Condominium Manager Magazine

We've all been there at some point, or heard the stories of a dysfunctional condo board. Whether it's unclear expectations, too many meetings, lack of leadership or toxic in-fighting, it's a situation no property manager wants to face. Regrettably, these scenarios are far too common and lead to manager burnout and turnover.

For decades, urban and suburban centres across Ontario have been reshaped by sprouting towers and low-rise townhome residential units, many of them condominiums. The goal has been to accommodate a rapidly growing population with denser urban planning and construction, resulting in a surge of new condo residences. But what happens when there aren’t enough qualified property managers available to help management companies ensure the success of these communities?

Along with the rise in fatal residential home fires, in 2023, we have seen a 10% increase in fires in high-rise residential buildings. With our people and buildings at higher risk than ever since smoke alarms became mandatory, what changes can we expect?

Condominium residential communities require efficient management and security measures to ensure the safety and well-being of their residents. In this regard, condo security guards and concierge staff play a vital role. This article delves into the training provided to these professionals, exploring how their expertise and preparedness enable them to effectively manage emergencies and mitigate legal situations in partnership with property managers and the board of directors.

Condominium property managers and board directors face various challenges when selecting the perfect construction process and company for their common area refurbishment projects. With this article, I intend to take a lighthearted journey with you down the rabbit hole of condominium refurbishment.

Residential properties are an important asset, whether owned as a primary residence or an investment. When they are condominium properties, several people with varying interests influence the decisions to maintain the common elements that impact the asset’s value.

While gas stations are abundant, Electric Vehicle Charging Systems are in short supply, so the federal government has introduced the Zero Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program to help fund the installation of EVCS across the country. The funding is available via various delivery organizations and can cover up to 50% of project costs to install EVCS in commercial, industrial and multi-unit residential buildings, including condominiums.

2023 will be an important year for townhouses, row houses, low-rise condominiums, and the fight against greenhouse gas emissions. This year, generous grants are available to replace old windows with new, state-of-the-art, energy-efficient ones.

Condominium living offers a sense of community and security, but as with any community, incidents of violence can occur. As a manager, board member or staff member, it’s essential to be proactive in ensuring the safety of residents and coworkers. The following are steps that condominium communities can take to minimize the risk of violence and be prepared to respond in the event of an emergency.

Building owners and property managers should be aware of the importance of preventative maintenance procedures for electrical distribution and emergency generators and the responsibility to protect their longevity, safety, and critical infrastructure to avoid unexpected equipment failure.

We know that more families than ever are struggling with debt, and many are too embarrassed to seek financial help. As a condo manager, you likely see signs from some of your owners but may not be aware that they are financially stressed. Let’s look into some tell-tale signs that you can watch out for.

Every year, more Canadians switch to Electric Vehicles (EVs), with Quebec, British Columbia, and Ontario leading the way in vehicle sales and charging infrastructure. With the growing popularity of EVs, more and more residents will expect to be able to charge their vehicles in their own parking spots overnight. By working with your residents and getting ahead of the demand by planning for EV charging now, you can prevent costly time-sensitive work in the future while keeping your residents happy.

Refurbishment projects in condominiums often wrongfully use the CCDC2 contract for a design-build contractual arrangement. This practice, despite its commonality, is a risky approach.

Property managers and board of directors in condominiums are looking to solve or prevent problems in existing buildings/renovations. Owners are simply trying to follow their condo regulation chart when renovating floors. They do that by looking at soundproof ratings, which can often become a nightmare. Is the high-performance number advertised the right thing to look at to make a good decision? The answer is yes, but there are also several factors to be taken into consideration.

Property Managers are not typically mindful of elevator codes and developments. However, incoming amendments to jurisdictionally adopted elevator codes (related to elevator safety and emergency features) will affect capital expenditure planning (CapEx) whether these are initially considered or not.