Year: 2015
Amendments to the Condo Act: the New Condo Authority and Condo Tribunal
As announced in our post of May 27, the province of Ontario finally released its much anticipated proposed amendments to the Condominium Act. If made into law, Bill 106 will serve to amend our 15 year old Condominium Act as well as other legislation pertaining to condominiums in Ontario. For instance, Bill 106 would amend certain portions […]
Email Exchanges Between Directors Can Be Defamatory
Directors should be careful about what they email to one another or what they email to owners. There are plenty of instances where communications between directors (or communications to owners) have lead to defamation lawsuits. Defamation covers any communication that tends to lower the esteem ordinary members of the public may have of someone. Sometimes, even innuendos […]
Should Your Condo Corporation Pay HST If It’s Not Specifically Included in a Quote?
Have you ever faced a situation where a contractor requested taxes over the quoted price? How much should your condominium corporation budget for if all that the contractor quoted was a flat amount without details as to whether it includes HST or not? HST has to be paid and parties cannot contract out of it. However, […]
What to Do When AirBNB Moves into Your Condominium Complex?
Many condominium corporations have had to struggle with owners (or occupants) leasing their units on short-term basis, through AirBNB or other similar short-term rental organizations. These kinds of rentals increase traffic and the burden on the rest of the condominium community, while reducing the safety and security of all. This post aims at providing corporations […]
Employers Must Display Employment Standard Information
To ensure that employers understand their obligations and that employees know their rights, the Ontario Minister of Labour has published an Employment Standards Poster entitled “Employment Standards in Ontario”. If your condominium corporation has employees (such as a Superintendent or cleaning staff), it is required to post and distribute this poster. The poster describes important rights […]
Amendments to the Condominium Act Are Finally Released!
The wait is finally over! The Amendments to the Condominium Act have finally been introduced at Queen’s Park on May 27, 2015. The text of this bill, which is formally entitled “An Act to amend the Condominium Act, 1998, to enact the Condominium Management Services Act, 2015 and to amend other Acts with respect to condominiums” can finally […]
Can Condo Board Meetings Be Held Electronically?
With today’s technology, it is very easy for anyone to participate in meetings by telephonic, electronic or other communication means. We are often asked by condo directors whether it is possible to hold their board meetings electronically as opposed to having in-person meetings. The answer is yes, provided that the following conditions are respected. Section 35(5) of the Condominium […]
Condominiums Have an Obligation to Prevent Smoking in Common Areas
Also read our more recent blog post: Changes to the Smoke-free Act Affecting Condos. Earlier this year, the province of Ontario prohibited smoking on patios of restaurants and bars. We already blogged on whether this new prohibition prevented smoking on exclusive-use balconies in condominiums. While this recent change in the legislation does not appear to […]
Failing to Repair and Maintain Common Elements Can Amount to Oppression
In a case released this week, an Ontario court concluded that it is sometimes insufficient for condominiums to simply investigate and passively attempt to resolve problems with common elements. In Wu v. Peel Condominium Corporation No. 245 the court concluded that the condominium’s delays and failure to address the source of excessive noise and vibration emanating from the […]
Can Condos Prohibit Smoking on Balconies?
Also read our more recent blog post (Oct. 2018): Changes to the Smoke-Free Act Affecting Condos. As part of the province’s Smoke-Free Ontario Strategy, Ontario has taken a further step towards a smoke-free Ontario. As of January 1st, 2015, it is illegal to smoke on or around children’s playgrounds, publicly owned sports fields/surfaces and all bar […]