An appealing option to many and often viewed as a best of both world solution, hybrid meetings can be complex and have their unique set of challenges that must be considered. With that said, here are a few tips for running a successful hybrid AGM.

As a condominium manager, a big part of your job is to enforce the corporation’s declarations, rules and bylaws. It’s a tough role, especially when residents don’t agree with the rules.

Compliance will be an important action item for condos and other multi-residential buildings this year. In 2021, the City of Toronto approved its plan to reduce community-wide greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to net-zero by 2050 or sooner. The program is similar to those already launched in other metropolitan centres like New York City and is surely the harbinger of more to come in other urban centres.

Condominium Managers of the future are condominium management students of the present. We know that these students are taking the four courses currently mandated by the CMRAO, but precious else is known about them. To date, little systematic research has been conducted to better understand these students, their demographics, backgrounds, skills, and experience.

owners want information presented to them at lightning-fast speeds. Gone are the “good old days” when property managers would go from door to door dropping off notices and newsletters. The idea that “we need information right now, not yesterday” has become the mantra throughout the condo industry.

Certain etiquette associated with online communications has relaxed compared to just a few short years ago. It is essential to recognize the benefits as they can be applied to better manage condominium conflict.

In 2020, as the global pandemic began to take hold and limitations on in-person gatherings came into play, the question of how condominiums were going to hold their mandatory annual general meetings (AGMs) arose. Meetings of all types, across all different industries, quickly moved virtual, which became the obvious solution for condominium boards.

Have you heard the phrase “keyboard warriors”; a person who makes abusive or aggressive posts on the internet? Some of you may have experienced extreme frustration with someone anonymously attacking your professionalism, credibility, or even your character online. Maybe the attacks are not anonymous; perhaps someone is blatantly and publicly propagating lies about you from behind their computer screen. They are hurtful and constitute harassment; make no mistake about it.

How does digital communication affect condominium communities? Does it force the baby boomers away from the expectation of the dated paper notices delivered to their door? Must everyone have access to a computer or a smartphone to communicate effectively? Perhaps, there are ways of reaching a happy medium.

Social media has transformed the way we receive news, share messages and access information. It is fast, free and easy to use, making it an attractive platform for communications. However, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram aren’t always ideal for companies or corporations.

Condo security concierge and patrol teams are still a crucial part of a property’s security strategy. Still, their effectiveness has been drastically enhanced with the addition of HD surveillance camera systems, biometric access controls and other high-tech tools that were once the stuff of science fiction.

Most days, life in a condo management office is mundane. Process invoices, solicit quotations, prepare board meeting packages; the list goes on. But every so often, your day goes sideways. And it frequently involves crime and the police.

Have you ever received an email where your boss or colleague asks you for a weird favour? One of the most common odd messages is a request for iTunes gift cards, but other variations either ask you to make a purchase with your own money and send PINs to the requestor or share your personal information.

It is no secret that our industry can be a magnet for fraudulent activity. If you’ve spent any time in the industry, you may have seen it firsthand or heard about it on the news. From the large-scale con jobs to more minor discreet thefts, condominiums seem designed to be targeted for this kind of activity.

In recent years condominiums have been facing a significant new threat; the cloning of access control credentials, also known as key fobs and fobs.