1. Identify the Issue

Your first step is to learn more about what is and is not allowed in your condo corporation. You can start by:

• Reviewing the information available in Step 2 above
• Reviewing your condo corporation’s governing documents
• Determining if there are any relevant municipal by-laws

You should also keep track of the issues you have been experiencing with as much detail as possible, including:

• The date and time when the issue occurs
• What you think the cause of the issue is
• Any other details that might be relevant

2. Determine who is causing the issue

Your next step is to determine who is causing the issue.

Depending on the issue, it may be obvious (e.g. you hear a dog barking in the unit next door). Sometimes, though, it may be hard to tell (e.g. some other pet owners are not picking up after their pets, but you aren’t sure who).

If you know the unit number of the person causing the issue

If you know the unit number of the person causing the issue, you should next determine whether the person is the unit owner or an occupant (e.g. a tenant or a guest).

• You can determine who owns a unit by checking the corporation’s record of owners and mortgagees. Under section 46.1 of the Condo Act, all condo corporations are required to maintain a record of the names (and addresses) of all condo unit owners.
• Owners are required to notify their condo corporation if they lease their units. Condo corporations are required to maintain a record of which units are leased under section 83 (3) of the Condo Act.

By looking at the record of owners and mortgagees and the record of leased units, you can determine whether the person is an owner or an occupant.

Don’t have a copy of these records?

If you don’t know who is causing the issue

If you don’t know who is causing the issue, you can still raise the issue with your condo corporation.

3. Contact those responsible

If another unit owner or occupant’s pet or animal is causing the issue, you may wish to speak with them directly. They may not know that they are causing an issue, so speaking to them about the issue may resolve your issue quickly.

If you do not feel comfortable speaking to them in person, or if you’ve spoken to them already and the issue has not been resolved, you may want to send them a letter. We have letter and email templates you can use, located in the Helpful Resources section at the bottom of this page.

As noted in Step 2, if your condo corporation’s governing documents deal with pets and or animals, your condo corporation has a legal obligation to ensure that everyone complies with them.

If you are going to send a letter to another unit owner or occupant, you should also send a copy to your condo corporation. That way, you can ensure that they are aware of the issue, and your corporation will have an opportunity to take steps to resolve it.

Similarly, owners are responsible for ensuring that occupants of their units comply with the Act and the corporation’s governing documents under section 119 of the Condo Act. By notifying the owner of the unit, you can ensure that they are aware of the issue as well.

To summarize:

• If the person causing the issue is a unit owner, then you should send your letter to both the owner and to your condo corporation.
• If the person causing the issue is a non-owner occupant, then you should send your letter to the owner, the occupant, and to your condo corporation.
• If you don’t know who is causing the issue, then you should send your letter to your condo corporation.

You should keep a copy of your letter/email and note the date and time that you sent it.

If you send a letter/email and your issue isn’t resolved, proceed to #4 below.

4. Follow up

After you’ve contacted the other owner or occupant and your condo corporation, they should take steps to resolve the issue. Depending on the nature of the issue, it may take some time.

If you’ve given them a reasonable opportunity but the issue has not been resolved, you can send a follow-up letter or email. You can use our Second Letter template, which you can find under the Helpful Resources section at the bottom of this page.

You should keep a copy of your letter/email and note the date and time that you sent it.

What if these steps don’t resolve my issue?

If you’ve tried the steps above and your issue still hasn’t been resolved, then you may be able to file an application with the Condominium Authority Tribunal (CAT)

Visit Step #4 – Condominium Authority Tribunal for more information.

Have a Question?

1. Identify the Issue

If you think your condo corporation isn’t enforcing compliance with the condo corporation’s governing documents, your first step is to learn more about what is and isn’t allowed in your condo corporation. You can start by:

• Reviewing the information available in Step 2 above
• Reviewing your condo corporation’s governing documents
• Determining if there are any relevant municipal by-laws

You should also keep track of the non-compliance issues with as much detail as possible, including:

• The date and time when the issue occurs
• What you think the cause of the issue is
• Any other details that might be relevant

2. Contact your Condo Corporation

If your condo corporation’s governing documents deal with pets or animals, your condo corporation has a legal obligation to ensure that everyone complies with them.

If you don’t think your condo corporation is making everyone comply, you should send your condo corporation a letter or email. We have letter and email templates you can use, located in the Helpful Resources section at the bottom of this page.

By sending your condo corporation a letter, you can ensure that they are aware of the issue and they will have an opportunity to take steps to resolve it.

3. Follow up

After you’ve contacted your condo corporation, they should take steps to resolve the issue.

Depending on the nature of the issue, it may take some time to resolve. If you’ve given your condo corporation a reasonable opportunity but the issue has not been resolved, you can send a follow-up letter or email. You can use our Second Letter template, which you can find under the Helpful Resources section at the bottom of this page.

You should keep a copy of your letter/email and note the date and time that you sent it.

What if these steps don’t resolve my issue?

If you’ve tried the steps above and your issue still hasn’t been resolved, then you may be able to file an application with the Condominium Authority Tribunal (CAT)

Visit Step #4 – Condominium Authority Tribunal for more information.

Have a Question?

1. Identify the Issue

Your first step is to learn more about what is and is not allowed in your condo corporation. You can start by:

• Reviewing the information available in Step 2 above
• Reviewing your condo corporation’s governing documents
• Determining if there are any relevant municipal by-laws

Important: Under the Condo Act, all owners and occupants are required to comply with the Act and with corporation’s governing documents. If you do not comply, another owner or your condo corporation may take legal action against you, including filing a case against you with the Condominium Authority Tribunal.

2. Determine what to do next

Once you have reviewed the information above, you should determine what to do next.

• If you’re doing something that isn’t allowed under your corporation’s governing documents, you should consider stopping/complying with whatever you’re being asked to do as soon as possible.
• If you’ve reviewed your corporation’s governing documents and you don’t think you’re doing anything wrong, you should respond to whoever contacted you and see if there is anything you can do to resolve the issue. You can do this in person, over the phone, or by letter/email. We have letter and email templates you can use, located in the Helpful Resources section at the bottom of this page. If you send a letter/email, you should keep a copy and note the date and time that you sent it.
• If you don’t understand what you’re being asked to do or why, you should respond to the sender and ask for more information.
• If you want to try to change your condo corporation’s governing documents, you should review the information about governing documents on our website.
  • Note: Even if you’re going to try to change your condo corporation’s governing documents, you still need to comply with them in the meantime. If you don’t, another owner or your condo corporation may take legal action against you, including filing a case against you with the CAT.
• If you think that a provision in your condo corporation’s governing documents is unreasonable, you should respond to whoever contacted you and your condo corporation. If your condo corporation agrees, they may initiate the process to try to change the corporation’s governing documents.
• If you don’t know what to do next and need advice, you may wish to seek legal advice from a paralegal or lawyer licensed by the Law Society of Ontario. If you don’t already have a lawyer or paralegal, you may be interested in the Law Society Referral service, an online service provided by the LSO to connect people in need with licensed lawyers and paralegals. The service is free, and you may receive up to a half-hour free consultation. The CAO and our staff can’t provide legal advice.

Regardless of what you decide to do, you should communicate with your condo corporation early and often. We have letter and email templates you can use, located in the Helpful Resources section at the bottom of this page.

Remember: If you don’t comply with your condo corporation’s governing documents, another owner or your condo corporation may take legal action against you, including filing a case against you with the CAT.

What if these steps don’t resolve my Issue?

If you’ve tried the steps above and your issue still hasn’t been resolved, then you may be able to file an application with the CAT.

Visit Step #4 – Condominium Authority Tribunal for more information.

Have a Question?

1. Identify the Issue

If you think there is an issue with your corporation’s governing documents, you should first ensure that you can clearly identify and describe the problem.

Consistency and Reasonableness

• All three of a condo corporation’s governing documents must be consistent with the Condo Act.
• A condo corporation’s by-laws must also be reasonable and consistent with the corporation’s declaration.
• A condo corporation’s rules must also be reasonable and consistent with both the declaration and the by-laws.

Procedural Requirements

Under the Condo Act, there are certain processes that must be followed to amend a corporation’s declaration, or to make, amend, or repeal the corporation’s by-laws and rules. If these processes are not followed, then those governing documents may not be enforceable.

2. Contact your condo corporation

Once you have identified the issue, you should contact your condo corporation.

• If you think that a provision in your condo corporation’s governing documents is unreasonable or inconsistent with another governing document or with the Condo Act, you should contact your condo corporation’s board of directors and/or manager. If your condo corporation agrees, they may initiate the process to change the corporation’s governing documents.
• If you think that your condo corporation didn’t follow the right process to change your condo corporation’s governing documents, you should contact your condo corporation’s board of directors and/or manager.
• If you don’t know what to do next and need advice, you may wish to seek legal advice from a paralegal or lawyer licensed by the Law Society of Ontario. If you do not already have a lawyer or paralegal, you may be interested in the Law Society Referral service, which is an online service provided by the LSO to connect people in need with licensed lawyers and paralegals. The service is free, and you may receive up to a half-hour free consultation. The CAO and its staff cannot provide legal advice.

We have letter and email templates you can use, located in the Helpful Resources section at the bottom of this page.

What if these steps don’t resolve my issue?

If you’ve tried the steps above and your issue still hasn’t been resolved, then you may be able to file an application with the CAT.

Visit Step #4 – Condominium Authority Tribunal for more information.

Have a Question?