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The gold jacket days may be what started it all, but Century 21 Canada is poised to remain a trailblazer in the Canadian real estate industry for another 50 years.
Sitting across from Martin Charlwood and his father, U. Gary Charlwood, in the corner office of Century 21 Canada’s Coal Harbour headquarters in downtown Vancouver, it’s impossible not to stare at the windowed walls behind them.
The large shelves hugging the corner of the room display rows of mementos, from family photos across generations to accolades awarded to U. Gary Charlwood.
Indeed, the co-founder and executive chairman of the real estate company has pushed the envelope on brokerage franchising across the country. Those efforts, among many others (as with his company Uniglobe Travel International, for example), led to his induction into the International Franchise Association Hall of Fame in 2008. “My dad has been a pioneer on so many different fronts in the franchising world,” reflects Martin, president and CEO of Century 21 Canada (C21).
“We collaborate on a regular basis,” Gary says, referring to his positive working relationship with his son, Martin. The senior Charlwood is still involved in C21, just in a different capacity. “I don’t interfere, but he’ll run things by me if he’s looking for an additional perspective.” Gary has worked for decades with his two sons, Martin and Christopher, both of whom are partners and board directors in the business, and he’s mentored his younger daughter, Bianca, who is a licensed realtor with Century 21 In Town Realty in Vancouver.
The father and son are taking a moment away from a scheduled video shoot—the third charting U. Gary Charlwood’s legacy—to talk about the company’s journey to this monumental milestone. This year, C21 (which opened its very first office in B.C. in January 1976) celebrates 50 years.
Born and raised in Europe, Gary first moved to Vancouver in November 1966 at age 25. He’d been working in the travel and tourism industry, but with a young family to provide for, he decided to go into business for himself. With a choice between selling life insurance and real estate, he chose the latter (“it’s a happy business,” Gary remarks) and got his licence.
He immediately discovered an aptitude for the profession. “I made my first sale in the 11th week,” Gary recalls. “My money was going to run out if I didn’t.” Within his first 15 months, he sold 118 homes—more than anyone else in B.C. at that time. He became a real estate legend in the province, which led him to the opportunity with Century 21.
When Gary first bought the master franchise rights to C21 Canada (in partnership with Peter H. Thomas, whom Charlwood bought out in 1989), he faced skepticism and opposition as he tried to franchise the brokerage. The Real Estate Council of B.C. at the time challenged his efforts, so he took the fight to court and won. “We ultimately proved all the naysayers wrong,” says Martin. “The regulators agreed that we had a very good business plan in place, and we got licensed.”
In that first year, they welcomed dozens of independent offices into the C21 brand, setting a new precedent for real estate franchising that the country had never seen before. The tenacity he displayed as a salesperson would translate well to growing the brand across the country.
The fledgling brand’s first brokerage in Eastern Canada opened in Pickering, Ontario, in 1977. Today, C21 has a network of 11,500 members and nearly 400 offices across Canada. “A real moment of pride in the company’s journey was when we were finally national, from ocean to ocean and from coast to coast,” says Martin.
When Gary brought C21 to Canada, he established a training and support structure characteristic of business franchising. “What my dad did with his initial team,” Martin explains, “was create systems and programs to teach someone how to be a successful real estate agent and broker, the C21 way. And that system has stood the test of time.” Brokerage franchising is now commonplace in the Canadian real estate landscape.
“Competition is much fiercer today than it was 50 years ago, 20 years ago—I would argue, even 10 years ago,” says Martin. Technology has also changed people’s access to new tools and information about the real estate market.
C21 has skillfully adapted along the way. “Our mantra is always looking forward,” Martin says. Its real estate agent and broker network stays up to date on new technology and the latest tools. A highly successful 2018 rebrand also marked a new, forward-looking era for the company. “The fresh look and feel have helped us evolve and prepare for the 22nd century,” says Martin.
Crucially, C21 also offers a holistic suite of services to make the path to home ownership as smooth as possible. “When you deal with Century 21, we’ve got you covered on all bases. If you need help lining up your financing, we have an affiliated mortgage company,” Martin says, referring to Centum Financial Group. And for clients renting out their property, they can turn to C21 Property Management. These companies all exist under the umbrella of Charlwood Pacific Group, along with Uniglobe Travel International and Century 21 Asia-Pacific.
Reflecting on the last 50 years of C21, the Charlwoods note how proud they are to be part of a family-owned and operated business that’s still headquartered in Vancouver.
“There’s legacy, not just at the head office, but also in our franchise ranks,” Martin says. “We have franchisees now that are in the second generation, and even in some instances now in the third generation of ownership.”
C21 has dozens of offices and brokerages in its home province, and is eyeing adding more soon. “Nationally, we’ve made a really big mark on the industry, period,” says Gary.
Canadian C21 agents and teams also consistently rank in the top spots in the Global 21 rankings, which compare the top 21 Century 21 offices worldwide. “We’re very, very proud of that,” Gary says. “We’re recognized each year internationally because of the success of our offices and agents.”
Martin adds: “C21 in Canada absolutely punches way above its weight. That makes us very tough, and it makes our constituents proud, our agents proud and our brokers proud.”
The upcoming conference celebrating the 50th anniversary is March 9 to 11 at the Westin Bayshore in Vancouver. And it is more than just a milestone celebration for C21—it’s a full-circle moment. “That hotel was where Dad and his original management team held the first-ever franchise sales seminar to introduce Century 21 to Canada back in 1976,” says Martin. “Now we’re going back in 2026, 50 years later.”
Learn more at c21.ca.
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Remi Wright is a Vancouver-based writer. She is the sponsored content copywriter for Canada Wide Media.
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