We instinctively understand preventative care when it comes to our health. We know that nutrition, exercise, sleep, stress management, and regular checkups affect how well we age. Buildings aren’t much different. They respond to age, weather, use, neglect, investment, and stress, not unlike the human body. When a person ignores the warning signs of declining health, the impact and results can be catastrophic. What appears to be something small and harmless, if left untreated, can become something far more serious.

If hwe approach how we manage and care for our communities the same way we should approach our bodies, the rewards are well worth the time, attention, and cost. Getting there is often the issue. Without a doubt, we can all agree that preventative maintenance, not unlike regular doctor checkups and a healthy lifestyle, is beneficial to longevity and quality of life.

Prevention Over Reaction 

Preventative care, in the long run, is cheaper, less disruptive, and better for long-term value. Like a human body, a condominium building is not static. It ages, reacts, deteriorates, and needs ongoing care. So why are so many condominium corporations living in a reactive state rather than a proactive one?

Longevity is not achieved through emergency repairs. It is achieved through consistent and disciplined preventative maintenance. Regular inspections, proper reserve fund planning, seasonal maintenance, and addressing minor issues before they escalate are all key to building longevity. Add in realistic budgets, vendor accountability, and proper documentation, and you have a recipe for success. 

Preventative maintenance shouldn’t be considered a luxury. It is a mechanism through which corporations can preserve value. Many condominium corporations are not reactive because they do not understand prevention. They are reactive because the current operating model leaves too little time, money, and capacity to be proactive.

The cost of waiting has changed. Before COVID, delaying a repair was still risky. Post-COVID, it can be financially devastating because costs have escalated exponentially. Construction cost escalation, labour shortages, material delays, insurance pressure, increased expectations from owners, and higher borrowing or special assessment risk mean that deferring maintenance is not a neutral decision. In many cases, delaying the work does not save money; it allows a manageable repair to grow into a much larger and more expensive project.

Challenges Facing Managers

If we want buildings to last, we also need the management profession to be sustainable enough to support them. According to the CAO, there are 13,318 registered condominium corporations in Ontario, representing approximately 933,751 units. As of July 5, 2025, the CMRAO reports that there are 4,311 licensed condominium managers in Ontario, including 2,612 General Licensees and 1,699 Limited Licensees. The CMRAO also reports that 868 managers did not renew their licences. 868!

With tight governance and education expectations for both new and seasoned managers, and in many cases unmanageable portfolio sizes, it is no surprise that many corporations are existing in reactive states. This is not about changing the governing practices for licensed managers. Those standards are required when you consider the responsibilities condominium managers deal with every day: emergencies, owners, boards, contractors, financials, compliance, legal issues, insurance, records, meetings, and after-hours events.

Preventative maintenance requires budgeting, attention, follow-up, documentation, and continuity. Those are difficult to deliver when the profession itself is operating in survival mode. Burnout is a major issue within the condominium community. Managers are often expected to be reachable all day, every day, and many owners fail to understand that managers have lives outside of managing their buildings. Turnover creates a lack of continuity for a corporation, including lost history, missed follow-ups, and reactive decision-making.

Technology as a Support Tool 

Over the past few years, we have seen an increase in AI and technology intended to assist managers with their day-to-day operations. The profession, however, needs to be clear that technology should not replace professional judgment. It should protect the time and attention required for professional judgment to be used properly.

Many platforms are being created to help managers track tasks, communicate with owners, manage records, support compliance, organize maintenance, and streamline repetitive administrative work. Used properly, these tools can help move condominium corporations from reactive management to preventative management. They can create reminders, preserve history, identify patterns, and help ensure important items are not lost when boards, vendors, or managers change, an especially important benefit in an industry with high manager turnover.

But technology alone will not solve the problem. A system is only useful if the information going into it is accurate, current, and acted upon. Preventative management still requires knowledgeable managers, engaged boards, realistic budgets, reliable vendors, and owners who understand that delaying maintenance rarely saves money. The future of condominium management cannot be built around managers continually taking on more work with fewer resources. We need practical systems that give managers and boards the time, information, and support needed to make sound decisions before issues become urgent.

Boards cannot expect concierge-level oversight, capital planning, emergency response, legislative compliance, and owner relations from a fee model that assumes management is clerical. If managers are expected to protect multimillion-dollar assets, interpret legislation, support boards, manage risk, oversee major projects, and respond to emergencies, compensation models need to reflect that responsibility.

Just as we would not expect a person to remain healthy by visiting a doctor only in an emergency, we cannot expect condominium buildings to remain healthy if we only respond when something fails. Buildings need checkups. They need records. They need care plans. They need budgets that reflect reality. Most importantly, they need the people responsible for them to have the time and capacity to think beyond the immediate crisis.

Preventative maintenance is not just about fixing buildings. It is about protecting communities, preserving value, reducing conflict, and creating a more sustainable future for condominium living. A healthy building does not happen by accident. It is the result of consistent care, informed decision-making, and management practices that value prevention over reaction.
Building longevity is not only about roofs, boilers, windows, asphalt, and elevators. It is about whether the corporation has the systems, people, funding, and discipline to care for those assets before they fail. If we want buildings to age well, we need to manage them with the same seriousness we apply to our own health: regular checkups, early intervention, good records, realistic planning, and the willingness to invest before crisis forces our hand.

Shiona Niven, BA, OLCM, RCM, is the President and Senior Condominium Manager of Niven Condo Management Inc., serving Waterloo Region and Wellington County. With more than 20 years of experience in governance, operations, advocacy, and public-sector service, she is committed to advancing professional standards and promoting proactive, sustainable management practices that protect condominium communities and long-term property value.
nivencm.com
 

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