The Condominium Authority of Ontario receives Auditor General’s Report

TORONTO, December 07, 2020 – The Condominium Authority of Ontario (CAO) has received the Office of the Auditor General’s value-for-money audit report. As a new organization, the CAO appreciates the work of the Auditor General’s team and their review of our accomplishments during our first two years of operations.

The CAO was established in 2017 to provide information, education and early dispute resolution service for condo owners and condo communities and has consistently delivered all of its mandated services within legislated timelines. In 2018, the CAO was recognized with a national gold award for Innovative Management from the Institute of Public Administration of Canada (IPAC) for delivering much needed, digital services that are cost effective, efficient, and especially, innovative.

In 2020, our third year of operations, the CAO has been actively implementing new services, along with the newly delegated responsibilities from the government. This included work to digitize the government’s condominium forms under the Condo Act, developing Ontario’s Residential Condominium Buyers’ Guide in partnership with the Ministry of Government and Consumer Services, adding more dispute types through the government’s recent expansion of the Condominium Authority Tribunal’s jurisdiction, establishing a new data analytics strategic framework, and enhanced policy and advisory services for condo owners and condo communities.

In addition to the above, the CAO provided essential support for owners and the condo sector in Ontario throughout the pandemic by leveraging our digital service delivery model. This included timely information regarding how to safely conduct owners’ meetings and AGMs, best practices for entering a unit during COVID-19, what condo communities need to know about masks and face coverings, as well as considerations regarding common expenses and liens during COVID-19.

“We recognize the purchase and ownership of a condominium is one of the most important decisions that many Ontarian’s will make in their lifetime. As a condo owner myself, I recognize that the effective governance of a condominium corporation is a responsibility that needs to be delivered to the highest standard” said Heather Zordel, Chair of the Condominium Authority of Ontario’s Board of Directors. “In my capacity as Chair this past year, I have had the privilege of witnessing first-hand the Condominium Authority of Ontario’s unrelenting commitment to serving condo owners and providing valuable services for Ontario’s condo communities.”

The CAO is in a solid financial position to deliver our current mandate and welcomes the Auditor General’s recommendations as an opportunity to further expand and enhance our initial services. We will continue to work in collaboration with the Ministry of Government and Consumer Services and the Condominium Management Regulatory Authority of Ontario to consider the Auditor General’s recommendations and fulfill our legislated mandate for protecting condominium owners.

For more information, please email: communications@condoauthorityontario.ca