A Comprehensive Guide to MLS® Data Feeds in Ontario

If you’re looking to build a real estate listings search website or app in Ontario, you’re in the right place. Whether you’re inspired by popular platforms like House Sigma or Buy.ca, this guide will walk you through everything you need to know about Multiple Listing Service (MLS®) data feeds in Ontario. We’ll explore which feeds are available, how they’ve evolved, and how you can offer the most comprehensive search experience for your users.

What Are MLS® Data Feeds?

MLS® data feeds provide the essential property listing information needed for real estate platforms to display accurate, up-to-date listings. In Ontario, accessing these feeds can be a bit complex due to the number of MLS® Systems and regional boards that manage the data. Until recently, accessing comprehensive MLS® data required connecting to multiple different feeds. However, recent changes have simplified the process, and understanding these feeds is key to offering the best real estate search experience.

Recent Changes to MLS® Data Feeds in Ontario

As of last month, accessing comprehensive MLS® data in Ontario required connecting to six separate feeds:

• TRREB (Toronto Regional Real Estate Board)
• OREB (Ottawa Real Estate Board)
• ITSO (Information Technology Systems Ontario)
• RAHB (Real Estate Board of Hamilton-Burlington)
• WECAR (Windsor-Essex County Association of REALTORS®)
• CREA (Canadian Real Estate Association)

However, recent consolidations have streamlined this:

• RAHB is now part of the Cornerstone Association of REALTORS® and is accessible via ITSO.
• OREB listings are now available through TRREB via PropTx. Additionally, some boards previously available through ITSO are now available through TRREB.

This change means that accessing comprehensive listings across Ontario now requires only four primary data feeds:

• TRREB (Toronto Regional Real Estate Board)
• ITSO (Information Technology Systems Ontario)
• WECAR (Windsor-Essex County Association of REALTORS®)
• CREA (Canadian Real Estate Association)

Which MLS® Feeds Are the Most Important?

When it comes to MLS® data feeds in Ontario, TRREB and ITSO are the two most important for a couple key reasons:

• Combined, they account for approximately 95% of listings in the province.
  
• Both TRREB and ITSO have VOW feeds, which allow you to offer users a more comprehensive experience, including access to past listings and detailed market analytics—features that platforms like House Sigma and Buy.ca leverage to provide a rich user experience.

Considerations For Specific MLS® Feeds In Ontario

• TRREB: TRREB does not charge its members for data feeds. You must be a member of an association that is part of TRREB’s MLS® to access their data feeds.
  
• ITSO: ITSO charges annual dues ($1,500) for access to its VOW feed, while access to IDX listings is free. You must be a member of an association that is part of ITSO’s MLS® to access their data feeds.
  
• CREA: While CREA is a national feed, it’s an IDX feed and only provides active listings, which limits the features you can offer to your users. Furthermore, not all brokerages participate in CREA, meaning some active listings from TRREB and ITSO may be missing.
  
  Read more about REALTOR.ca DDF® limitations.
  
  CREA does aggregate listings from smaller regional boards not participating in TRREB or ITSO’s data exchange, making it valuable for a more comprehensive search experience. As a real estate agent anywhere in Canada, you can access the REALTOR.ca DDF®.
  
• WECAR: This feed is an IDX feed and only provides active listings, but includes several hundred listings not found in REALTOR.ca DDF®. If you are targeting the Windsor-Sarnia area, adding WECAR’s feed could be beneficial. You must be a member of WECAR to access their data feeds.

Read more about the differences between IDX and VOW feeds.

Is It Worth Getting Access to ITSO if I Already Have TRREB?

The short answer is yes. While TRREB provides access to a substantial portion of listings, ITSO offers approximately 9,100 unique listings that you can’t find in TRREB’s feed (as of the present day). Around 7,500 listings are duplicates, which is common in areas with competing MLS® Systems. Some agents or brokerages may list properties in both systems, so these listings appear in both feeds.

With Repliers’ deduplication technology, you can ensure that your users won’t see duplicate listings, even if they are available in both TRREB and ITSO.

Read more about Repliers’ deduplication technology.

Maximizing Listings Coverage: Example Scenarios

Let’s take a look at a couple of scenarios where expanding your data feed access can significantly increase your listings coverage.

Scenario 1: Expanding Beyond TRREB

If you already have access to TRREB’s 82,000 listings (as of present day) and are considering expanding your reach, adding other feeds will give you the following additional listings:

• ITSO: 9,100 unique listings
• WECAR: 2,650 unique listings
• CREA: 2,200 unique listings

By integrating these feeds, you can add almost 14,000 unique listings to your platform. This expanded coverage could greatly enhance your users’ search experience.

This coverage map illustrates the additional listings you would gain by adding ITSO, WECAR, and CREA to your search portal if you already have access to TRREB.

Scenario 2: Expanding Beyond ITSO

Similarly, if you already have access to ITSO’s 17,000 listings (as of present day) and want to expand your coverage, adding TRREB would provide:

• TRREB: 71,000 unique listings
• WECAR: 2,650 unique listings
• CREA: 2,200 unique listings

This would offer almost additional 76,000 listings beyond what ITSO alone can provide.

This coverage map illustrates the additional listings you would gain by adding TRREB, WECAR, and CREA to your search portal if you already have access to ITSO.

Conclusion: The Right MLS® Data Feeds for Your Real Estate App or Website

Choosing the right MLS® data feeds for your real estate platform in Ontario is crucial to providing users with a comprehensive and high-quality search experience. TRREB and ITSO are the most critical sources, but expanding your reach with CREA and WECAR can help you provide a broader selection of listings, including those unique to smaller regions.

By integrating multiple feeds and leveraging Repliers’ Real Estate APIs, you can ensure your platform delivers the most complete and user-friendly experience possible, helping users find the perfect property anywhere in Ontario.