Letter in Support of Proposed CAT Rules Changes
ACMO supports the proposed Condominium Authority Tribunal (CAT) updates and are encouraged by changes that reduce administrative work, improve efficiency, and strengthen fairness.
November 3, 2025
Marc Bhalla
Vice President, Policy, Programs & Dispute Resolution
Condominium Authority of Ontario
PO Box 69038, RPO St. Clair Centre
Toronto, ON M4T 3A1
Dear Marc,
We are writing on behalf of the Association of Condominium Managers of Ontario (ACMO) to voice our support of proposed changes to the Condominium Authority Tribunal (CAT).
Specifically, we are encouraged by the following changes:
Removal of administrative burden
Rule 11
This new rule makes explicit the Tribunal’s authority to combine and sever cases.
Rule 17.5
This new rule will require representatives to ensure continuity of representation. It is our view that this will control against process delays on account of changes to representation.
Rule 21.1
Where a Notice of Application to a Condominium Corporation is sent by mail, the Corporation’s address for service must be used. This information is easily and readily available using the CAO’s Registry.
Rules 26-28
Taken together, these rules require a single paper notice where the respondent or added party does not join and cases to proceed to Stage 3 – Adjudication if any respondent or added party does not join.
Consumer protection is protection of the collective good
Rule 44
Removal of the assumption of no cost recovery enables CAT to make an award where actions are unreasonable or where the CAT deems there to have been improper conduct. In our opinion, the CAT has a strong role to play in establishing appropriate “rules of engagement” in Condoland. Inappropriate, uncivil, and unreasonable actions and behaviour should be called out by the CAT whenever they are encountered. As an independent third party, the CAT can be viewed to be the voice of reason and “solid citizens” articulating and in fact enforcing standards of civility and proper conduct. Costs in addressing frivolous, vexatious, and unreasonable CAT actions should not be borne by your average condominium owner (the Condominium Corporation). Instead, they should be borne by the bad actor.
Other
Rule 16
This rule explicitly requires users to use their own accounts and that they not be shared. We would go a step further in advocating for the CAO’s facilitation of, for example, a complainant who cannot (or will not) online tools/resources.
We would welcome the opportunity to meet with you to discuss future looking policies and to develop course content specific to the CAT dispute resolution processes. We further encourage the CAO to adopt a formalized stakeholder consultation process prior to any expansion. We believe that there is an opportunity for CAT expansion to be a tool for lessening conflict, building understanding, and articulating a tone of correspondence, dialogue and decision making in Condoland. We are however, wary of unintended consequences. As embedded professionals in Condoland we believe we offer a unique vantage point to assist in the formulation of the regulatory framework for future CAT expansion.
Yours truly,
Katherine Gow
Executive Director of ACMO
Mark Daye
President of ACMO
CC: Hon. Stephen Crawford
MD/kg
