Condominium Manager Magazine

There are major changes to the old Construction Lien Act that will significantly affect Ontario condominiums. Amendments have been passed that will modernize the Act, help ensure that businesses and workers get paid on time, and help ensure that payment disputes are addressed quickly. 

As someone who has been in the security and concierge industry for over 20 years and who works closely with condominium managers, it is my responsibility to not only bring awareness to issues that attract liability, protect property/ assets or adversely reflect the image of the corporations we service, but I must also recommend training programs and procedures that will assist condominium managers in the preservation of human life.

Communication has an important, and often underrated, role to play in conflict management. As many condominium managers already know, good communication is a key tool in resolving disputes and may even prevent disputes from arising in the first place.

On January 1, 2018, Ontario’s minimum wage will increase from $11.40 an hour to $14.00 an hour. A year later, Ontarians will host one of the highest minimum wages in Canada, coming in at $15.00 an hour. Without a doubt, the plan is great news for those struggling to make ends meet; however, the pace at which the hike is scheduled is worrisome. 

Over the last six years I have spoken about the benefits of passing a Standard Unit Bylaw (SUB) at numerous Annual General Meetings (AGMs) and town hall meetings. At these meetings there is one common overriding theme which is, the unit owners feel that the corporations are trying to put them at a disadvantage; because of this belief these meeting are usually very emotional.

During the case law update session held at the Toronto Congress Centre on September 15, 2017, Bob Gardiner, Tim Duggan, Antoni Castlinuovo and Bradley Chaplick analyzed the key points arising from 16 of the most informative legal cases of 2017 to date. They also discussed each of their Top Tips, further explained below.

Condominiums depend on common element fees collected from homeowners to fulfil their financial obligations. When homeowners are delinquent with their payments, this may lead to a shortage of cash in the bank, which may present financial challenges for the corporation.

Now that spring weather is upon us it is a great time to turn our attention to the care of trees and shrubs in our landscapes. Our woody plants are often overlooked for the many benefits they provide. Try to imagine your property without its trees and shrubs. No cooling shade or privacy screening, no contrast to all of the concrete and asphalt not to mention the beauty in all the colours and interesting shapes of our woody plants. 

Since October 17, 2018, condominiums across Ontario have been working to identify and address the emerging problems that have accompanied the legalization of recreational cannabis.

Since February 2016, three serious multi-residential fires have occurred in the Toronto area. Although the specifics regarding the blazes differed, all three fires shared one similarity: the fuel source was furniture.