Upcoming consultation on the expansion of the jurisdiction of the Condominium Authority Tribunal

The Ministry of Government and Consumer Services is consulting with the public on expanding the scope of disputes that can be heard by the Condominium Authority Tribunal. The CAO is preparing for this possible expansion of the Condominium Authority Tribunal with enhancements to its digital online dispute resolution system, the Condominium Authority Tribunal – Online Dispute Resolution (CAT-ODR) system.

If you’d like to provide feedback to the Ministry of Government and Consumer Services regarding the possible expansion of the types of disputes that can be heard by Condominium Authority Tribunal, please click here. Deadline for input: January 31, 2020.

Other consultations in 2020

The Ministry of Government and Consumer Services will also be undertaking consultations in 2020 to seek stakeholder input on other areas impacting condominium communities in Ontario, including:

Requiring the CAO to develop a condo guide for buyers and require developers to provide it at the point of purchase
Changing the amount of interest that would be owed to a purchaser, who makes deposits and other payments on a purchase into pre-construction condo projects, by the developer, if a condo project is cancelled and in other circumstances
Establishing guidelines or standards that will govern how condo corporations are to procure goods or services
Clarifying how interim occupancy fees are handled by developers
Establishing a process whereby condo corporations could add charges to an owner’s common expenses (condo fees), under certain circumstances
Clarifying how contributions are made to reserve funds, how the money held in reserve funds can be used, and how reserve fund studies can be conducted; and
Clarifying the processes for mediation or arbitration between condo corporations and owners. The ministry will be sharing more information, including communicating details on how the public and stakeholders can participate in consultations shortly.