On July 18, 2013, the Ontario Ministry of Consumer Services issued a news release confirming that Ontario is working to introduce mandatory qualifications for condominium managers. This is the first of several anticipated changes resulting from the province’s Condominium Act Review to help increase protections for condominium owners, tenants, and buyers.

The news release reads:

In recent years, Ontario’s condominium market has become more complex, making condominium management increasingly important. While many managers are responsible for buildings worth tens or hundreds of millions of dollars with matching operating budgets, managers are not currently required to have training or an understanding of the Condominium Act, by-laws and rules, finances, building maintenance or the contracting out of services like cleaning, landscaping and repairs.

The government is thoroughly reviewing the Condominium Act to see that it reflects the current and future needs of condominium owners, residents and other stakeholders. This review is done through the Condominium Act Review, a three-stage collaborative, public engagement process aimed at modernizing the Condominium Act.

The report is expected to be available for public comment by the end of summer 2013.

(This article was first published by the author on July 18, 2013)