Real North Strategies

Real North Strategies turns three.

What started as a vision to elevate advocacy and strategic communications for associations has grown into a national practice supporting organizations at the forefront of housing, policy, and community leadership.

Over the past three years, we’ve helped:

✅ Shape housing policy conversations across Ontario and Canada.
✅ Deliver data-driven advocacy campaigns
✅ Support boards and CEOs with strategic clarity
✅ Elevate the voice and value of REALTORS® in their communities

Our focus remains unchanged: helping associations lead, influence, and win.

Thank you to our amazing team, clients and partners who have trusted us to be part of your work.

Year four starts now.

Internal 🇨🇦 trade barriers are coming down. What does it mean for regulated professions like real estate?

LinkedIn article for more: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/canada-tearing-down-trade-barriers-what-does-mean-matthew-owazc/?trackingId=QnusFAyLSh6gGjzp6s8Frg%3D%3D

Today's news of PM Trudeau's resignation reaffirms that Ontario will (very likely) have two elections in 2025. As an association, what is your election strategy?

This week we want to share our five association election strategy tips (starting with compliance):

1️⃣ Review Regulations: Elections in Canada (and Ontario) are heavily regulated with serious penalties for non-compliance. Before you launch your strategy - get to know the rules. For example, if your association plans on spending ad dollars or doing public opinion research during the pre-writ or writ-period it may need to register as a third-party with Elections Canada or Elections Ontario. This is a complex process that I would suggest getting legal advice on. There are also specific rules pertaining to registered lobbyists participating in elections and conflicts of interest. Check out these resources for more info:

✅ Ontario: https://lnkd.in/g66buB5a

✅ Canada: https://lnkd.in/gKjuMGz4

More to come!

Today, we pause to honour those who have served and continue to serve for peace and freedom - at home and around the World.

Lest We Forget 🇨🇦.

The post-election period isn’t downtime—it’s prime time to establish your organization’s voice and position in the new government landscape.

Checkout our CEO Matthew Thornton's new article on how your association/organization can jumpstart its post-election GR strategy.

We are thrilled to be attending the 2024 Conference as the event’s platinum sponsor!

The Canadian Real Estate Association/L'Association canadienne de l'immeuble always puts on a fantastic conference and the speaker lineup is stellar. The best lobby day event on the Hill each year!

Lobby days are expensive and time consuming.

Here's two metrics for success that we use to maximize the impact of lobby day events!

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/two-lobby-day-metrics-matter-matthew-thornton-mba-cae-dvwgc/?trackingId=b8dU%2BHdDsv3SGnUl3O5F5w%3D%3D

A fantastic event focused on solutions to Niagara’s housing crisis! Cc: Matthew Thornton