A Community Associations Institute Lunch & Learn Event
April 2018
Last month Community Associations Institute brought together industry leaders to speak at a Lunch & Learn event Guide to Understanding the Amended Ontario Condo Act and Regulations. Hundreds of condo directors, residents and condominium managers came to learn how the New Condo Act and Condominium Authority of Ontario (CAO) impact on them.
Attendees developed a better understanding of how the CAO operates, scope of its authority, and what can be expected.
The Condominium Authority of Ontario is one of 14 administrative authorities under Ontario government oversite. As with other administrative authorities, the CAO has no authority to make decisions such as deciding what mandatory forms are required, revising forms, or expanding the scope of issues heard by the Condominium Authority Tribunal (CAT). These matters are decided by the Ontario Government which relies on the CAO for recommendations and 
implementation.
Mandated disclosures, timelines and standardized forms are expected to eliminate much of the uncertainty about condo management and communications. As with any consumer focused organization, changes to what currently exists are to be expected as input is received, data gathered and decisions made.
The CAO is required to implement many aspects of the New Condo Act as mandated in legislation and according to legislated timelines. Some implementations have gone well. Others will require modification. Presenters and attendees shared frustrations with the current structure of mandatory forms and systems which lack a consumer orientation. They can be confusing, hard to understand or require unavailable information. Expectations are that these early implementation issues will be resolved.
The Condominium Authority of Ontario is establishing a structure for condo communications and reporting that did not previously exist. This is an ongoing process where initial information and structure needs to exist before improvements can be made. The CAO is expected to evolve so that it serves consumers to the best of its ability.
Thank you to the Community Associations Institute and those presenting for this informative event.
Information on the Condominium Authority of Ontario and the New Condo Act is available in the Condo Archives. See Condo Governance, Condominium Authority of Ontario.
