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2. Key Court Decisions in affect your condo’s declarations or poli- around reserve funds. New rules may
Condominium Law cies? If not, now’s the time to review require condos to contribute more to
You might not always follow court them—preferably with legal advice. This their reserve funds to cover long-term
cases, but some recent rulings have can save you a lot of headaches (and repairs. This could mean revisiting
a direct impact on how we manage possibly court costs) down the road. your budget and working closely with
condos. For instance, a recent court Communication is another huge part the board to plan for these potential
case clarified what happens when of compliance. As a manager, it’s your increases, ensuring you aren’t hit with
condo boards make decisions about job to make sure owners and residents financial surprises.
shared amenities—something that understand the rules and the reason-
came up a lot during the pandemic. The ing behind them. Sending out clear Conclusion
takeaway? Boards have a lot of power, notices, hosting Q&A sessions, or even Staying compliant with Ontario’s
but they have to be reasonable and fair organizing a casual meet-up to explain ever-changing condo regulations isn’t
in how they exercise it. So, whether new changes can go a long way toward always easy, but it’s a critical part of
it’s closing a gym for maintenance or avoiding misunderstandings. managing a successful building. The
changing access to common areas, Lastly, keep records of everything. legal environment can shift quickly,
make sure your decisions are docu- Seriously—everything. From board and it’s up to property managers to
mented and justifiable. decisions to maintenance logs, having stay ahead of these changes to protect
Another case brought up the ques- well-documented records is a lifesaver their communities. By understanding
tion of enforcement. Owners now when something goes wrong, and you the latest updates, staying proac-
have more rights when it comes to need to prove that you followed the tive in your practices, and preparing
challenging bylaw enforcement, so proper procedures. for what’s next, you’ll be in the best
if your board is being heavy-handed, position to keep your condominium
they could end up in hot water. This 4. Looking Ahead: Anticipating corporation running smoothly in 2024
highlights the importance of clear, Future Regulatory Changes and beyond. n
consistent, and fair enforcement of Even though 2024 has brought a lot
rules. If your residents feel like they’re of changes, we’re not done yet. One of Timothy Chase is an experienced
being targeted unfairly, it’s likely to the big topics on the horizon is elec- property manager specializing in
result in disputes—and those can get tric vehicle (EV) charging stations. As condominium management and op-
expensive fast. more residents start driving EVs, they’ll erations. With a focus on regulatory
expect charging infrastructure in their compliance and enhancing resident
3. Compliance Best Practices condo buildings. But installing these satisfaction, Tim brings a wealth of
for Property Managers stations isn’t as simple as it sounds, and knowledge to property oversight and
We all know it’s better to prevent the rules around them are still being team leadership. He is passionate
problems than fix them later. One of the ironed out. Managers need to stay about creating efficient, well-managed
best ways to stay ahead is by regularly informed about what’s coming, so they communities and is dedicated to con-
reviewing your governing documents. can help boards navigate these requests tinuous professional development in
Are your bylaws up to date? Have you without violating any laws. the property management field.
checked whether recent legal changes We’re also seeing more discussion brilliantproperty.ca

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