Last year in our 30th Anniversary Stakeholder Engagement Sessions, we heard that there is underrepresentation of people of colour in all aspects of the real estate industry. To the credit of our stakeholders, they also acknowledged that this wasn’t strictly an issue of diversity, they recognized that there were issues of equity and a need to understand and address systemic barriers.

Our team of staff and Governors were thrilled to have the opportunity to respond to what we heard and fund the launch of the REET Institute’s first cohort, along with industry sponsors: Altus Group, BOMA Edmonton, Cushman & Wakefield, Edmonton CREW, and Prowse Chowne LLP.

The REET Institute has thoughtfully created a space to engage young people from diverse backgrounds with a view to ensuring they can see a clear career path in the commercial real estate sector. In an equally thoughtful manner, the REET Institute engaged commercial real estate professionals to elevate their recognition of the many new leaders of the future to support and amplify their interest in supporting racial equity.

The response we witnessed over the course of the 8-week program, from both the youth scholars and industry professionals, was nothing short of inspiring! For some of the scholars, participating in the program was life changing.

Experience the first cohort of REET Institute scholars

The second cohort of REET Institute scholars has started their learning journey this fall. Look for upcoming opportunities to support or apply to the REET Institute at www.reetinstitute.ca.

We are privileged to match industry-identified needs with exceptional grant recipients through thoughtful grantmaking. We are proud to continue funding the REET Institute in 2022 to help expand its reach, education, and training.