As a property manager, you are expected to be the jack-of-all-trades, and it is challenging navigating through so many different trades and disciplines in your buildings. The following practices are something that any contractor appreciate in the daily interactions we have with property managers.

ACMO 2000 certification is a best practice standard that has been vetted in the industry and represents the gold standard for condominium management. It gives us confidence that what we are doing and how we are doing it is not just “our” way – it’s the best way.

Energy benchmarking is one of the easiest ways to begin to manage your building’s operating costs. Having a sound understanding of how much your building consumes energy and water is an excellent way to identify opportunities for efficiency and recommissioning, as well as adopting a more strategic approach to managing
your building’s costs.

People suffering from mental illness in a condominium setting, as in any community, represent a diverse group. They are persons experiencing many different types of health conditions, including anxiety, depression, phobias, hoarding, paranoia, schizophrenia, and dementia – and the list goes on. Each disability condition can range from mild to severe. Some people with mental illness require accommodation within the condominium setting – many others do not.

Understanding your building’s cultural demographics is essential to build a sense of community, especially if there is a heavy concentration of residents in the building with ties to the same culture or region of the world.

This could be the year that companies really start taking active steps to improve diversity in the workplace, but change won’t happen on its own.

The many advantages of condominium living mean that this lifestyle is appealing to a variety of different individuals. This diversity of condominium owners and occupants has the potential to create wonderful, well-rounded communities, but it can also present challenges, particularly when there is a lack of understanding about differences between the various populations.

The issue of systemic racism needs to acknowledged and confronted. It challenges our perceived roles and makes us complicit in what is happening today. Whether an organization or society, everyone plays a key role in accepting, and most importantly, embracing our differences, regardless of your ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation or political beliefs.

The so-called ‘new normal’ thrust on us by the pandemic is anything but normal. The pandemic is unprecedented and came with challenges most of us were ill-prepared to deal with.

Condominium corporations and directors should encourage more diversity among the owners who run for their boards. Currently, people from minority backgrounds are underrepresented in board positions. Too few are even remotely interested in running for open positions.

We are truly living in unprecedented times with the global spread of COVID-19. The health of your residents has become a top priority, and the importance of maintaining indoor air quality is something property managers and the board of directors must consider going forward.

In this issue: ACMO’s welcomes its new directors and holds its first virtual AGM, temporary changes to condo law end, GTA adopts mask by-law, energy and water use benchmarking helps reduce condominium costs, and the Energy Star treasure hunt.

Replacing your asphalt is likely one of the most substantial expenses a townhome or commercial condominium will experience, along with roof replacement. Projects of this size affect the corporation’s financial situation and must be included in reserve planning. Paving projects are disruptive and can negatively impact both the residents and site aesthetics if not done correctly.

These unprecedented times have presented many new challenges to the condominium management profession. For the first time, managers have had to focus as much on the health of their community as on managing the property. Managers became “essential workers,” demonstrating the professionalism, adaptability and flexibility that lies under the surface of what we do every day.

With the federal government’s national target of 10% EV market share by 2025, Ontario’s anticipated rise in the number of electric vehicles requires that both residential and commercial condominiums are prepared. That means ensuring that proper planning and infrastructure are in place to serve the current and future requirements of
their owner’s EV charging stations.