RE/MAX Integra Co-Founder Appointed to the Order of Canada

Canadian real estate pioneer, esteemed business leader and philanthropist Walter Schneider has been appointed to the Order of Canada alongside 87 other outstanding Canadians, in what is considered to be one of Canada’s highest honours recognizing those who have made notable and sustained contributions to the country.

Schneider redefined Canadian real estate when he co-founded RE/MAX Integra, growing it into the country’s top-selling organization in the real estate industry and stimulating local economies. For more than two decades, his family’s foundation has supported important initiatives in the health and social sectors.

That journey began in 1980, when Schneider alongside Frank Polzler, founders of RE/MAX Integra, saw an opportunity to incite change. Back then, the Canadian real estate industry was controlled by banks and trust companies, with a few national brands that saw profits heavily favouring brokers. The industry ran on an inherently flawed business model that saw top-producing agents subsidizing non-producers. Schneider and Polzler recognized this professional pain point as an opportunity to bring the cream to the top, so to speak. And thus, RE/MAX Integra – the “home of the top producer” – was born.

RE/MAX Integra’s innovative agent-centric business model meant agents kept their commissions, which naturally attracted top producers. True to the founders’ vision for the company, the best agents joined the brand, they stayed and they conquered. Today, RE/MAX is the #1 name in real estate in Canada. (Source: MMR Strategy Group study of unaided awareness.)

Appointees to the Order of Canada are nominated, and the appointments are made by the governor general on the recommendation of the Advisory Council for the Order of Canada. The Order of Canada is the cornerstone of the Canadian Honours System, and has celebrated the outstanding achievements and wide-ranging contributions of more than 8,000 individuals since its creation in 1967.

“Members of the Order of Canada are builders of hope for a better future. Each in their own way, they broaden the realm of possibilities and inspire others to continue pushing its boundaries. Thank you for your perseverance, fearless leadership and visionary spirit, and welcome to the Order of Canada,” said Her Excellency the Right Honourable Mary Simon, Governor General of Canada, in a statement.