from RAHB CEO George O’Neill
On December 22, 2016, I sent an email to each RAHB member about an ORTIS communication just before the year end holidays that may have caused some confusion to anyone who read it.
I would like summarize what has transpired:
We unexpectedly received a letter from ORTIS – the managing company of the regional Matrix system – that they unilaterally declined to continue negotiating a data sharing agreement that RAHB and ORTIS had been working on for several weeks.
ORTIS also advised that as of Wednesday, February 1, 2017, Access Members of RAHB (that is, users with computer access only) will no longer have login access to the regional Matrix system, and listings interboarded to RAHB’s MLS® System will no longer be forwarded to the regional system.
We understand from ORTIS’s communication they may have made their decision in order to generate revenue from creating their own subscriber category and may charge additional fees to interboard listings to the regional system. RAHB respects that ORTIS is a separate company, is not governed by OREA or CREA and is therefore entitled to make its own independent business decisions. However, RAHB is simply trying to protect our members from paying additional fees and desires to secure an ongoing commitment from ORTIS to share listings.
What does this mean for you?
If you are a full RAHB member, your listing data and access to the regional Matrix system will continue as it is for now. For you, it will be business as usual.
Access members will continue to have login access to RAHB’s MLS® System and accompanying listing data, but may no longer be able to log in to the regional Matrix system after February 1, 2017.
Non-RAHB members who interboard listings to RAHB’s MLS® System may no longer have those listings uploaded to the regional Matrix system after February 1, 2017.
I assure you that RAHB continues to have confidence that the boards and associations participating in sharing listings via the regional MLS® System have the same goal we do: that our collective members benefit from access to complete listing data across the region. We continue working with our neighbouring boards and associations to achieve this common goal, and are also working with them to urge ORTIS to amend its decision. Currently, ORTIS has not committed to share listings for RAHB full members past our cutover to RAHB’s Matrix system.
I will update you as soon as more information is available.
Regards, George O’Neill
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