your period of acquired rights began after April 30, 2021, you will need to complete the 2021-2023 cycle before applying for a licence.
If your acquired rights period began before May 1, 2021 and you have not started the 2021-2023 cycle, you must, within 12 months, register and undertake to complete the Refresher Training Program established by the OACIQ.
- Persons whose licence is revoked: if you reactivate your licence within less than 12 months of its revocation, you will need to comply with the requirements of the current cycle. If your licence was revoked during the previous cycle, you must, before applying for a licence, not only comply with the requirements of the current cycle, but also meet the requirements of the 2019-2021 cycle.
After 12 months of revocation, you will have to retake the basic training course and pass the exam to get your broker’s licence. You will then be considered as a new broker. In addition, to maintain your right to practise, you will have to meet the requirements of the current cycle before it ends.
Note that if a new licence is issued at the end of the cycle, its holder will have to take the OACIQ mandatory training courses. The number of elective CEUs is determined based on the date the licence was issued. For more details, see the Table of CEUs.
- Brokers who are absent or on a leave of absence due to accident or illness, or for family or parental reasons: as soon as the situation described in the supporting document or medical certificate you submitted to the OACIQ to obtain a dispensation ceases, the number of elective CEUs to be obtained will be calculated on a case-by-case basis by the Training Department. However, you will be required to complete the mandatory training activities of the OACIQ.
Detailed information can be found on this page.
6. Where can I find the training courses to take during the current cycle?
All the training courses to be taken are available in your record on the Professional Development Portal. See the steps below to access them quickly.
- Step 1: Go to synbad.com.
- Step 2: Enter your licence number and your usual password.
- Step 3: Click on “My training portal” in the menu at the top of the page, first icon on the right.
- Step 4: In the left menu, click on “My training courses and events”.
- Step 5: Click on the icon of the current MCEP.
You will then get a full list of your customized training path and will be able to choose the language in which you wish to take the training courses.
7. How do I sign up for an OACIQ training course?
- First log in to synbad.com, then click on “My training portal” in the menu at the top of the page.
- Once on the Professional Development Portal Dashboard, click on “Catalogue” in the left-hand menu.
- In the Catalogue search tool, type OACIQ. You may then view the list of training courses offered by the OACIQ.
Consult this tutorial to learn how to register for a training course.
8. Are only OACIQ training activities eligible for the MCEP?
No. The OACIQ has set up a rigorous accreditation procedure, giving you a selection of more than 300 training activities of the Catalogue. For more information on accreditation rules, see the General accreditation procedure for continuing education activities.
If you complete a training that is not listed in the accredited activities but covers a topic that is eligible under the Program, you may apply for individual recognition of a training activity. For more details, see the Individual recognition procedure for a continuing education activity. After examining your request, if the training meets all the requirements, you will be awarded CEUs.
9. I am currently attending a training program in an educational institution. Will these hours count in the current cycle of the MCEP?
If the program is the basic training course to become a residential or commercial real estate broker, it will not be recognized under the MCEP, as the purpose is to gain entry into the profession and obtain a licence from the OACIQ.
If the training is closely related to the field of real estate but is not listed under the training courses accredited by the OACIQ at the beginning of the current cycle, i.e. on May 1, 2023, you may apply for individual recognition of a training activity to obtain CEUs under the Program.
See the Individual recognition procedure for a continuing education activity for more details. To apply, you must complete the form Application for individual recognition of a training activity and forward it to the Training Department.
If you successfully complete one of the recognized training programs on the skills needed to act as a real estate agency executive officer and pass the AEO certification exam, you will be awarded 12 elective CEUs for the cycle in which the exam was passed. These CEUs may not be applied against mandatory training activities or transferred to the following cycle.
Yes. One of the reasons for creating the MCEP is to reinforce the credibility and competence of real estate brokers in the eyes of the public. The list of all training courses you complete is posted in your record in the My training courses and events section on the Professional Development Portal, and the list of courses completed during the current cycle is accessible to the public via the Register of licence holders.
We encourage you to promote the training courses you have completed, while complying with the representation, solicitation, promotion and advertising rules. Learn more by checking out the guideline designed on the subject.
11. I have a revoked licence; I maintain my acquired rights each year and I plan to return to the practice of brokerage. What shall I do?
It is recommended to attend training activities regularly, even during your acquired rights period, because when you are ready to return to the profession by officially reactivating your licence, you will need to have obtained all the mandatory CEUs covering your acquired rights period.
If your period of acquired rights began after April 30, 2021, you will need to complete the 2021-2023 cycle before applying for a licence.
If your acquired rights period began before May 1, 2021 and you have not started the 2021-2023 cycle, you must, within 12 months, register and undertake to complete the Refresher Training Program established by the OACIQ.
IMPORTANT: if your licence is revoked and you wish to register for one of the training courses offered, please contact the OACIQ Training Department at [email protected] to find out which ones you must take before you can apply for a licence.
12. How much is it going to cost me to complete the training required?
The cost of the training courses offered by the OACIQ is shown in the menu on the right of this page.
The OACIQ has no control on the cost of accredited training courses delivered by other providers since these providers set their own rates. However, each broker may choose from all accredited training courses listed in the Catalogue. This allows him to take the price into consideration during registration.
13. What is my progress in the MCEP?
In the Professional Development Portal, your progress in the MCEP is shown as a percentage. You will find two types of progress:
- The progress within a block, e.g. the block of elective training courses. If you have 12 CEUs to earn in the elective training courses and you have already earned 6, the progress shown will be 50%. This percentage appears in the upper right corner of the block.
- The progress in the whole MCEP is shown at the top of the page.
14. I took an elective training course that covered the same topic as one of the mandatory training courses of the current cycle. Do I still have to take the mandatory training?
Yes. Mandatory training courses are designed by the OACIQ in collaboration with partners who are specialists in their respective fields. They cover current topics that have major impacts on the real estate industry and of which all real estate brokers must be aware. By providing these training courses, we ensure that all brokers are receiving the same information.
15. I took a training course in a previous cycle. Can I retake it in the current cycle?
Yes, you can purchase it and complete it again. Once completed, you will get new elective CEUs for the current cycle.
However, if you take the same course several times within the same cycle, you will only earn the CEUs once.
16. Will I get my CEUs if I log in late to a webinar?
To get your CEUs, you must attend the training from beginning to end. The technical problems that are not attributable to the training provider are the sole responsibility of the participant.
17. Am I the one who enters my CEUs in the Professional Development Portal?
No. It is the training providers’ responsibility to allocate CEUs.
18. I have completed an accredited training course delivered by a provider other than the OACIQ and the CEUs do not appear in my record on the Professional Development Portal. What shall I do?
The OACIQ is not responsible for the terms and conditions of purchase, nor for the time it takes to enter the CEUs into the real estate broker’s record for training courses offered by other providers.
CEUs will be awarded after the end of the training and once the provider has confirmed to the OACIQ that the participant has completed the activity. If, one week after taking a training course, your CEUs do not appear in your record, you must contact the provider directly to remedy the situation.
19. I work mainly in residential or commercial brokerage, what mandatory training courses do I need to take?
Residential and commercial real estate brokers must earn the same number of CEUs, regardless of their area of practice. Note, however, that some courses cover a very specific area of practice. Pay special attention to this when signing up.
20. Why are agency executive officers and certified brokers AEO required to earn more CEUs?
As stipulated under sections 19 and 20 of the Real Estate Brokerage Act, the agency executive officer plays a crucial oversight role with brokers and administrative personnel to ensure broker compliance. It is therefore imperative that the agency executive officer master professional practices to be able to answer any questions from brokers and ensure that they are complying with the Act.
A certified broker AEO is qualified to manage an agency. Since he can become an agency executive officer at any time, he must master the professional practices to be able to properly answer any questions from brokers and ensure that they are complying with the Act.
21. Will the training activities organized by my agency lead to the allocation of CEUs recognized under the MCEP?
To be recognized under the Program, the CEUs must absolutely be obtained during the training activities accredited by the OACIQ.
We invite agency executive officers to have the training activities they offer to their brokers accredited. Also encourage the providers of training courses you are taking to have their courses accredited by the OACIQ.
To do this, see the General accreditation procedure for continuing education activities.
22. What happens if I don’t obtain the number of required CEUs on April 30, 2025?
At the end of the 2023-2025 cycle of the MCEP, i.e. April 30, 2025, any broker who has not earned the 10 CEUs for the OACIQ mandatory training courses and the 10 elective CEUs for a total of 20 CEUs (*12 mandatory and 12 elective CEUs for a total of 24 for certified brokers AEO and agency executive officers) will have his licence suspended, in accordance with section 15 of the Regulation respecting broker’s and agency licences.
For the consequences of a licence suspension, see this article.
23. I have made a voluntary commitment to attend a training course, or I was ordered to do so by the Inspection Committee or the Discipline Committee. Will the corresponding units be allocated to me under the MCEP?
No, because your voluntary commitment or the imposed training is used to remedy a deficiency identified by the Syndic, the Inspection Committee or the Public Assistance Department. The objective of the MCEP is to maintain and develop your skills as a broker.
The list of all training activities completed is available in your training portal, but the CEUs obtained under these specific circumstances will not be recognized under the MCEP.
24. If I obtain more CEUs than required for the current cycle, can my extra CEUs be transferred to the following cycle?
The OACIQ’s mandatory continuing education policy states that any broker who has obtained more CEUs than the minimum required will have them transferred to the next cycle, up to a maximum of 3 CEUs per cycle.
The brokerage industry is constantly evolving, which is why all brokers are required to maintain and develop their skills on a regular basis.
25. If I attend a training activity more than once during the same MCEP cycle, will my CEUs be counted more than once, whether or not I pay for the activity?
No. If you attend the same training more than once during the same cycle, the corresponding CEUs will be counted only once.
26. I want to cancel, postpone or be reimbursed for a training course. How to proceed?
You may cancel, postpone or be reimbursed for a webinar or classroom training course under the following conditions:
Cancellation by participant
- The participant may cancel a registration by using the cancellation function in the Professional Development Portal no later than the day before the training.
Note that it is not possible to transfer a training course to another participant.
Postponement by participant
- Postponement to a later date is considered a cancellation followed by re-registration. The terms and conditions of this policy apply.
Absence of a participant
- If a participant does not attend a classroom or webinar training activity for which he is registered, no refund will be issued.
Consequently, the participant will have to re-register for the same training course and pay the registration fee again.
Online training (self-study)
- Self-study activities are considered as firm sales. They are therefore non-refundable and non-transferable.
27. Where can the receipts of the training courses I completed during the current cycle be found?
In addition to receiving them by email at the time of registration, all receipts for OACIQ training purchases are available in your record on the Professional Development Portal. Follow the steps below to access them quickly or check this procedure.
- Log in to the Professional Development Portal and enter the same login information and password as for synbad.com.
- Click on the “My record” tab.
- Click on the “Purchases” section, where you will find all the transactions you made. Locate the "Options" column.
- In the “Options” column of each receipt, click on the drop-down menu icon to display the option to download the receipt for a given training course.
- If the document does not open automatically, retrieve it from your web browser's downloads by clicking on the symbol below.
- You may also save or print your receipts, if you wish, via the “File” tab of the PDF document.
You will then be able to access the full list of training receipts and download it.
For the training courses completed before June 1, 2020, they are available in My record on synbad.com.
IMPORTANT: If you have any problems downloading your OACIQ training receipts, contact SVI eSolutions using the contact information below:
SVI eSolutions
Everyday
from 7:30 am to 10:00 pm
Tel.: 418-948-4848, ext. 1
Toll-free: 1-866-843-4848, ext. 1
[email protected]
Note: To get training receipts from other providers, you must contact them directly. Their contact information can be found at the very bottom of the training details page. Find the training page in question easily by searching the catalogue.
28. What is the difference between an online training (self-study) and a webinar?
A webinar is a live webcast that allows you to interact with the trainer. Only one viewing is possible, on a predefined date and time. The trainer does not see the learner, so it is not necessary to have a camera on your computer.
The online training (self-study) allows you to learn at your own pace. You may start a training at the time and place of your choosing, take a break and continue later.
29. Do I need to have a web camera or any other accessories to complete an online training (self-study)?
No, no specific accessories are required.
30. Can I take my training on an iPad, tablet or smartphone?
Yes, most training courses can be completed on a tablet or smartphone. However, software updates for these devices may sometimes not work properly in the Professional Development Portal environment. In case of difficulty, use a computer.
31. Do I have the necessary system requirements to attend a webinar?
Before logging in to the webinar, we strongly encourage you to check that your computer and peripherals are working properly by using the Via platform configuration wizard by clicking here.
32. I’m using a Mac computer and having problems logging in or out. What shall I do?
The Professional Development Portal (PDP) uses cookies and pop-ups to operate, and the Safari browser does not allow them by default. For this reason, we strongly recommend using Chrome on Mac devices.
Users of Apple devices: The different software versions of Apple phones and tablets may not be fully compatible with the Professional Development Portal environment. In case of difficulty, use a computer.
33. I am experiencing technical difficulties with a webinar or an online training (self-study). What shall I do?
For technical support on the Professional Development Portal, please contact SVIe Solutions directly, every day between 7:30 am and 10:00 pm, toll-free at 1-866-843-4848, extension 1, or by email at [email protected].
