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Thank you 2 million times!

We launched the CondoAdviser blog on a cold evening, on March 24, 2015.  Nine years later, on February 29, we hit the milestone of 2 million views! Since then, amazing #CondoGeeks have contributed to the blog, including Jocelyn Duquette, Graeme Macpherson, David Plotkin, Nailah Ramsoomair. Over the last 9 years: We have published some 492 posts; […]

Webinar: Deep dive on condo insurance PART 2 (Wed. March 6 @ 5pm)

This webinar is the second of our series on condo insurance.  In this episode discuss the pros and cons of Standard Unit by-laws and Insurance Deductible by-laws. We also opened the floor to questions from our viewers. You can watch a recording of this episode. CPE Credits: This activity has been approved for 1.0 CPE […]

Smoking in condos does not always amount to nuisance

While lots of condos have become smoke free, many either don’t regulate smoking or granted legacy rights to existing smokers. The result is that, when owners complain about smoke in their units, both sides rely on their nose to argue that the other side is wrong about the degree of nuisance. In a recent case, the CAT ruled on whether a “sniff test” constituted an adequate investigation into a smoke complaint.

Condos must enforce their visitor parking rules

Here is another case involving visitor parking.  In this case, the CAT ordered the condo to enforce its existing rules and to implement measures to better regulate the use of their visitor parking. Facts of the case The condo complex at the centre of this litigation has 25 common element visitor parking spaces for approximately […]

Webinar: Deep dive on condo insurance – Part I

The single most complicated issue in condo land is insurance. Not a day goes by without clients asking us what insurance is required; who pays for damage to a unit; who pays the deductible amount.  And not a single day goes by where we don’t answer: “It depends”.  Let’s clarify this question once and for […]

Can AGM packages be sent to condo owners by email?

Since last October, condo corporations are permitted to send notices to owners by email.  Our readers have asked us whether this applies to AGM packages as well.  Search no more, here’s the answer. Recent changes to the Act The “Less Red Tape, Stronger Economy Act” (Bill 91) received royal assent last June. This Act modernized the Condo […]

Are clients of home businesses allowed to use the visitor parking?

Most condo corporations have very limited visitor parking available to them. This requires that their use be regulated and monitored to ensure that they are available to bona fide visitors. In a recent decision, the CAT had to rule on whether owners could use the visitor parking for home office clients. Interesting lessons. It may […]

Who pays for shared expenses when there is no shared facilities agreement?

Usually, condo corporations sharing assets or equipment have in place cost sharing agreements. But in many cases, there aren’t such agreements or those in place are inadequate. The question in today’s post: who pays for shared expenses in these cases? The Court of Appeal has recently ruled on this in one of our cases. Facts […]

Are “Owners’ Handbooks” Enforceable?

Many condo corporations set out their rules in “owners’ handbooks” or  “guidebooks” that are passed down from board to board. In many cases, how and when these “rules” were adopted is lost to history. This can cause significant challenges to condos when it comes time to enforce these rules or, as in a recent court […]

Frosty the Boardman (Ode to CondoLand)

Here we are, reaching the end of another year! As most are winding down for the season, we offer our traditional Christmas blog post! As we have done these last few years, we offer to revisit a Christmas classic and adapt it to CondoLand. This year, we present our version of the well-known song Frosty […]