In today's technology-driven lifestyle, enhancing digital automation has become a priority for increasing efficiency and boosting resident engagement. Cutting-edge automation technology now allows the automation of multiple tasks, such as scheduling repairs, monitoring building systems and communications with residents. This timely, automated approach can result in faster response times and improved resident experience while lowering operational costs.

That said, condo corporation boards are responsible for ensuring these automated systems are safe, dependable, and respectful of residents' privacy. While the promise of enhanced automation leading to more consistently satisfactory resident experiences sounds like the logical direction for property managers, digital security and privacy considerations must be paramount to safeguard critical, sensitive resident data and build infrastructure. This means a dedicated effort must be made to ensure that software is implemented correctly and kept up to date. The ever-changing legal foundation means all processes and tools must conform to the applicable privacy laws in each property's geographic jurisdiction.

Condo boards understand the need to evolve their technology, and property managers must understand this need in their building portfolios. In turn, boards should use automation, privacy, and security enhancement tools as key resources to modernize their residents' living experiences. By prioritizing and staying vigilant in these areas, condo boards can fully benefit from automation efficiencies while maintaining their communities' trust and well-being.

Promoting Digital Automation

Today's leading condo property managers and boards manage their properties more effectively by employing digital automation. By automating routine tasks, condo boards can better use their time by shifting their focus to strategic planning and community engagement. Today's automation technologies can handle maintenance requests, track inventory, and monitor building systems in real-time to address issues promptly and efficiently with minimal human resources. In serving to continually improve residents' quality of life, automation further enhances overall property management.

Statistics show that automated systems can reduce maintenance costs by up to 30% and improve response times to maintenance requests [1][2]. Digital automation can facilitate better communication between the board and residents. Automated messaging systems can inform residents about upcoming maintenance, community events, and important notices. This fosters a sense of community where residents feel engaged and informed.

Right Sizing a Cyber Solution for Condo Management

While digital automation offers numerous benefits, it also presents challenges that condo boards must address. The duty of care requires boards to act in the best interests of the community, make informed decisions, and ensure the reliability and security of automated systems. Failure to do so can result in breaches of trust and legal liability.

Cybersecurity is a critical concern when integrating digital automation products. Cyberattacks can cause data breaches and unauthorized access, compromising the safety and privacy of residents' information and building infrastructure. Boards must implement robust cybersecurity measures to protect against these threats and ensure the integrity of digital automated systems.

Cyber, Privacy Law, and Duty of Care for Boards

In Canada, privacy laws such as the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA)[3] set clear standards for how organizations must handle personal data. PIPEDA requires private-sector organizations—including condo corporations—to obtain meaningful consent before collecting personal information, ensure secure data handling, and provide individuals with access to their information. These obligations apply to any digital automation tools used in building operations, from smart HVAC controls to resident communication platforms.

For condo boards, fulfilling their duty of care involves more than just basic compliance—it means proactively safeguarding residents' personal information. This starts with carefully assessing the security and trustworthiness of any adopted automated technologies. Boards should evaluate vendors, understand the core functionality of the technology, and consider any risks that might arise from its use.

Maintaining secure systems also requires setting up processes for regular updates, security patches, and real-time monitoring. Cybersecurity best practices—such as those outlined in international standards and frameworks—can serve as useful benchmarks. Routine vulnerability testing and secure digital certificates can further strengthen defences. Trusted automated technologies to monitor the network used by the building is an integral pillar of safeguarding the building and the data it possesses.

Compliance with privacy laws indicates that the board should account for privacy implications in their decisions, such as with a privacy impact assessment (PIA), to identify and mitigate risks associated with personal data processing. Boards should perform a PIA—which is like a business impact analysis— for all digital automation products and any change that deals with personal information. Transparency is key: residents should be informed about how their data is being collected, used, and protected. Investing in privacy-enhancing technologies—like encryption, anonymization, network monitoring, and role-based access controls—can provide additional protection and foster trust.

Conclusion

Digital automation is the future of effective condo management, and that future is upon us. Today's automation technologies offer a powerful opportunity to transform how condo communities engage with residents and manage maintenance. With so many new digital systems, the need for system and network monitoring has never been greater. These protective systems enable the rest of the digital automation stack to securely conduct repair scheduling and resident communications while significantly improving operational efficiency and overall quality of life. This era of innovation comes with greater responsibility—condo boards must exercise their duty of care such that automated systems are safe, reliable, and compliant with privacy laws. This means going beyond convenience to focus on cybersecurity best practices, such as implementing strong protections, following frameworks, and carefully evaluating vendors and technology for potential risks.

Privacy compliance is equally critical. Boards must ensure that digital tools handle residents' personal information responsibly, by conducting PIAs, using privacy-enhancing technologies, and keeping residents informed about how their data is used. Doing so reduces legal exposure and builds trust.

By putting safety, security, and privacy at the forefront, condo boards—working closely with their property managers and trusted vendors—can embrace the benefits of digital automation while maintaining the confidence and trust of their communities. As these technologies evolve, a thoughtful and proactive approach will be essential to ensuring that innovation enhances, rather than compromises, the well-being of residents.

Jessica Allen is a Property Manager who oversees residential and commercial properties with a focus on smooth operations, ensuring building systems run efficiently and are well-coordinated to support long-term value and community well-being.

Shawn Ford helps businesses turn chaos into resilience. As a lawyer and crisis strategist, he equips leaders with the tools to tackle cyber threats, manage crises, and protect what matters most.

George Al-Koura is a cybersecurity executive and career security practitioner. He is also an entrepreneur and proud Canadian Armed Forces veteran.

Mohamed Jama helps businesses safeguard their future. With over a decade in insurance and a sharp focus on cyber and tech risks, he turns complex risk challenges into financial protection strategies.

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