Reliable and timely advice for all of your condominium legal needs in Ontario.

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Year: 2023

Vitual AGMs and Electronic voting are here to stay!

The “Less Red Tape, Stronger Economy Act” (Bill 91) received royal assent yesterday, which will amend the Condo Act to: permit condos to hold virtual or hybrid meetings; permit voting to be done electronically; and, facilitate how notices and other documents are sent to owners. The above will be allowed without the requirement of passing […]

Can I BBQ on my Condo Balcony?

It’s BBQ season! With it, comes questions pertaining to BBQ safety and neighbourly etiquette.  This is particularly true in condo living and even more so when one lives in a mid to high-rise complex, where occupants have the exclusive use of a balcony. A recurring question is whether BBQs are allowed on condo terraces and balconies. […]

Owner exempt from special assessment due to deficient Status Certificate

In one of our recent cases, a judge ruled that the issuance of a deficient status certificate was oppressive and that the condo owner was exempt from having to pay their prorated share of a special assessment. This case contains important lessons for all corporations and managers who issue a status certificate. Facts of this […]

Changes to how the Condo Act will deal with owners’ email addresses

On April 3, Ontario introduced proposed amendments to the Condo Act to enhance flexibility for condo corporations wishing to implement certain virtual and electronic processes.  We already blogged about this. In this context, the province is seeking your input on proposed changes to the Condo Act‘s general regulation and specifically on how to treat owners’ email […]

Change to the Condo Act: Are virtual meetings and electronic voting (finally) here to stay?

Ontario is introducing changes to the Condo Act to provide condo corporations more flexibility to implement virtual meetings and electronic voting.  These changes are being presented pursuant to Bill 91, named “Less Red Tape, Stronger Economy Act, 2023”.   You can review the bill here. Summary of changes If passed, this legislation will: enable condos to hold […]

Can condo corporations tow cars who are in breach of parking rules?

The Condo Tribunal was recently asked to rule on whether it was reasonable for the condo corporation to tow a car that was in breach of the parking rules.  It seems that the answer is “yes, but not always”. Once more, reasonableness is the key consideration. Facts of the case Less than a week after […]

Are condo owners entitled to get the name and address of other owners

You’d be surprised how often we’re asked whether condo owners are entitled to get the names and addresses of other owners. I was surprised we didn’t have a blog post on this (our existing posts having focused on the other pesky question of whether owners can get their neighbour’s email address).   So here it is, […]

Webinar: Tenants in condos (Wed. March 1 @ 5pm)

Cohabitation between owners occupying their units, those leasing them out and tenants is not always easy. As a result, there has been an increasing number of condo cases involving tenants.  What most of these cases bring to light is the overlapping but conflicting legislation regulating condos and that regulating tenancies. Are there different classes of […]

Both tenant and landlord responsible for tenant’s disruptive conduct

A recent case out of the Condo Tribunal highlights very important (and costly) lessons for both the owner and tenant of a unit following a chronic pattern of disruptive and aggressive behaviour on the tenant’s part, which unreasonably interfered with the comfort and quiet enjoyment by other residents. Landlords may want to pay attention to […]

Storage lockers in underground parking garage against Fire Code?

In a recent decision, the Ontario Fire Safety Commission ordered a residential condo corporation to remove all items stored in 52 wired caged storage locker units located on various levels of its underground garage because they were in breach of the Ontario Fire Code. An important (and likely costly) decision raising issues of life, safety […]