The overwhelming majority of property managers, board members and owners are good, well-intended honest people. Regardless, the integrity of condominium governance needs to be ingrained into all of the processes used to make decisions at the board level, especially when it pertains to elections, AGMs and other matters requiring input and voting from owners.

Most media coverage of the Champlain condo collapse focuses on the human tragedy and the lives lost – and rightly so. However, understanding what went wrong and what role the condo board played is also relevant, especially to board members of other condos. This article summarizes some information and thoughts relevant to that perspective.

Thank you for being part of ACMO. Your involvement and passion in this profession and industry gives us our strength reminds us that we are part of a professional community, and provides the spark that allows us to see our way forward into the future.

Any business that is owned and operated by humans is susceptible to mistakes. New and small business owners share that reality with large and established corporations. Whether it’s a miscalculated decision that results in a financial loss, or an aggressive goal that doesn’t pan out, mistakes will happen.

Mistakes are an inevitable fact of life. While proper care and diligence should be taken at all times to avoid mistakes, they will occur. Not all mistakes, however, result in prejudice that warrants legal or disciplinary action.

How do we swallow the uncomfortable pill of our own mistake? Admitting it, of course!

Mistakes are inevitable. While the crushing weight of personal errors can sink someone, it is the acknowledgement of such mistakes that buoys a drowning manager to redemption.

In a time where information seems to be constantly changing and sometimes contradicting itself, the last thing condo directors and owners need is for managers
to add to the confusion - or worse, outright mislead them.

In this article, we discuss how to cost-effectively create and upgrade condominiums that can be lived in, worked in, and enjoyed over the long term, even if the owner develops a disability with age. It is important to understand where the deficits are in and around the building, where accessible elements are in place, and meet Building Code and Human Rights requirements.

On December 7, 2020, the Auditor General of Ontario (the “AUDG”) released her 2020 Annual Report comprised of value-for-money audits of the provinces programs and services, one of which focused on “Condominium Oversight in Ontario.” Although the audit report included some accurate observations about the condominium industry, there were some criticisms and recommendations that may be misguided due to feedback received from a small vocal minority of dissatisfied unit owners.

It may be hard to remember, but not that long ago, people used to dream about the opportunity to work from home. The idea of sleeping in, wearing pyjama pants all day and leaving the car in the driveway seemed like the ideal scenario! Hindsight is always 20/20, but it is hard to see how we could have been so wrong.

In 2020 our society and industry faced unprecedented events in our lifetime. The COVID-19 pandemic forced us to quickly pivot and adapt to keep our clients, staff, and families safe.

As property managers in these strange times, we have all had to learn patience with our clients, our residents, contractors, our families, and each other. Our patience has been tested in all of us this year. How can residents learn to manage their expectations for 'quiet enjoyment' of their unit when EVERYONE is home and making noise?

The shift in the retail landscape from bricks and mortar to online shopping and resulting increase in parcel deliveries mean smart parcel lockers are fast becoming a must-have amenity in condos of all sizes – not only because they provide a short-term solution, but because of their adaptability to meet future needs.

Condo management providers have had to be creative to continue providing essential services in response to a pandemic. In many cases, the condo board and management company have found they are able to utilize more of the condo manager’s value. Many plan to continue with these creative solutions post-pandemic.