Condo Yin and Yang – Who is moving in next door?

It is important for board members and managers to have an understanding of various cultural and religious beliefs of the residents in their communities. Interesting issues will sometimes crop up which may not appear to be relevant to certain individuals…

Rule Enforcement Against Unit Owners

Those of us who practice in this area spend a good portion of our time dealing with situations involving unit owners and condo residents who breach the rules established by the condominium corporation. Whether it is the young couple with…

Fraud in Condos- ACMO/CCI Conference

 On November 4th and 5th,  the Canadian Condominium Institute – Toronto Branch and the Association of Condominium Managers of Ontario held their annual joint conference.  The conference was well attended by property managers, condominium lawyers, board members, real estate agents, service…

Owners Request for Records

What records are unit owners entitled to inspect and how should boards and property management respond? Section 55 of the Condominum Act provides some guidance as to what constitutes a “record” and what records owners do not have the right…

Condo Owner Removed from Unit

  The Superior Court’s recent decision in Waterloo North Condominium Corporation No. 168 v. Webb, 2011 ONSC 2365 is a rare example of the court using its discretion to order a unit owner to sell his unit. In this case,the…

Have You Looked at Your Rules Lately? Part 2

In a recent blog we commented that many condominiums are still using rules prepared by the developer, which may not adequately address the concerns of the condominium community.  From a compliance perspective the condominium corporation is in a stronger position when it has a…

Condo Accessibility- New Standards

Accessibility Standards for Customer Service: The Clock is Ticking…  The clock is ticking for condominium buildings: beginning January 1, 2012, private sector organizations in Ontario will be required to comply with the first of five standards to be developed under…

Denise Lash’s Latest Column for Condominia Magazine

In the latest issue of Condominia Magazine, Denise discusses communicating with condo management before hanging up your holiday decorations in your condo: There may also be different policies for decorations located in the common areas of a building (for example, a lobby)…

Protection of Employees-Prosecution of Corporations

In a unique prosecution arising in Alberta, Garda Canada Security Corp. has pleaded guilty to a charge of failing to protect a female worker under the working alone provisions of the Alberta OHSA.  Amongst other provisions, the Alberta OHSA requires…

Condo Owner Frustration – Animal Cruelty or Pest Control?

What happens when a unit owner is frustrated by the board’s inaction and takes matters into her own hands? A dead peacock, a near conviction of second degree cruelty to animal and a potential lawsuit against the board. Sandra Maloney,…