March 2024

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  • Apathy Leads to Racketeering, Money Laundering and Grand Theft – Apathy among condo owners is the greatest threat to condominium communities
  • Misunderstanding the Condo Audit – How can a condominium corporation deliver audited financial statements with a clean opinion letter yet be in financial difficulty?
  • PIC Power: Keeping Condo Owners in the Know
  • Failure to Pay Fees
  • Recognizing a Good Condo Board
  • Great People with Awesome Intentions
  • Loneliness is on the Rise
  • Secret Voting, Proxies and Quorum
  • Too Much Noise
  • The Persuasion Playbook
  • Status Certificate Red Flags
  • New Elevator Compliance Costs – Clarification
  • Practical Ways to Recycle, Reuse and Reduce
  • Taking a Stand on Smoking Cannabis
  • Preparing for the Annual General Meeting
  • In Praise of E-Bikes
  • Solving the No Parking Dilemma
  • The Times they are a Changing
  • Access to the Superintendent

February 2024

  • Condo Election Speeches – The art of b******t – Many director-candidates claim to have experience that, when facts are considered, is less impressive – Owners should be aware of the extent to which some will misrepresent the value they offer
  • Vendors Seek to Make Pandemic Benefits Permanent – Some vendors imposed a “pandemic travel fee” they now seek to make permanent
  • Brand Decline
  • Rogue Director Decisions – Signing of contracts

January 2024

  • Finding the Right CEO – Individuals with a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) have received the best training for condominium management
  • Supertall Buildings – The scale of supertall buildings will change much of what is understood about maintaining high-rise buildings and costs
  • Directors and Officers
  • Smart Gadgets for the Home

December 2023

  • Tornado Alley – Canada is the world’s second most tornado-prone nation in the world
  • Online Shopping – Protect yourself from scams – Holiday is peak season for scammers who are clever at making it hard to figure out what’s fake and what’s real
  • Must the Condo Board President follow By-Laws
  • Peace at Home

November 2023

  • Living next to the Mall – Malls are changing to better reflect the needs and desires of condominium communities while making better use of their underutilized parking areas
  • Artificial Intelligence not ready for Condo Management – The way artificial intelligence is being used shows why this technology should not used by condominium management
  • Complexities of Residential High-Rise Parking
  • Financial Fraud in 2023

October 2023

  • Can Condo Owners Unionize? – Condo owners have an enormous amount of power and, as a general rule, choose not to exert their authority
  • Open Letter to the CAT (Tribunal) – Addressing unintended consequences of how the Tribunal operates
  • Condo Act Revisions for 2023 in Effect
  • Distorting the Smoking Issue

September 2023

  • Epidemic of Bad Condo Boards – Understanding owner rights and being prepared to pursue them is the best approach to a happy, healthy and financially secure community
  • Not My Job – Many come to condo living with a tenant mentality which leads to misunderstandings about responsibilities and obligations
  • Adapting to a Lower Form of Communication
  • Understanding Conflict of Interest

August 2023

  • Toronto’s Worst Condo Fire – Lessons learned fighting a 2020 high-rise fire could save your life
  • Negotiating Management Contracts – Negotiating a good management contract is one of the most important responsibilities of a condo board
  • On a Day to be Named …..
  • What Causes a Building to Collapse

July 2023

  • Art of Deception – Hiding Condo Fee Increases and Reserve Fund Problems – One community’s reported 7.99% increase in condo fees is actually much more
  • The Business of Condominium Management – Condominium management is controlled by volunteers unprepared to commit the necessary time and lacking in experience
  • How a Condo Board should Respond when Under Attack
  • Condo Loan Case Study

June 2023

  • Condominium Corporation Audits – The Condo Audit is a basic check ensuring compliance with the Condo Act not intended to address adequacy of a reserve fund, director competency, fraud or loss of money
  • Condo Disputes without CAT – Disputes with neighbours is not unique to condos. Condo residents do have a way to resolve them other than taking someone to court or complaining on Facebook.
  • Filing a Complaint Against your Condominium Manager
  • Pet Care – End of Life

May 2023

  • Catching Up with Inflation – The dramatic increase in inflation and supply chain struggles have played havoc with condominium finances – fee increases of 35%+ anticipated for some
  • Calling for the Expansion of CAT – Some would like the Tribunal to adjudicate the most common resident complaints including governance, management, fees, repairs and reserve fund
  • Building Trust in a Condo
  • Cyberattacks in High-Rise Communities

April 2023

  • Making a Successful CAT Submission – What does it take to succeed before the Tribunal?  We guide you through a process that can be intimidating, challenging and time-consuming.
  • Sit Down and Shut Up – Rules of Order for Effective Meetings – Properly run, board meetings are shorter, more efficient and produce better decisions
  • Ecommerce Boom puts Stress on Condo Lobbies
  • Why People Don’t Pick Up Dog Poop

March 2023

  • What they Don’t Want you to Know – Lurking behind their closed door – About 60 percent of submissions to the Tribunal result in resolution of a dispute
  • Insurance Crisis in Condoland – Part 2 – Understanding and fixing the problem – Insurance companies are more selective in which buildings and units they choose to insure
  • Special Assessment – Consider the alternatives
  • Brampton Rampage

February 2023

  • Replacing the Condominium Manager – When this time comes it is important to keep things running until a new condominium manager is hired.
  • Preparing for Climate Change – We are unable to control weather so must adapt to protect against heat waves, severe cold and excessive precipitation.
  • Elevator Congestion
  • Serving on the Condo Board

January 2023

  • Condo Fee Increases in 2023 – Lessons from 2022 – Condo fees will need to reflect rising costs for condominium communities higher than the “official” consumer inflation.
  • Tsunami of Returns – High-rise communities spend a lot to receive packages. What happens when items are returned?
  • The Condo Board is not a Landlord
  • Approving and Passing Condo Rules