Category Archives: The Condo Act

Elect Candidates with Expertise on your Board

The Condo Act should legislate that condo board members must hold professional designations related to the position requirements,  psychological testing, and strong track record of proven accomplishments and experience with references. 

Owners should send in their resumes for specific positions President, Secretary, President and 2 Directors. Candidates should be scored and put into the specific positions by Owners and not the board elect.

It is illegal for Condo Boards to call for 5 new board positions by resume at the AGM but they do it anyway. These Boards need to be personally fined and their Directors Liability Insurance cancelled. Condo Owners need to vote for candidates to fill each position based on proven experience and qualifications.  Having a Board with no experience is a run away train. Real professionals that understand business should be on the board. 

Candidates like a professional janitor or caretaker of buildings, for example, engineer, lawyer or paralegal, C-Suite professional with leadership abilities, a jack of all trades with advanced governance, business professional experience, persons with a professional real estate career or appraiser, perhaps a security or emergency management officer, and designated accountant are what is needed to ensure good governance and intelligent decision making ability. Also a person with credentials in the construction, building world. Board members need some knowledge of construction, refurbishments and mechanicals. The possibility of approving overpriced contracts could be a huge problem with Directors who have limited knowledge.

Building a Better Condo Act

Stronger Ontario Building Codes to keep Condo Owners Safe

If we go back to the time when Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister, Kathleen Wynne announced changes to strengthen the Ontario building code to help prevent balcony glass of newly constructed buildings from breaking and keep Ontarians safe in high-rise buildings.

http://news.ontario.ca/mah/en/2012/06/ontario-strengthens-requirements-for-balcony-glass.html

While this initiative is an excellent start, Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing needs to address the inefficiencies of the New Home Warranty Program and Tarion Warranties for new construction and the limited 1-2 years warranties on existing buildings. These warranties do not protect the value of a $80 Million dollar condo building when the time period and list of coverages are similar to those of a single family dwelling. There needs to be a separate coverage to address multi-family residential condominium buildings. Continue reading

Condos to Replace Princess of Whales Theatre

Courtesy 680 News Toronto:

Theatre producer David Mirvish and architect Frank Gehry unveiled plans, Monday, to tear down the Princess of Wales Theatre and replace it with a new condo complex.

The complex will feature three 85-storey residential towers, a 60,000 square-metre art gallery called the Mirvish Collection, a new campus for the OCAD University, and retail space.

It will stretch along the north side of King Street West from the corner of John Street, across Ed Mirvish Way and east to the edge of the Royal Alexandra Theatre.

“These towers can become a symbol of what Toronto can be. I am not building condominiums; I am building three sculptures for people to live in,” Mirvish said.

The three condo towers will create one of the tallest structures in North America.

Mirvish said the project will be done in three phases and will take up to seven years to complete.

Have your Say about this.

Do you agree with tearing down The Princess of Whales Theatre?

  • No (60%, 3 Votes)
  • Yes (20%, 1 Votes)
  • Don't Care (20%, 1 Votes)
  • Undecided (0%, 0 Votes)

Total Voters: 5

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Condo Game on CBC DocZone

 

Condo Game

Date:   November 21st –  CBC DocZone

Don’t Miss it

The Condo Game – a documentary examining the forces at play behind the fastest moving condo market in North America. Nov 21 on CBC Doc Zone.

Description

This documentary from Bountiful Films examines the forces at play behind the fastest moving condo market in North America – Toronto – and discovers that the glittering glass hides a sea of troubles. The first startling revelation for many people will be how very much the condo market is focused on investor profit, not affordable housing. One expert even says that it’s really not primarily a housing market but a commodities play. And that means that average Canadians, just looking for a place to call home, are joining a game for which they don’t have the rule book. The Condo Game, Thurs Nov 21 on CBC Television’s Doc Zone

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The Condo Owners Association (COA Ontario) were delighted to work with Bountiful Films in their production of  “The Condo Game” documentary
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Condo Act Review Has Flaws

Another problem from Condo Owners, it never ends. It is a true shame that these types of things are happening to condo owners all over the province As you are aware, COA was involved in the condo act review and it has been a concerning process. There are still substantial flaws.  During the process and the over 90% involvement of service related trades may have compromised new recommendations for changes to legislation in particular funding for the CAO Condo Authority of Ontario and the CMRAO Condominium Management Regulatory Authority of Ontario.  Are  Condo Owners expected to pay for Property Managers to be licensed?  Interesting, many Property Management Firms  receive monies for their contracts from Condo Corporation and status certificate requestions ie. $125.00  there are many Property Management firms who keep $100.00 and the remainder goes to the online service provider.  The question “Why is this happening when PM is a paid contractual services of the Corporation?” Why does the contract not already include this services of license property managers from licensed firms.

In many situation it is the fault of the Board of Directors who allow Property Managers free rein to do as they please.   The numerous complaints the COA receives from Condo Owners is that they are concerned of kickbacks and overinflated contracts which impacts the financial stability of condo corporations. It could be from either Property Manager, the firms and/or the Board. Unfortunately without condo owners standing up for their rights and joining COA; it is difficult to combat. The Board has a fiduciary responsibility to act in the best interest of the corporation. Property Management firms are only contractual services and the property manager is delegated by that firm to over see the operations of the corporation ONLY on the instructions of the Board. If you are a past board member you may have been in a position to force changes for a new company but again that decision would have to be with a majority vote so if there is no support of this decision then you may have to call a meeting with 15% owners and try to force changes. Many condo owners feel they may be ostracized and or have more conflicts by complaining but the situation will get worst and there may be concerns on your financials.

If the corporation has broken personal ownership items of a Condo Owner they should be responsible however the Condo Act is self governed which lends itself to abuse and a one side power against Condo owners in many cases. We wish we could give more positive answers to help Condo Owners but there are none because the Condo Act has tremendous Flaws!

COA is always looking for support and volunteers because if we can grow with a strong following as the Teachers Association or any other Associations only then will Condo Owners have a strong voice and government will have no choice but to listen without the constant influence of service related trades protecting their own interest. Condo Owners have to stand up for their rights, it is long overdue!