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From the Spring 2021 Issue
Snapshot
A quick glance at what’s happening with ACMO and the condominium industry.
Welcome New RCMs
ACMO wishes to recognize those members who recently achieved their RCM designation, and have demonstrated a commitment to professionalism and a higher standard of condominium management. Congratulations to all!
- Marriam Abbassi, RCM
- John Balog, RCM
- Keith De Braganca, RCM
- Aaron Jaglowitz, RCM
- Yon Bom (Paul) Kim, RCM
- George Prifti, RCM
- Kishani Wijesiriwardana, RCM
- Ka Man Carmen Wong, RCM
- Peter Yung, RCM
The Auditor General’s Report on Condominium Oversight
Recently, the Office of the Auditor General of Ontario released its report, Condominium Oversight in Ontario 2020 Value-for-Money Audit. This is the Office’s first audit of the condo sector and the two authorities, the Condominium Authority of Ontario (CAO) and the Condominium Management Regulatory Authority of Ontario (CMRAO) since they were created in 2017.
In recent years, there have been a growing number of complaints and dissatisfaction from condo owners regarding condo board governance and condo management which led to the investigation and report on the condominium regulatory bodies.
The 3 main conclusions from the report were that:
- The mandates given to the Condo Authority and the Condominium Authority Tribunal are limited and do not sufficiently protect condo owners against common issues that they may encounter in their daily condo living. Many of the relevant 2015 amendments to the Act, that would provide more consumer protection, are not in force.
- The Condo Authority does not yet have effective and efficient processes in place to carry out its mandated responsibilities. Its existing mandate does not enable the Condo Authority to take the necessary actions to protect the public interest and provide more public information.
- The Management Regulatory Authority (CMRAO) does not yet have effective and efficient processes in place to resolve complaints against licensees, to conduct proactive inspections of the licensees or to actively identify unlicensed individuals and companies.
You can view the entire report at www.auditor.on.ca.
Residential Condominium Buyers’ Guide
Ontario’s Residential Condominium Buyers’ Guide was developed by the Condominium Authority of Ontario (CAO) in collaboration with the Ministry of Government and Consumer Services (MGCS) as a helpful resource for buyers of residential pre-construction/new condo units. As of January 1, 2021, section 72 (1) of the Condominium Act, 1998 will require that declarants provide the Condo Guide to buyers of residential pre-construction/new condo units.
This guide equips prospective buyers of residential pre-construction/new or resale condo units with information on condo ownership and the condo purchase process, such as, moving into a residential condo unit, condo living, and how condo owners can resolve issues. Although the Condo Guide is primarily written for new condo buyers, if you have recently purchased a unit, or even if you are a long-time condo owner, it may also be of interest to you as it covers many topics relevant to condo ownership.
You can download a copy of the Condo Guide at www.condoauthorityontario.ca
New Resources for Condo Boards & Owners
We are pleased to announce the launch of a new feature on the ACMO website, Resources for Condo Directors and Owners, for those looking for information on hiring Registered Condominium Managers and ACMO 2000 Certified management firms.
The page features links to the RCM Registry, the ACMO 2000 Certified Management Firm Registry, the ever-popular digital Professional Services & Trades Directory, supplier search, helpful articles like “Is Your Condo Well Managed?” and “How to Hire a Property Management Company,” and more. Additional resources will be added to the page as they become available.
Licensing Education Changes
Note that on November 1, 2021, responsibility for licensing education will transfer to the CMRAO and they will be introducing 6 different courses that will be required for licensing (for more information visit www.cmrao.ca). However, the four ACMO courses will continue to be valid education for a licence until October 31, 2022, provided that a person has enrolled in at least one ACMO course and applied for their Limited License before November 1, 2021. If they do this, and complete the four ACMO courses by October 31, 2022, they will be deemed to have met the education requirement for licensing. As such, those interested in pursuing a general license with a minimum of time and expense would be well advised to enroll in ACMO’s courses soon. For more information visit www.acmo.org.
Free ACMO Virtual Events
During the COVID-19 Pandemic ACMO has worked hard to provide value to their members and have migrated all events and programming to the virtual world, ensuring continued access to resources, opportunities to network, and education. As a special consideration during the pandemic, registration for the majority of ACMO events will be FREE to members. Check the Event Calendar on www.acmo.org for dates, registration and sponsorship opportunities.
Advertising & Sponsorship Opportunities with ACMO
There are many ways to promote and advertise your business and services through ACMO events and publications to get noticed by condominium managers,
management firms, condo boards and suppliers, throughout Ontario. Advertise in ACMO’s CM Magazine, ACMO Envelope Weekly Newsletter, with a digital ad
on acmo.org, or sponsor and/or exhibit at an educational event like a Virtual Luncheon or Webinar.
For information on advertising and sponsorship opportunities with ACMO, please visit www.acmo.org or email ads@acmo.org.