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Management issues
Elevator brake prohibited in Ontario, permitted elsewhere in Canada
A new round of legal proceedings is underway in Ontario where building owners are seeking compensation for costs related to an elevator mechanism that the province’s Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) ordered replaced more than five years ago. The Ontario Court has certified a Class lawsuit with the Toronto Community Housing Corporation as the representative plaintiff for owners of more than 2,030 safety brakes commonly known as sheave jammers that were designed, manufactured, sold and/or installed by ThyssenKrupp Elevator (Canada) Limited/ThyssenKrupp Northern Elevator Corporation.
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A Practical Guide to Combat IAQ Problems
One of the biggest issues facing condo management and occupants alike is the grim shortage of qualified, educated property managers. This is especially true in Canada’s large urban centres; there are over 275 new towers and projects currently on the books and no readily available supply of experienced property managers on the horizon to fill the already vacant positions.
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Guidelines for employers when developing social media policies
The ever-growing phenomenon of user-generated web content (blogging, social web-applications and networking, for instance) has added a new dimension to work relationships and altered the traditional forms of engagement between employers and employees. This heightened level of inter-connectedness can be both positive and negative in the employment context.
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Shattered
Between May and August 2011, five panels of glass shattered and fell from balcony guards on the Festival Tower, a 41-storey condominium in Toronto’s entertainment district that was completed in 2010. Now there’s a $20 million class action lawsuit launched by residents of the Festival Tower against their developer Daniels for the diminished value of their suites and being locked out of their balconies while the developer replaced their balcony guards with laminated glass.
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Condominium Law Reform in Ontario
As members of the Ontario Legislature sang him “Happy Birthday” on May 10, 2012, NDP MPP Rosario Marchese likely hoped that he would be gifted this year with the passing of his private member’s bill reforming Ontario’s condominium laws.
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Computerized Maintenance Management Systems Offer Benefits Beyond Operational Efficiency
Computerized maintenance management systems (CMMS) assist property managers in the daily co-ordination of repair efforts. With the emergence of cloud-based “Software as a service”, online CMMS have emerged allowing residents, managers, and contractors to access the software from anywhere. With this new model, residents may submit a service request quickly and easily from their desktop computer or mobile device.
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High Performance Building approach to condo developments
Canadians have more than price, location and amenities on their minds when shopping for a new or existing condominium. The vast majority also want to live in a building that is environmentally friendly and energy-efficient.
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Guarding against condo fraud
Details of the alleged $20 million condominium fraud alleged to have been perpetrated by Manzoor Moorshed Khan, president of Channel Property Management, continue to emerge in the media. This alleged fraud encompasses both mortgage and construction fraud. How can members of the condominium community take steps to avoid this fate?
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Criminal records stunting progress of Canada’s construction industry
With a substantial growth in residential building projects and an increase in government investment in the non-residential sector, the construction industry in Canada shows great progress and potential. According to the Construction Sector Council, rising incomes and lower interest rates have sustained a constant flow of projects since the recession and recovery in commodity prices have created several mining, pipeline and port expansions.
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Condominiums must share costs of creating accessible units
Paul DiSalvo has won his long battle to be able to enter his own front door. Mr. Di Salvo has degenerative Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and has been unable to negotiate the front steps to his home. The condominium corporation insisted that Mr. DiSalvo bear the full costs of installing a ramp to his door and making modifications to the walkway, arguing it would not be appropriate to expend funds for the sole benefit of one owner. The law reads differently.
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Legal considerations for new condominiums
New condominiums face special and important issues that often require legal advice from experienced condominium counsel. Such issues include building deficiencies, technical audits, first year budget deficiencies and most importantly, assistance and education for the new board of directors.
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When disaster strikes
Condominium owners know all too well that unexpected disasters can come in many forms, including floods, wind damage, fire and vandalism. When damage is extensive, the reflex reaction is to pick up the phone and call the insurance company. But filing an insurance claim and negotiating with your insurance company is a difficult and sometimes overwhelming task, especially when there are immediate repairs to be made and unit owners to placate.
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Reciprocal wars between sibling condominium corporations
There is an industry term for an aggressive agitator in a condominium corporation with too much time on his or her hands. These people are known affectionately as ‘condo commandos.’
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