NIIT (USA) – New Education Program Trains Ontario, Canada Real Estate Brokers

Challenge

NIIT Limited, parent of client NIIT (USA), offers multi-disciplinary learning management and training delivery solutions to institutions, individuals, and corporations in more than 40 countries. NIIT won a request for proposal to design, develop, administer and deliver a new real estate broker education program for the Real Estate Council of Ontario (RECO), which has been delegated by the Ontario government to register and regulate real estate brokerages, brokers and salespersons in the province. NIIT called on longtime counsel Arnall Golden Gregory to assist with the legal aspects of the transaction. Arnall Golden Gregory has represented NIIT (USA) since its formation more than a quarter century ago, and has extensive experience closing cross-border transactions for the client.

Approach

NIIT formed a subsidiary, NIIT Learning Solutions (Canada) Limited, to work in collaboration with Humber College, one of Canada’s largest colleges, to conduct the training program. Arnall Golden Gregory quarterbacked the legal work and took responsibility for the contract drafting, which included close collaboration with Canadian counsel. There were two primary contracts: the first between the client, Humber College and RECO, and the second a license agreement between the client and Humber College for jointly providing services to RECO.

Result

The new registration education program will be launched on July 1, 2019. NIIT Canada will deliver the new program for a full five-year term under the designate agreement, which is extendable for another three years. RECO issued a press release after the deal was struck. “Strong registration education provides registrants with the fundamentals of trading in real estate,” it says. “The new program will enable aspiring registrants to be more practice-ready when they enter the profession and fulfil their duties and obligations in providing consistent high-quality service to consumers.” In NIIT’s press release, Sapnesh Lalla, president of NIIT’s Corporate Learning Group, said, “Canada is a very important market for us and we are committed to expanding our operations in Canada, specifically Ontario, through our Toronto office to better serve the needs of our Canadian customers.”