Condo Owners Association Ontario

Members of the Board:  An eCircular from The Condo Owners Association alerted me to an information meeting staged by the Ontario Ministry of Consumers Affairs at the Toronto Central YMCA the evening of September 12.  I attended as a stakeholder and as I did not recognize a member of the BOD among the audience I though it could be useful to provide information on proceedings.

The meeting, chaired by the Minister Kathleen Wynne, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing  was intended for information - explaining the process for earlier announced review of the Condominium Act 1998.  Details may be found on the following webpage:

http://www.sse.gov.on.ca/mcs/en/Pages/oncondo_about.aspx

The session was well attended and although the purpose was for information only,it developed into a fairly raucous affair.  It is apparent there is latent anger among condo owners directed at developers, managers and boards of directors over a wide variety of grievances.  The review, of course, is intended to identify and remedy the source of grievances through legislative amendment.  Provincial representatives hastened to assure the audience that the review process would be collaborative, a step beyond consultation.  There was hearty criticism of an intent to include condo renters in this collaborative process.  In near unanimous fashion, the audience repudiated this intent on grounds that resident owners were the major parties suffering discrimination and lack of rights under the current Act.  It seems, however, that the first part of the collaborative process is already underway and that renters are included.

A complex range of issues is included in the review.  Representing interests closer to home, President and CEO Linda Pinizzotto and Director Derrick Thomas of COA Ontario were present and spoke to the issue of funding of Reserve Funds.  In past years, Symphony Place held membership in COA Ontario and they were effective in supporting earlier attempts to bring about amendments to the Act.  I came away from the meeting with hard copies of handouts from the Province and two other persistent associations lobbying for reform.  Copies will be left with management for the information of the BOD.  Provincial representatives promised that progress reports would be published on the official website.