mediator between the Board and owners; ensuring compliance of other requirements that are the responsibility of the Board. The amendments to the Condominium Act, 1998 added to the administrative services the Manager and Board must provide to owners. The timing and content for information certificates to help ensure that owners receive ongoing information about their corporation throughout the year is set by the Condominium Authority of Ontario (CAO). As more amendments are finalized, the responsibilities for Manager/management company may expand and Boards must be ready for it. Regulating Condominium Management The Condominium Management Regulatory Authority of Ontario (CMRAO) is a regulatory body created through provincial legislation ( Condominium Management Services Act, 2015), accountable to the Ontario Ministry of Government and Consumer Services (MGCS) to provide oversight of condominium Managers and management companies to protect consumers, strengthen the profession and give condominium owners the confidence in the people and companies that manage their important investment. The CMRAO is responsible to license and regulate condominium management professionals. The education requirements for condominium management licensing vary depending on the type of license, as well as the experience and education that an individual obtained prior to November 1, 2017 when mandatory licensing took effect. Now, the Registrar of the CMRAO defines the education requirements for condominium management licensing. For more information on licensing, education and more, please visit their website. A Condominium Manager is not responsible to attend to the needs of tenants on behalf of an owner. whether or not the owner has engaged a property Manager, rather, they are responsible to the Board of Directors. That is not to suggest that a Manager can ’ t be helpful, but the tenant can be referred to the owner in the manner the owner has prescribed.
What ’ s in a management company ’ s name? In the early years before the onset of condominium growth, management companies emerged under the description of “ Property Management ”, as many of the local companies are so familiarly named. Now, to facilitate the different manners of management offered, the companies market/ advertise their services specifically. Check out their websites to differentiate what you are looking for. There are management companies who can provide both types of services: “ Property ” Management – for investment or rental units on behalf of owners and “ Condominium ” Management – where the management ’ s expertise is in condominium corporations. When the search for management for a corporation is on, it is recommended that the Board has a clear vision of the corporation ’ s needs as a Board and community and to create a process of hiring that will meet them. Hiring a Manager is not a process Boards are likely to want to engage in often so diligence is important. Continued on Page 28.
CCI Review 2020/2021 —June 2021 - 25
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