Can my agent share details of offers I receive with other buyers or agents in Ontario?

The rules around offer confidentiality in Ontario have evolved. The general principle under REBBA is that a brokerage cannot disclose the details of one offer to another buyer or their agent without the seller's knowledge and consent. The seller has the ability — if they choose — to disclose that multiple offers exist and their substance, but the default is that offer contents should remain confidential between the offering party and the seller.

In practice, sellers sometimes instruct their agent to tell competing buyers that multiple offers have been received (without giving specific numbers) to encourage best offers. This is permitted. What is not permitted is the agent unilaterally revealing the price or terms of one buyer's offer to another buyer to push up bidding — that would be a serious breach of the agent's fiduciary duty and the Code of Ethics.

If you are concerned about how your agent is handling confidentiality in a multiple-offer situation, discuss your preferences explicitly: who can be told that other offers exist, what information can be shared, and what should remain confidential. Put your instructions in writing if the situation is competitive.