The Condominium Authority is Up and Running!

We’re now into September (I can’t believe it!); and the province has announced that the Condominium Authority is now “in service”.

Some of the key purposes of the CAO will be as follows:

1.  An overall source of information for Ontario’s condominium community.

2.  On-line, mandatory training of condominium directors.

[There are already some “training modules” on the CAO website, but the website also includes the following note:

NOTE: Directors of condominium boards will be required to complete mandatory training at a later date in order to continue as a board member.  Completing the modules below will not count towards this requirement.  Stay tuned to our website for more information on CAO’s mandatory training program for directors.]

3.  Special Resources for condominium owners and residents (including template letters for certain dealings with condominium corporations and managers; how-to guides, information about changes to condominium law, and general information about condominium living).

4.  Help for condominium owners, residents and corporations in resolving certain issues between them, including on-line dispute resolution for certain types of disputes, through the Condominium Authority Tribunal.

Although the CAO is now up and running, it won’t really be “fully ready for business” until November 1^st – which is when the first phase of the amendments (to the Condominium Act and Regulations) will come into force.   And even then, the CAO will only be dealing with matters covered by the first phase amendments.  For instance, it appears to me that the dispute resolution service – in the beginning – will only be dealing with disputes in relation to records (including owners’ requests for records).

So, there is still a ways to go before the CAO will be “in full swing”.

You can obtain much more information about the new Condominium Authority of Ontario (CAO) at the CAO website:  www.condoauthorityontario.ca.

Stay tuned to Condo Law News for more blogs about amendments to the Condominium Act and upcoming events .