July 2025
Owners elected a condo director highly qualified and capable of helping to manage their corporation. That director chooses not to take the required director training course mandated by the Condominium Authority of Ontario.
Should this individual be allowed to serve as a director? They offer a high degree of experience and education. They have strong knowledge of condominium governance and management. According to the Condominium Authority of Ontario, the answer is “no”.
It is a requirement that volunteer condo directors take an online condo directors’ course by the Condominium Authority of Ontario and that they pass an online test before serving as a condo director.
This requirement provides directors with useful education yet fails on three levels.
This education may be beneficial if mandated director training increases the overall level of competency of condominium directors. Indications are that it does not. It is ludicrous that directors commit additional volunteer hours to participating in an online course and testing so easily circumvented by those choosing to do so. Individuals inclined to learn more would be better off having access to these education materials after being encouraged to read the Condo Act and their own corporation’s governing documents. They would likely be better prepared to manage the affairs of their corporation than those undergoing this mandated process.
There appears to be no enforcement mechanism for directors refusing to take this online condo directors’ course, those who do not pass, or condominium corporations that allow these individuals to serve as directors. Condominium corporations struggle with finding qualified and capable individuals willing to give of their time to help manage their home. Demanding that qualified and capable individuals give more of their time to take a government-mandated course that fails to reflect their level of education and experience does nothing to improve the management or governance of condominium communities.
Finally, the Condominium Authority of Ontario has shown itself incapable of obtaining qualified directors to oversee their operations. They need to acknowledge this failing and clean up their own organization before telling condominium directors and corporations how best to manage their operations.
It is time for the Condominium Authority of Ontario to consider another approach.
