Coming soon: updates to the Condominium Act (and two chances to air grievances)
The provincial government is reaching out to the million condo dwellers in Ontario to help upgrade the 1998 Condominium Act into something a bit more modern. The Liberals have launched public consultations to tackle consumer protection for buyers, condo board governance, reserve fund management and dispute resolution, all of which should help owners navigate some of the less-than-awesome aspects of owning a condo (incidentally, the subject of Toronto Life’s July cover story). The idea seems stolen from inspired by Trinity-Spadina MPP Rosario Marchese’s private member’s bill to create a condo review board, which recently passed the second reading in the House and is also at the public consultation stage. So for anyone who wants to gripe about maintenance fees or shoddy balconies, this summer will provide ample opportunity. [Toronto Star]
About time!
I’m going after the city of Toronto to repair my home – the Gardiner Expressway. It ain’t easy living under a bridge but things are finally looking up!
To clarify, the idea was neither stolen, nor inspired, by Mr. Marchese’s private member’s bill. In fact, some of the provisions in Mr. Marchese’s bill were taken from the real originators of the push for change: the legislative review teams from ACMO (the Association of Condominium Managers of Ontario) and CCI (the Canadian Condominium Institute). The various lawyers, managers, engineers, accountants, condo board members and unit owners of ACMO and CCI have been proposing and advocating for wide-spread, comprehensive and rational changes to the legislation relentlessly for years. Mr. Marchese’s bill, on the other hand, appears largely motivated by a small group of angry homeowners with a blatantly biased agenda.
One much needed amendment is one person per 100 square feet allowed to live in a condo…how about per bedroom space only. I live in a 3 bedroom condo, just the two of us, and legally I can have 11 people live here. I’m too old and not afraid of the dark anymore to live or hide in a closet! Also the heating bylaw seems to get missed with condo owners…jeez I wasn’t aware our buildings are so much warmer than apartment buildings or homes….you live and you learn! Please include condos in the heating bylaw!!!