How Proxies Effect a  Condo Election

 Ministry of Government and Consumer Services

 Announces Mandatory Qualifications for Condominium Managers

The Ontario government has announced mandatory qualifications and licensing for Condominium Managers and Management firms.  Many condominium owners and residents may be more familiar with the terminology "property managers" and "property management office" in their condominium complex.   These managers are not mandated to have training or an understanding of the Provincial Condo Act, condo declarations, rules and regulations of a condo, by-law and or other important information relating to the finances, building maintenance, operations etc. of a condo corporation.  COA is thrilled to see changes however condominium managers and management companies need to have a government licensing structure.  See COA in Wikipedia

Facts on the contracted Property Management Services 

COA receives numerous questions about the role of Property Management and Property Managers

1. Board of Directors for the Condo Corporation calls a Property Management Firm to obtain a quote for Property Management services.
2. Property Management Firm provides a quote to include Managing the building and possibly handling the accounting for Accounts Payable, Receivable and Reserve Fund
3. If the Property Management Firm is successful in securing the contract, they then provide an employee to the building who is called the Property Manager
4. All Liabilities of the Property Management contract are with the Property Management Firm and the Condo Corporation
5. The Property Management Firm assigns a Property Manager to the Condo Building and that Property Manager takes direction from the Property Management Firm and also has to abide by the requests of the Board of Directors to make sure they don't jeopardize the Property Management Firm contract
6. If work order quotes are required many Property Managers ask their Property Management Firms for guidance and/or recommendations.
7. Our Provincial Government has mandated licensing for both Property Managers and Management companies  See CMRAO Licensing

Recommended Services and Trades 

Contact COA if you have questions

1. Accounting
2. Air Quality
3. Automotive Alternatives
4. Auto Services and Rental
5. Building Service & Sciences
6. Cleaners
7. Cleaning Services
8. Cleaning Services - Ducts
9. Cleaning Services - Windows
10. Coach - Life is a Special Event - Carol Moxam
11. Computer Service - IT Solutions - IT Mayday
12. Condo Digital
13. Condo Management
14. Condo Rental Service Groups
15. Condo Resources
16. Condo Software
17. Contractors - Electrical
18. Contractors - General
19. Contractors - Mechanical
20. Design & Décor Services
21. Door & Lock Services
22. Eavestrough Installation, Repair and Cleaning - Ontario Trough Pros
23. Elevator Services / Repairs
24. Energy Services
25. Energy Services - Efficiency
26. Energy Services - Electricity
27. Energy Services - Gas
28. Energy Services - Water
29. Engineering Services
30. Environmental Consulting
31. Fan Coil Maintenance - Zorzitec ZT 
32. Financial Management - Halton  Financial Group
33. Financial Services - Loans
34. Fire Protection
35. Flooring Broadloom, Carpeting & Mats
36. Glass Specialty, Custom Design & Replacement
37. Home Care
38. Home Finishing
39. Home Inspections
40. Home Office Furniture
41. Home Services
42. HVAC Heating | Heat Pump
43. Insurance Condo Building | Suite
44. Insurance/Home/Title/Auto/Life - Insuranceland 
45. Internet/TV/Phone Services
46. Financing - Commercial Loans
47. Landscaping & Gardening Services
48. Laundry Services
49. Legal Services - Calvin Barry Criminal Lawyers
50. Legal Services - Condo Law
51. Legal Services - Full Service
52. Legal Services - Real Estate
53. Lighting Supplies & Services
54. Maintenance Services - Andelle Maintenance-
55. Mediation/Arbitration
56. Minute Takers Board Meeting
57. Mould Detection & Remediation
58. Moving & Storage
59. Odour Control - Chemical Relief
60. Painting, Priming & Sanding
61. Parking Equipment & Revenue Systems
62. Parking Management/Cleaning Services
63. Personal Life Coach - Life is a Special Event
64. Paving Interlock, Quartz and Stone
65. Pest Control
66. Pet Services
67. Plumbing Services
68. Real Estate - RE/MAX LP Real Estate
69. Recreation & Fitness Equipment | Repair
70. Rental & Tenant Services
71. Restoration Services
72. Retirement Homes
73. Photography - Welcome Aboard Photography
74. ​Photo Videos and Matterport
75. Roofing
76. Roofing - Green Energy
77. Security Services and Technologies
78. Seniors
79. Signs and Awnings - Signarama
80. Snow Removal Services
81. Sound Control
82. Superintendent Services
83. Technology & Computers
84. Video Surveillance Networks - Local Security 
85. Waste Services
86. Water Proofing & Systems
87. Websites Sales and Design - IT Mayday

NOTICE TO USERS:

Disclosure:  COA has partnered with these companies on previous events

• Insuranceland "Our Family, Protecting Your Family"
• International Home & Garden Show
• Clorox Canada – Glad
• Entire Imaging
• Geep Electronic Recycling
• Joseph Estate Wines
• Vision Quest

Condo Owners Association accepts no responsibility for any loss or dissatisfaction arising from any our endorsed services, these recommendations are strictly provided as a goodwill nature.  Please ask the COA about incentives programs that Condo Owners may experience through Related Services Companies.  

 

New Forms  

Links to the mandatory forms to use under the Condominium Act. 

They are to help facilitate and standardize communication between Condo Owners and Boards.  The majority of the forms are mandatory and many were issued on November 1st, 2017.  It is best to use these fillable forms on Internet Explorer. 

You also need the latest version PDF version (v. 8 or higher). 

If experiencing difficulties with the links below you can:

• Right-click on the form, select “open link” and save the form on your computer;
• OR Click on the Printable version below (second bullet for each forms).

Information Certificates

• Periodic Information Certificate
  • Periodic information certificate (fillable)
• Information Certificate Update
  • Information Certificate Update (Printable)
• New Owner Information Certificate
  • New Owner Information Certificate (fillable)
• Notice of Online Posting of Information Certificate
• Notice of Online Posting of Information Certificate (Printable) 

Meeting of Owners (plus AGM)

• Preliminary Notice of Meeting of Owners
  • Preliminary_notice_of_meeting_of_owners_(Printable)
• Submission to Include Material in the Notice of Meeting of Owners
  • Submission to Include Material in the Notice of Meeting of Owners (Printable)
• Notice of Meeting of Owners
  • Notice of meeting of owners (Printable)
• Proxy Form
  • Proxy (printable)
• Notice of Meeting of Owners (when quorum is lost)
• Notice of meeting of owners when quorum is lost (printable) 

Records of the Corporation

• Notice Relating to Record of Owners
  • Notice_relating_to_record_of_owners (Printable)
• Notice Relating to Record of Mortgagees
  • Notice_relating to_record_of_mortgagees (printable)
• Agreement to Receive Notices Electronically – not a mandatory form
  • Agreement to Receive Notices Electronically (Printable)
• Request for Records
  • Request_for_records_(Printable)
• Board’s Response to Request for Records
  • Board’s_response_to_request_for_records (Printable)
• Waiver by Requester of Records
• Waiver by Requester of Records (Printable) 

Various other Forms

• Address for service (corporation) – notice of change (section 108)
• Amendment to declaration or description
• By-law Certificate
• Lease – summary (section 83)
• Lien certificate
• Lien – Discharge Certificate
• Lien Notice to owner
• Reserve Fund- Notice of future funding of (section 94)
• Status Certificate   

More Condo Related Forms  are available here 

ABOUT THE CONDO OWNERS ASSOCIATION (COA)?

The Condo Owners Association is a reg. non profit Association representing the best interest of all Condo Owners in Ontario with Chapters in each City across the Province.

ARE YOU ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS IN A CONDO CORPORATION?

Condominium Board of Directors who have approved "Membership" into the Condo Owners Association (COA)  understand the importance of managing the affairs of your Condo Corporation in compliance to the Provincial Condominium Act, 1998.

Click Here for: Introduction Letter & Request for Membership COA (PDF)

Click Here for: Application Membership Form For Condo Corporation (PDF)

CONDO OWNERS

IS YOUR CONDO CORPORATION A MEMBER OF CONDO OWNERS ASSOCIATION?

If your Condo Corporation is not a member of COA;  ask your Board of Directors "WHY NOT?

The cost is only $1.00 per unit owner (per year)  per building   ie. If you have 300 Unit Owners;  the cost is only $300.00 per year

If your Board of Directors refuses to join COA,  then their Condo Owners can join on their own at $10 per year. 

ARE YOU A PROPERTY MANAGER?

All Property Managers should tell their Board of Directors about Condo Owners Association (COA) and support its membership.

RETURN TO JOIN COA MEMBERSHIP

COA - Condo Owners Association Ontario

BYLAWS AND PROCEDURE

a)  The Chapters and Local Districts must make a commitment on behalf of their Chapter or District  and pass resolutions of their dedication and commitment to COA.

b)  The Chapters and Local Districts must agree to follow the policies, procedure and protocol of COA Ontario and adopt their Code of Ethics for COA Directors.

c)  The Chapters and Local Districts must sign acceptance of the By-law to govern COA Ontario which embodies all COA Chapters and Districts.

MEMBERSHIPS, MEMBERSHIP DRIVE, SPECIAL EVENTS AND SEMINARS

The Chapters and Local Districts must submit a formal request to COA Ontario for the following:

1)  A plan for their membership drive in their local District

2)  A plan for potential seminars and potential locations for same

3)  The COA Mentor program will be contacted for assistance at any time

4)  All COA membership fees msut be payable to COA Ontario

ADDRESS AND BANKING

1)  The Chapters and Local Districts must create an address to serve the new Chapter and/or District, a post office box is recommended to avoid address changes

2)  Set up a bank account in the name of the Local Chapter and/or District.  Identify two or three of the organizing committee to have signing authority

Please proceed to:   "Maintaining Certification" for all details

GETTING STARTED

1)  Set a date for your first meeting with the first order of business to adopt the COA By-Laws of the local Chapter and COA Ontario.

2)  The organizing committee shall be deemed the new Board of Directors for the local District.  The Board of Directors shall vote amongst themselves for the following positions:

President; Treasurer;  Secretary and if more than three Directors; a Membership and Communications Director.

3)  Create a list of District Directors to include their Position, Name, Address, Contact Numbers and Email Address.  Provide a copy to the local Chapter and COA Ontario.

4)  Prepare a Strategic Planning seminar

The Strategic Planning Seminar should define:

• Names of board and positions (i.e. President, Treasurer, etc)
• Possible list of committees (i.e. newsletter, education, website, etc) and names of each committee chair
• A List of Chapters and contact information of same
• A List of COA Ontario Executive Directors contact information of same
• A committee for media, press, newsletters and other means of communication
• Name and address of bank where District account is held

District to work with Local Chapter for all Press and Media Functions and also to include:

• Public seminars
• Membership recruitment booths
• Education Courses
• Newsletter or print, TV and Radio press

5)  Certification and recertification of a COA Chapter will allow the chapter to use the COA name and logo. However upon de-certification, that right will end.

6) The COA Board of Directors shall have the right to vary any of the requirements for certification or recertification based upon the special circumstances of any chapter, from time to time.

7) COA Ontario Board of Directors shall have the right to change and/or adjust requirements for certification or recertification based upon the circumstances of any chapter and/or District from time to time.

8)  COA Ontario Board of Directors shall have the right to implement related costs for membership of the related Chapters and Districts.

9)  Websites:  Please Note: COA Ontario will include a Chapter web site page for new Chapters upon certification and the local Chapter will include a District site page for new Districts.  The chapter will be responsible for adding content and monitoring the site for all Districts associated with that Chapter.   A Chapter can create its own web site at any time but must obtain approval from COA Ontario and ensure the design is in keeping with the layout and standards of COA Ontario.  In the event that a Chapter creates its own web site, that Chapter will be solely responsible for any costs.  COA Ontario is to have full right to link directly to all associated Chapters and if applicable their websites.

Districts Websites:  A District can create its own web site at any time but must obtain approval from their local Chapter and COA Ontario to ensure the design is in keeping with the layout and standards of COA Ontario.  In the event that a District creates its own web site, that District will be solely responsible for any costs.  COA Ontario is to have full right to link directly to all associated Districts and Chapters (if applicable

Please proceed to:   "Bylaws & Procedures" for all details

COA ONTARIO - CHAPTERS BY COUNTIES

COA is accepting applications from Condo Owners in these areas.

Please refer to: How to Apply Chapter

Working Together with the COA 

The Condo  Owners Association structure was designed to embrace a voice for Condo Owners at the Provincial level and with local MP's and MPP's in each Riding and the local Councillors in each Ward of the City.  COA also works directly with the Mayors and City Staff and other Representatives relating to various issues and new regulatory process/changes relating to condominiums



MP's  - The Members of Parliament

1. MP's are elected to the Canadian House of Commons
2. Each COA Districts (Ridings) works with MP representative
3. ie Ottawa has 308 seats in the Canadian House of Commons
4. View MP Seats at Parliament Hill 

1. 107 Seats for MPP's who serve the Legislative Assembly of Ontario 
2. MPP's have a Toronto office at Queen's Park and a constituency office. 
3. View MPP seats in your riding

1. Represent their Local Wards within their City.
2. These Wards represent the COA Districts. 
3. List of Ontario Municipalities - Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing

COA TORONTO Division and Related District

There are 26 COA Divisions across the Province of Ontario located in various Cities and Towns.   Each of these have various Districts also known as their Political Riding and/or Municipal Ward.

COA Districts Design  Click for City of Toronto Districts Graph
 

1. Districts are known by their Political Riding and Municipal Ward. 
2. Example:  COA Toronto has 44 Districts
3. Each Toronto District has a Councillor, MPP and MP
4. MPP's on the Provincial level at Queen's Park
5. MP's on the Federal level at  Queen's Park and Parliament Hill  
6. Councillor represents City/Municipal issues at City Hall.