The holidays can present unexpected issues difficult for a condo board to resolve. However, with a little planning and these tips, you can ensure these issues are avoided. Distributing Holiday Bonuses to a Condo Board Scenario It’s the season of giving and your condo board decides to hand out bonuses. However, residents aren’t happy their…

And just like that, Halloween decor is out. Winter holiday decoration is in. But interestingly, many condo residents don’t know their board of directors has the right to limit holiday decoration. Because of this, condo boards should help residents understand what they can and can’t do. Without putting a damper on celebrations, clear communication helps…

Owner-requisitioned meetings are called by the owners of the condo corporation. They can catch your board unawares, as they often involve “touchy” topics. If your board receives a meeting requisition, it’s important to respond on time. Here’s how to effectively manage owner-requisitioned meetings. Why are Owner-requisitioned Meetings Called? The most common reasons owners call a…

Condo boards are often the unsung heroes of the condo community. They step up to bat to help ensure the needs of the community are met. However, they sacrifice their own time in the process. While the early days of condo boards participation can be quite exciting, as time goes on the demands can wear…

To help new residents settle into a new condo community, the board of directors can do something to help the residents. This will ensure they adjust smoother, get to know the rules and bylaws, and not to mention feel at home a lot quicker. A condo welcome package is the easiest way to help owners…

When condo boards become overtaxed, it makes it difficult to remain productive. As a result, many important tasks can fall by the wayside. Budget management, social planning, and fee collection are areas where boards can fall behind. Luckily, condo boards have an excellent resource available in their fellow residents. Creating condo committees to assist with…

Volunteering as a condo board member can be exhausting. The amount of work required tends to be more than condo board members can imagine. As a result, board members and directors are at risk of burnout. For condo boards to become more cohesive it takes continuity. However, when board members burn out, you face endless…

As a condo board member, your job is tough. You need to represent your community while not letting your own needs or beliefs fog your judgement. As well, every penny you spend ultimately must improve the value of the condo. All this while you selflessly volunteer your time. With so much riding on your actions,…

When condo boards strike the right notes in their communication it can really help build a happier, more engaged community. While many condo boards stick to traditional newsletters as a means of condo communication with residents and unit owners, others are adding social media with mixed results. Social media is an excellent tool to keep…

One in five Canadians over the age of 18 will face mental health issues or mental illness in their lives. These numbers include 2.5 million Canadians who will experience a depressive disorder. With numbers so high, property management companies in Toronto and condo boards should be prepared to cope with mental health disorders within their…

When Ontario introduced its Energy & Water Reporting and Benchmarking (EWRB) regulation it was a wakeup call to many property management companies and condo boards given that energy waste in condos is such a critical issue. Essentially, it enabled condos to better track energy waste and use and get better at identifying efficiencies. Multi-unit residential…

Condo boards and property management companies in Toronto all want a better community for their residents, without infringing on their rights and privacy. Communities in condos are diverse, providing homes to a wide variety of residents. This mix of people can offer a positive living experience. However, diversity often makes it difficult for board members…

Now that Ontario has entered Stage 3 reopening, it will be interesting to see how well we all manage. It has been hard for businesses and individuals to adjust to the changes the pandemic forced upon us. However, the change we did, and it seemed to work. Although it took much longer than expected, COVID-19…

Communication is key when living in a condo community. Board members and residents must use effective communication. However, when communities are diverse, language barriers are a common occurrence. Language barriers include more than a person’s language of origin. Barriers span from unfamiliar and complex terminology to linguistics and physical barriers to state of mind. To…

Today community diversity is more relevant than ever. Organizations that encourage employee contribution create a cooperative and inclusive environment. By celebrating the varied backgrounds of your team, everyone feels valued. They want to contribute more. With diversity your board members flourish sharing their skills and ideas. As a result, your community reaps the benefits. You…

Special assessments are a condo owner’s worst nightmare. The assessment presents an extra charge on top of monthly maintenance fees. Owners do not have approval over a special assessment. From an owner’s standpoint, an assessment is never a good thing. Most owners trust their monthly fees include a reserve fund to pay for unexpected projects…

One of the most important aspects of a condo board’s responsibilities is managing financials. This can be a challenge if condo boards don’t have a financial expert on the team. However, all boards have a budget prepared each year, usually by a condo management company. Condo management experts provide invaluable input when it comes to…

With self-isolation rules in place, your condo complex is working at full occupancy. That means residents might start to scrutinize their units a little more closely. They also might be using their appliances more often. These new norms could lead to issues with higher demand for “urgent” fixes. So what does the urgent services request…

Condo maintenance became a lot more challenging with the arrival of COVID-19. The City of Toronto calls for heavier duty cleansers and cleaning schedules. In addition, property management companies in Toronto and beyond have the responsibility to protect the most vulnerable residents in their condos. Here is a list of the residents most at risk…

In April 2020, Ontario Regulation 107/20 was amended to accommodate changes during the Covid-19 pandemic. This affects condo property management and includes guidelines on virtual condo meetings and voting. To help you to adapt to this new approach, here are 10 tips to run effective virtual meetings if you’re a condo adjusting to the new…

Understand why registering liens is critical to the health of your condo corporation The Common Expenses Fee (CEFs) collected from condominium owners manage the costs of maintaining your condominium’s common elements. When owners fail to pay their CEFs, it can make a huge impact on the effective management of the property. Therefore, even during crisis…

As a condo owner who’s been affected by the COVID-19 crisis, you might be looking to reduce your monthly expenses. In fact, with the shutdown of condominium amenities, many owners might feel they have a right when it comes to deferring Common Expense Fees (CEFs). Unfortunately, there aren’t any existing statutory provisions to guide condo…

The Ontario Government has issued an order for the closure of all non-essential workplaces during the COVID-19 crisis. Property management companies, boards of directors, and condo corporations that continue to operate and provide the essential services during these times need to clearly understand the specifics of the order. It’s important to ensure that you are…

The current situation and the social distancing rules makes it difficult for condominium boards and corporations to remain effective. Many condos have introduced telecommunication practices. However, this can present challenges when it comes to Annual General Meetings (AGMs), reaching quorum and voting situations. As a result, many condos are introducing an electronic means bylaw to…

As the coronavirus crisis continues, your condo corporation could come toe to toe with owners who feel that their common expense fees (CEFs) should be lowered or deferred. In fact, since their amenities have been cut off, owners might feel they no longer have to pay their CEFs at all. Unfortunately, this is not an…

As Ontario remains in almost full shutdown mode, condo management services have been deemed an essential service by the provincial government. While this is good news for your tenants, it can pose some challenges for your team. Your role has not changed, yet it might be more difficult for you to perform some of your…

As the City of Toronto extends its self-isolation initiatives, people living and working in condo communities are facing their own set of challenges. Property managers are required to ensure the safety of their tenants. But at the same time, they are also under the same self-isolation. And to complicate things even further, the essential versus…

Although the coronavirus seems to be spreading at a slower pace in Canada, it is important to remember it is still early days here. Therefore, condo managers and boards should have some policies in place to help reduce the spread. Condo residents might feel they are at higher risk due to living in closer quarters,…

When the infamous video of a young woman throwing a chair off an Airbnb balcony emerged last year, many Torontonians were up in arms over the dangers these short-term tenants present to the city. More recently, a triple murder and shooting sent shockwaves through the Lakeshore and Bathurst area condo community. While crime and partying…

Condo board elections take a lot of thought and consideration to ensure the board of directors is productive and effective. Finding great candidates for the role of a board member can be challenging. A board member must have a balance of honesty, experience and a sense of selflessness. This ensures the board is managed fairly.…

With the initial news that the deadly coronavirus was spreading in China, many Toronto residents couldn’t help but recall the SARS epidemic of 2003. However, after 438 probable and suspect SARS cases and 44 deaths in Canada from SARS, we have learned a lot about the spread of such viruses and are better equipped to…

Conflict between a Condo Board of Directors and residents is more common than you’d think. With so many players, it is inevitable that disagreements will arise on decisions made, issues with the condition of the building and even conflicts amongst neighbours. Trying to avoid conflict in the first place might be a good start, but…

Everything you need to know about reserve fund study. Whether you sit on a condo board of directors or own a condo, understanding the ins and outs of condo management can be a big benefit. One of the most important aspects of condo management is the reserve fund study. According to the Condominium Act, 1998…

Should you hire a property management company or can you manage your condo as a corporation? Looking for ways to cut corners in condo management can help your condo corporation remain ahead of the game financially. However, being wise in where you choose to slash costs is very important if you don’t want to increase…

Choosing the right property management company for your condo is one of the key decisions a condo board will ever make. Here is a proven strategy for selecting the best company to work with on managing your condo corporation. Condo board responsibilities First, let’s establish what condo corporations are responsible for. In Ontario, condos must…

The role and responsibilities of the Board in a condo corporation in the GTA  If you are considering joining a Board of Directors for a condo corporation in Toronto, there are many nuances to consider before making a commitment. First, understand the role of the board, what its’ members typically do, and their obligations.All condos…