Competition Bureau reviews complaint about Israeli settlement real estate sales to Canadians

Canada's Competition Bureau is reviewing a complaint alleging that at least four Israeli real estate companies and one Canadian marketing agency misled Canadian consumers about the location of properties they were selling — marketing West Bank settlements as being in Israel.

Global Echo Litigation Center and Canadian Lawyers for International Human Rights filed the complaint on behalf of six Canadians. The groups say the companies held marketing events in Toronto and Montreal between 2024 and 2026, promoting properties in settlements including Ma'ale Adumim and Adam in the occupied Palestinian territories.

Marketing materials included photos, social media posts, and promotional materials carrying messages like "find your 'dream home in Israel'." One event was billed as the "Great Israeli Real Estate Event" in Montreal in 2024.

The Competition Bureau said it will review the complaint to determine whether an investigation is warranted.

James Yap, president of Canadian Lawyers for International Human Rights and a law professor at the University of Windsor, said Canadian property buyers could face serious legal consequences. "Canadians who may have purchased West Bank properties could be opening themselves up to serious legal consequences under international law, such as complicity in war crimes," he said.

Canada's government has stated that West Bank settlements are illegal and an obstacle to peace in the Middle East. In August, the Canadian government warned businesses to avoid engaging with Israeli settlements due to legal and financial risk.

Yap called for stronger government action. "The Canadian government talks a lot about upholding international law. We have our prime minister bemoaning the deterioration of the international rules-based order. They condemn the settlements as illegal. They talk about taking steps, taking action. This is a chance for the Canadian government to actually take action," he said.