We are aware that the Condominium Management Regulatory Authority of Ontario put out a statement recently directing managers not to represent condo corporations at the CAT.
We are also aware that this statement has raised questions in the sector around the role of managers at the CAT.
We want to take this opportunity to clarify the CAT’s position in an effort to support condo communities.
CAT Chair Ian Darling worked closely with the sector throughout the summer on updating the CAT rules, with an eye to have them updated at the same time as the launch of the new CAT platform on Oct. 1, 2026.
We would like to clarify that part of the rule updates included a planned change to align representation rules with by-law 4 of the Law Society of Ontario, which restricts individuals not mentioned in that by-law from representing parties at any court or tribunal.
This means that as of Oct. 1, the CAT stopped accepting manager representatives in cases unless those managers themselves are lawyers, paralegals, or are otherwise exempt under another aspect of by-law 4.
The CAT may request additional information from manager representatives so that it can confirm whether they fall under the by-law 4 exemption on a case-by-case basis.
Managers who cannot represent can still play an important role in supporting their condo corporation clients from an administrative standpoint throughout the CAT process and by providing expert advice to condo corporations tied to their regulated profession, including responding to a “Notice of Case”.
Cases that began before Oct. 1 will not be affected by this change, as they will remain in the old CAT platform and will be bound by the old rules.
Please reach out to [email protected] if you have any questions.