A group of Canadian lawyers and civil society representatives has filed a complaint with Canada's Competition Bureau against Israeli real estate agencies accused of misleading Canadian buyers about properties marketed at real estate events in Toronto and Montreal.
The complaint, submitted by the Global Echo Litigation Center and Canadian Lawyers for International Human Rights, and reported by La Presse Canadienne alleges that at least four Israeli real estate companies and a Canadian marketing agency promoted properties in Judea and Samaria while presenting them as being located in Israel.
The Competition Bureau said it would review the complaint to determine whether the allegations warrant an investigation.
The complaint, filed on behalf of six Canadian residents, includes photographs, social media posts and promotional materials relating to condominium projects advertised at real estate fairs between 2024 and 2026.
One photograph from the 2024 Great Israeli Real Estate Event in Montreal allegedly shows a real estate agency promoting projects in Ma'ale Adumim and Adam alongside properties elsewhere in Israel. The booth reportedly invited prospective buyers to find their "dream home in Israel."
James Yap, president of the lawyers' association and a law professor at the University of Windsor, argued that Canadians purchasing properties in Judea and Samaria could face legal consequences under international law, including allegations of complicity in war crimes.
The complaint comes amid growing international pressure on Israel over Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria. Canada and several other countries regard the communities as illegal under international law, a position Israel disputes.
Israel's presence in Judea and Samaria dates to the 1967 Six-Day War. The issue has become a renewed focus of diplomatic pressure since Hamas's October 7, 2023, massacre in southern Israel, in which approximately 1,200 people were murdered and 251 were taken hostage to Gaza.
In August, the Canadian government advised Canadian companies against engaging in business activities involving Israeli communities in Judea and Samaria, warning of potential legal and financial risks.
Yap called on Ottawa to take further action, arguing that the complaint offered the government an opportunity to enforce its stated position on the issue.
The allegations have not been established, and the Competition Bureau's review does not itself constitute a finding of wrongdoing by the companies involved.