The Regulatory Framework

There are a number of organizations that provide protection to new condo buyers in Ontario. Beyond the Condominium Authority of Ontario, there is the Condominium Management Regulatory Authority, Tarion and the Home Construction Regulatory Authority.

The Condominium Authority of Ontario

The Condo Authority aims to improve condo living by providing education, information and dispute resolution for condo communities. Services include:

Information and training about:
- Rights and responsibilities of condo owners
- The roles and responsibilities of the board of directors and condo management
- Changes to the Condominium Act that affect condo communities
Providing information on common issues to assist condo communities in proactively resolving issues
Hosting and providing access to condominium forms delegated by the Minister of Public and Business Service Delivery
Online dispute-resolution through the Condominium Authority Tribunal

The Condo Authority also provides a publicly available, searchable, online registry of all condo corporations in the province, as well as Ontario’s Residential Condominium Buyers’ Guide.

The Condominium Management Regulatory Authority of Ontario

The Condominium Management Regulatory Authority of Ontario is a not-for-profit corporation responsible for administering provisions under the Condominium Management Services Act, including licensing condo managers. The Condominium Management Regulatory Authority of Ontario:

Ensures that managers and management companies are licensed, meet education standards and comply with a code of ethics
Maintains a list of licensed managers and management providers
Promotes awareness of the management regulatory landscape and enforces compliance with the law
Handles complaints against managers and management providers

Tarion

Tarion is an independent not-for-profit corporation responsible for administering the Ontario New Home Warranties Plan Act as well as warranties and protections claims.

All new residential condo units must be enrolled in the Ontario new home warranty and protection program administered by Tarion. If you purchase a new condo unit and there are defects that fall under warranty, you can report these to Tarion and your builder. If your builder does not address the issues, Tarion may intervene. Visit Tarion’s website for more information.

Home Construction Regulatory Authority

The Home Construction Regulatory Authority is an independent, not-for-profit corporation that is responsible for licensing and regulating new home builders and vendors under the New Home Construction Licensing Act. The Home Construction Regulatory Authority ensures that licensed builders are accountable. Visit the Home Construction Regulatory Authority’s website for more information.

The Home Construction Regulatory Authority hosts the Ontario Builder Directory, which includes general information about the builder, including any litigation history.