Due to their use of unreal bids to raise property values during the epidemic, in Quebec Christine Girouard and Jonathan Dauphinais-Fortin, two real estate brokers were suspended. Dauphinais-Fortin is paying a $10,000 fine while Girouard was given a $50,000 suspension.

Their activities were exposed after a buyer claimed to have paid $40,000 more than his original offer as a result of a fictitious bid that Dauphinais-Fortin's girlfriend had made. According to investigations, a similar plan was tried in June 2022.  Additionally, in 2023 Girouard is charged with corresponding to prospective purchasers.

Blind Bidding and Reform Initiatives

Like the majority of Canada, Quebec employs a blind bidding method in which bidders compete without knowledge of one another's proposals. Opponents claim that this method raises prices and encourages bidding wars. Although the federal administration announced a national strategy to remove blind bidding, the opposition party in Quebec has asked for a prohibition. Neither attempt has been effective.

Ontario instituted an open bidding option in December 2023, which permits sellers to disclose the specifics of rival proposals. Brokers may still place phony bids, thus although this would improve openness, fraud may still exist.

 Press Canadian (September 11, 2024) as the source by Maura Forrest