The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act is in force and applies to condos as private service providers. We will be commenting on the practical implications of the AODA — Today we deal with “service animals.” Long gone are the days when a guide dog was the recognized animal of service. Service animals can now include cats, parrots, monkeys, goats, pigs and, yes, miniature horses. Read on to learn about what is acceptable and what is excepted.
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GMA Condo Alert! (Winter 2009 edition)
The Winter 2009 edition of the GMA Condo Alert! newsletter is now available online for your spring reading pleasure.
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Deadline to appeal property tax assessment is March 31
Residential property owners thinking about appealing their 2009 property tax assessment must file a Request for Reconsideration ("RfR") by March 31.
Don’t wait until the last minute to take steps — Property owners will need to read up on the changes in force this year and may need to get assistance.
For a handy summary
The Supreme Court on directors’ fiduciary duty
In December 2008, the Supreme Court of Canada released its reasons in the case of BCE Inc. v. 1976 Debentureholders. The decision contains critically important lessons for condominium directors.
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Another perspective on noise and nuisance
Our highlight of the day is a short article by a Toronto environmental lawyer that may be of interest to anyone looking for a different perspective on the issue of noise and nuisance.
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Approaches to problem-solving
During this spell of cold weather and economic turbulence, small problems can turn into large disputes very quickly, giving rise to division in the community and unnecessary costs.
Attorney Beth Grimm of the California Condo & HOA Law Blog shares some welcome wisdom on how condo directors can approach potential problems to find quick solutions. She suggests
Harmonized sales tax on the horizon — start budgeting
The Premier of Ontario talked about a Harmonized Sales Tax in January. Now that the finance minister is predicting $18-billion deficits, the odds of an HST being implemented are increasing dramatically. Get ready.
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New OH&S online courses available
Today we highlight the latest online course offering from the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety. There are lots of topics and resources that will be of interest to condominium professionals.
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Ask questions to help prevent fraud
It has been a while since we’ve heard a story of a big fraud in the local condo scene. Here are some ideas to help minimize the chances of frauds taking place at your condo.
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The debate on energy audits for condo units – Round 1
Today we take a critical look at the Ontario Governments proposal to mandate energy audits for all homes, including condominium units. Let the debate begin!
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