The Condo Owners Association (COA)   

Condo Owners
File your complaint CAO and/or CMRAO 

CAO - Condo Authority of Ontario   

CMRAO - Condo Management Regulatory Authority Ontario

The complaints can be as a result of a number of difficulties with your Board of Directors and/or Property Management.   Your Condo Corporation budget, expenditures, reserve funds, conditions, the process, the Annual General Meeting, the governance, design,  décor and condition of your Condo Building and on a personal light , You can also report items of concern regarding the operations, governance and accountability. 

Condo Owners no longer need to be kept in the dark, there are avenues available for support.  

1)  Harassment and/or bullied, major concerns not addressed etc. report Board of Directors 
2)  Harassment and/or bullied by Property Manager, report to CMRAO



CONDO OWNERS CAN REQUEST RECORDS OF THE CORPORATION AT ANY TIME 

The Board of Directors Must Comply or Corporation is fined for non compliance

1)  Request Records of the Corporation ie all Financials, Minutes of Meeting, AGM Minutes, 

2)  Board's Response to your Request for Records  If the Board refuses your request you may wish to report this to the CAO Condo Authority of Ontario

3)  Agreement to Access Records   Condo Owners can view records and if they wish a paper copy there may be a small charge   

4)  Future Reserve Fund Spending - Note ALL Owners, your Board of Directors must advise Owners 


SPECIAL WEBSITE Information

1)  Land Property Records  
2)  Home and Community 



All Condo Owners in Ontario

Owners can also request General Information of the Corporation and Board of Directors 

1) Request General Information of the Corporation               - Information for Owners about their Corporation 
2) Information on Board of  Directors Certificate Update      - Names and Address of Service for their Board of Directors  
3) New Owners Information Certificate                                   - Information for New Owners about their Corporation


Complete and send the above forms to the "Attention of your Board of Directors" 
In most cases this would be via your Property Manager. 
Please ensure you receive confirmation of receipt.





Become a COA Ambassador of Your Condo  

    


Note:  Changes to the Condo Act

COA is thrilled to work with  (MGCS)  the Ministry of Government and Consumer Services and we are delighted to have Bill 106   "Protecting Condominium Owners Act 2015" and the New Condo Management Services Act, 2015   

(CAO)  Condo Authority of Ontario aims to improve condominium living with mandatory training for Condo Directors and as a resource for disputes 

CMRAO  Condominium Management Regulatory Authority of Ontario regulates Condo Manager and Management firms licensing, education requirements and compliance.    

Ambassador for your Condo Building?

If  you would like to make changes in your building, please consider becoming a COA  "Ambassador" of your building.  We have identified that every Condominium needs an Ambassador to work together with the COA.  There is too much going on behind the scenes in the Condo Buildings with Board of Directors and Property Management.  Owners are still being misrepresented and/or ignored.  Condo Annual General Meetings are still a horror movie, but who are the Villains? Sadly, too often it is the Villains winning the Game and the losers are the Condo Owners.

Condo Owners are easily mislead as they try to surf through these takeovers.  Who can they trust? 

One of the key problems are Proxies!   Proxies should not be controlled by Property Manager or the Board of Directors.   The COA has recommended "Electronic Voting"  of Board Members to the Ministry of Government and Consumer Services.  Proxies are the #1 problem in Condominiums because proxies are being forged and manipulated!   The Power lies behind the closed doors of Property Management Office so how can a Condo Owner or even a legitimate Board Member compete?  They can't it is that simple, it cannot be done.   If your building has signs of distress you must realize you have to step out of the building for an opinion unless there is hard core evidence of wrong doing.  Even then take the evidence and step out of the building. 

The only solution to this problem is to have a COA Ambassador in each Condo Building!    Contact COA


 

Associations are Important

Support your Condo Owners Association representing Condo Owners and Buyers. 

There are various Association representation different sectors.  Each and every one are extremely important.  Below is a list of some of the Associations and whom they represent.  

Condo Owners Association (COA)

Volunteers Needed

How to register to Volunteer?

• Click for General Volunteer Form
• Click for Student Volunteer Form

• Email completed signed form :   This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• COA will contact you within 72 hours once they have reviewed your application. 
• Note: Some rules apply relating to volunteers qualifications and acceptance.
• Thank you for volunteering to help COA. 

Condo Owners Association (known as COA Ontario) was Founded on March 2010 by Linda Pinizzotto, a Toronto/Mississauga Realtor who had a vision to create the 1st Non-Profit Association to represent Condo Owners and design a mechanism for awareness and representation in the Political forefront within all levels of Government across the Province of Ontario.  There are over 1.3 Million Condo Owners who need a cohesive united voice to represent them on many important issues. COA supports the development of its members and fosters a prosperous and sustainable economic environment while contributing to the quality of life in the condo community.  

Linda's vision included a Condo Owners Association structure to represent Condo Owners in all of the Municipalities across the Province of Ontario.  The Municipalities and Regions are known as Divisions of COA Ontario and each have various Districts to identify their respective Wards.    he structure recognizes the vast amount of condominium owners and embraces various levels of government for representation in each Municipality and Region.    This structure allows a productive and communicative working environment with local Councillors, Members of Provincial Parliament, Members of Parliament and the various Ministry's of our Government. 

COA Ontario is growing steadily with additional strong commitment and dedication from bellow Board of Directors Bob Coffey, Ex Chair of KPMG and Derrick Thomas; President and CEO of ITMayDay.   Please view COA Submissions to Ministry relating to some recommendations.   COA is an active Senior Stakeholder in the Condo Act Review.  "Building a Better Condo Act"   Working to represent and advocate for Condo Owners Rights... please see quote at the bottom of the page on this Provincial website. 

Why Condo Owners need a Condo Owners Association 
 

Condo Owners are facing huge maintenance fees, problem Board of Directors and a Condo Act that needs to be updated to protect their interest.  There is a huge imbalance of the present structure which takes away the rights of Condo Owners and puts too much control in the hands of the Board of Directors therefore compromising Condo Owners rights.

The Condo Act needs changes and proper governance  ie; better Tarion Warranty Coverage,  government funded energy retrofitting plans, respect for Municipal height restrictions and no further interference from the Ontario Municipal Board; better building codes,  specific property tax assessment strictly relating to condos, a government bond with higher interest rates for condo reserve funds and education standards for Condo Board of Directors. 

The act must include compliance mandates and fines as deemed necessary (as per other acts) to insure the Boards are in compliance to the Act and Owners are protected.   We need to address the important needs of existing condominiums where prices are dropping and maintenance fees are way above the normal ratio to value. We need to review service related trades and create a defined price list for services.

Some COA Initiatives 

• Support Changes to the Condo Act working with Ministry of Consumer Services in Condo Act Review
• Meetings with MP's, MPP's and local Councillors in all Districts - across the Province of Ontario
• COA supported NDP Leader Andrea Horwath at HST Rally  Queen's Park, Toronto
• Preparing extensive reports and investigating numerous Condo Owners issues
• Meetings with Minister Margaret Best, Deputy Minister Giles Gherson
• Meetings with Hon J. Gerretson, Minister Consumer Services
• Discussions and Meetings with Andrea Horwath, NDP Leader
• Discussions on Condo Act  with Tim Hudak, Leader PC
• Meeting with John Campbell, CEO Waterfront Toronto
• Meeting with Go Transit, Metrolinx, Municipal Stakeholder Groups
• Meetings with condominium Board of Directors, Lawyers and Engineers
• Presentations to Carson Dunlop, Financial Institutions, several Corporate Firms
• City Official discussions and correspondence (Building, Zoning and By-Law Depts)
• Special Discussions with MPAC - Municipal Property Assessment Corporation- Property Taxes
• Press, Media and Political Conferences - CBC - CTV - Metro Morning - CP24 - That Channel
• Newspaper and Magazine Press Articles - Toronto Star, National Post, Local Magazines
• Social Media - 27 COA Twitter for City's across Ontario, Up-to-date Website, Videos
• COA supported NDP Leader Andrea Horwath at HST Rally  Queen's Park, Toronto

COA Mission Statement - To represent and provide leadership to Condominium Owners with a united voice advocating and fostering quality lifestyle, prosperous and sustainable condo ownership 

Work with provincial and federal governments for improvements to legislation

• Advocate and Foster prosperous, sustainable economic environment in Condo Communities
• Represent Condo Owners on various Stakeholder Groups
• Provide a service for Condo Owners to register their condominiums
• Demonstrate support on relative issues in Condo Communities
• Work with media and police on condo related issues
• Provide a wealth of insight, information and support
• Contribute to the quality of life in Condo Communities 

Condo Owners and COA Directors Quotes 

These are very fast changing times and condo living is the fastest growing community for home ownership.  It is vitally important for Condo Owners to know their rights and protect their home and investment. 

• Linda Pinizzotto, COA Founder President  

COA has researched the excessive amount of money Home Owners spend on utilities, in particular gas and hydro charges 

• Derrick Thomas, COA IT Director  

What will happen if home energy audits do become a mandatory part of a condo unit to include the Condo Building on an Ontario residential real estate transaction?

• Kathy Davidson, Condo Owner 

The Green Energy Act, 2009 is not mandatory yet but please remember that the HST was approved and passed before we all realized the highly negative and costly impact and increases it has on your Condo maintenance fees. 

• Paul Sampson, Condo Owner  

There are very fast changing times and Condo living is the fastest growing community for home ownership. The Green Energy Act, 2009 is not mandatory yet but please remember that the HST was approved and passed before we all realized the highly negative and costly impact and increases it has on your Condo maintenance fees. 

• Cynthia Bailey, Condo Owner

FINANCIAL STRUCTURE OF A CONDOMINIUM

What determines your Maintenance Fee?

The Condominium Financials includes the operating budget, surplus of funds, contingency funds and the reserve funds of the Corporation.  The maintenance fee for each unit is assessed in relation to the square footage of the unit, parking and locker (if included).  The Budget will include all of the expenditures based on a fiscal year of operations.