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A New Era for ITSO

  • ITSO
  • Oct 14
  • 3 min read

ITSO focused on three key services during the 2024/2025 strategic direction: enhancing the ITSO system, creating alterative forms, and elevating professionalism by providing professional standards services.


ITSO collaborated with the Cornerstone Association of REALTORS® to operate and enhance the MLS® System for the benefit of all Member Associations. As a part of this collaboration, Cornerstone agreed to pay for two full time resources at Cotality who both now work exclusively on ITSO’s system. The addition of these two resources greatly increased ITSO’s capacity to make enhancements to the system, which is evidenced in all the improvements made since the dedicated resources were assigned to ITSO: 


  • Upgraded to Matrix 12.3 in September 2024.

  • Addition of Restb.ai, sold pending deposit flag, consent to advertise field, and the Matrix branding centre in November 2024.

  • Launched Super Subscribers in December 2024.

  • Upgraded to Matrix 12.5.1 and upgraded Prospects Mobile to add editing abilities in February 2025.

  • Configured Listing Data Checker (LDC) and made it available to Member Associations in February 2025.

  • Added Check It and LDC widget in April 2025.

  • Upgraded to Matrix 12.5.4 and added new offer fields in May 2025.

  • Upgraded to Clareity Assure with multifactor authentication in June 2025.

  • Added rental unit fields and a client private display in July 2025.

  • Consolidated MREB, SDREB, RAHB and WRAR instances of Matrix in August 2025 

  • Upgrading to Matrix 12.6 on October 29, 2025.


These frequent enhancements to the ITSO System are a testament to the success of the collaboration between ITSO and Cornerstone, which has benefited all Member Associations and ITSO users.


During the past year ITSO also collaborated with Cornerstone in the creation of an Alternative Forms Task Force. OREA currently has 145 different forms for transacting in residential real estate, many of which are unnecessary and rarely used by Ontario REALTORS®. Further, OREA’s forms are not drafted in language that is easily understood by REALTORS® or consumers.


ITSO created the Alternative Forms Task Force to review and develop updated forms that will provide an alternative to the OREA forms to trade in real estate in compliance with the Trust in Real Estate Services Act 2002. The Task Force met three times in 2025 to review 20 forms drafted by ITSO staff. ITSO and Cornerstone believe these forms will be well received by REALTORS® and consumers who will benefit from efficient forms drafted in plain language.


ITSO also continued to provide its first-rate professional standards services to all Member Associations during 2024 and 2025. ITSO’s committees reviewed and processed over 100 incident reports over the past two years and ensured that where breaches of the MLS® Rules or REALTOR® Code were found they were addressed in a timely and appropriate manner. ITSO is also processing LDC notices for its Member Associations as a value-added service that helps ensure that the data on the ITSO System meets elevated accuracy standards.


2025/2026 Strategic Direction - The New Era for ITSO


ITSO knows that its Members will have to decide whether or not to renew the MLS® Services Agreement in 2026. The ITSO Board affirms its commitment to advancing ITSO’s service offerings in 2026 and beyond, ensuring that every end user can work with confidence in a system built on professionalism, integrity, and data excellence.


As such, the ITSO Board has set the following new strategic direction for 2025/2026.


  1. Innovate and Enhance the System  

ITSO will collaboration with its Members and continue to enhance the ITSO System for the benefit of all end users. 


ITSO plans to work with other real estate associations to eliminate artificial boundaries, increase transparency, and increase access to MLS® data through an expanded IntraMatrix network spanning Canada and the United States. ITSO is willing to work with all real estate associations or MLS® providers who will engage in a reciprocal agreement for access to MLS® data.


ITSO will also add new integrations to the ITSO System and related products as well as leverage artificial intelligence to benefit end users and their clients. 


  1. Simplify Forms 

ITSO will continue the work it started on creating plain language easy to understand forms that will make transacting in real estate more efficient and help ensure compliance with the Trust in Real Estate Services Act 2002. ITSO will explore licensing opportunities for the forms and collaborate with its Members on the development of programs and materials to educate real estate professionals on the benefits and use of the new forms. 


  1. Elevate Professionalism 

ITSO will continue to provide its exemplary professional standards program that fosters professionalism and ensures the data on the ITSO System is accurate and reliable. ITSO will explore means of providing additional oversight to the discipline and arbitration process to further elevate professionalism in the real estate industry. 


  1. Expand Services

ITSO recognizes that commercial trading and leasing are two areas of real estate that are not necessarily catered to by traditional MLS® Systems. ITSO will explore ways to enhance commercial and leasing services. 


2025/2026 Strategic Direction
2025/2026 Strategic Direction

ITSO is looking forward to proceeding with this new direction and taking ITSO into a new era.

 
 

© 2025 Information Technology Systems Ontario (ITSO). The trademarks REALTOR®, REALTORS®, and the REALTOR® logo are controlled by The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) and identify real estate professionals who are members of CREA. The trademarks MLS®, Multiple Listing Service® and the associated logos are owned by CREA and identify the quality of services provided by REALTORS®. 

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