Online condo tribunal launched: resolving conflicts

NRU
Sept. 6, 2017
Sarah Niedoba

September 1 the Condominium Authority of Ontario, a new organization designed to help resolve conflicts between condo corporations and condo dwellers, launched its website.

Created in response to input heard through public consultations on the 2015 update of the Condominium Act, the authority will offer online resources to aid in dispute resolution and condo director education. These services are being developed as pilot programs, which will be finetuned then made available to the public November 1.

Initially the authority will be offering a service to address records disputes, such as when corporations refuse to grant owners access to documents such as financial statements or AGM minutes. For $25 condo owners can purchase a step-by-step guide to help them negotiate a resolution with the corporation. For $50 they can purchase a session with an online mediator, who will attempt to resolve the conflict. For $125 condo owners can purchase the services of an online adjudicator to resolve the dispute.

“The idea is that an owner, provided with the right resources, can resolve an issue with a condo corporation on [his or her] own,” Condominium Authority of Ontario executive director Robin DaFoe told NRU. “If there’s still a problem, they can be guided through the process by a mediator, and, if there’s still an issue, it will go to adjudication.”

Ministry of Government and Consumer Services spokesperson Harry Malhi says that during the public consultations respondents said there should be a baseline of education provided to owners interested in becoming condominium directors. In response the authority’s website will include an education program for condo directors, with online courses available about the Condominium Act, the responsibilities of condo directors, and effective leadership. On November 1, it will become mandatory for all condo directors to take these courses.

“These are courses that are available to anyone, that provide training, that we thinking are important for someone considering becoming a condo director,” says DaFoe. “As time goes on, we’ll add more relevant subjects.”

DaFoe says that the tribunal will be monitoring condo owners’ use of the tools offer through its website. This will help to further develop education resources and other services.

“We’re still very much in the beta stage of things right now,” she says. “As we start to see residents’ responses to the website, and the programs, we can start to see what other courses and services we can offer.”

The new resource is welcomed by municipalities who frequently receive calls from residents about condo disputes which lie outside of their jurisdiction.

“While we do not have the authority to get involved in condo disputes, staff and councillors do receive calls from residents with these issues,” Mississauga city solicitor Mary Ellen Bench said in an email to NRU. “It will be great to have a resource to direct them to.”