Parking and Storage

Learn about what you need to know before approaching the issue.

Starting out with a friendly, informal inquiry or conversation about the parking or storage concern with relevant community members such as owners, residents, directors, or condo managers can promote harmony, support communal relationships, and contribute to a culture of resolving conflicts early and efficiently. This type of approach may lead to a quick solution or a new way of looking at your concern as you learn new information and as others share their perspectives.

This approach is most effective when you:

• Are unclear on what is and what is not allowed when it comes to parking and storage
• Are early in the process, and the issue is minor or newly arising
• Are not dealing with an ongoing or repeated issue that has already escalated

• Embody the ‘Five Be’s’

1. 1. Be approachable
   2. Be mindful
   3. Be self-aware
   4. Be prepared
   5. Be open to ideas that differ from your own 

• Be open to ideas that differ from your own
• Confirm the individual’s preferred way of communicating.
• Choose a quiet, private and neutral space for in-person conversations.
• Use plain, inclusive and respectful language that is easy to understand and can be easily translated.
• Use readable fonts in written communication and edit before sending.
• Use short sentences or lists, ideally less than 15 to 20 words.
• Be curious and ask questions to deepen the discussion, provide clues to solutions, and help bridge understanding.
• Set time limits for conversations where appropriate; get back to people about another time.

Check out the CAO Guide on Communication and Conflict Resolution for helpful communication tips at pages 28-31.

To stay focused and avoid misunderstandings, keep these core goals in mind during any conversation:

1. Clarify: What am I trying to achieve right now?
2. Learn: What information do I still need (and from whom)?
3. Act: What’s my next step after this conversation?

There are a few things to be aware of before you take action.

Your first step should always be to check what your governing documents say so you can determine what is allowed in your community. Provisions on parking and storage are most likely found in the declaration or rules.

Your rights and responsibilities often depend on whether the parking or storage space is:

• • Owned by a unit owner, or
  • An exclusive-use common element (assigned for a unit’s use, but still part of the common elements).

You can usually confirm this in the declaration. In many condos, Schedule C lists owned parking units and Schedule F lists spaces allocated as exclusive‑use, though this can vary.

Why this matters: It affects what can be changed, how enforcement works, and what steps are reasonable.

Sometimes parking is part of a shared facility, which is an area that two or more condo corporations will have access to and responsibility for. You should also review any shared facilities agreement if the parking or storage issue happened in a shared facility.

Poor maintenance of the condo can also lead to parking or storage issues, such as a person being unable to use their parking or storage spaces because of leaks or uneven paving. Generally, condo corporations are responsible for repairing common elements, but the governing documents will outline the responsibilities for each specific situation.

• For guidance on what to do when an issue arises with a parking or storage issue, step 3 has tailored information.
• Before filing a CAT case, you can review past decisions and orders to inform your approach and learn about how similar issues were resolved.

It is important to reflect on how the CAT can help with your goal. The CAT can help you with disputes about parking or storage provisions in your condo’s governing documents. 

1. Refine your understanding by taking free director training on condo governance.
2. Access CAO Guides and Resources for reliable information and best practices.
3. Formally discuss issues with your board through owner-requisitioned meetings.

You might find other options not listed above work for your goal. It is good to be open and creative when developing options that might work. You might find that your goal shifts as you learn more information or as circumstances change.