Todd Skene hadn’t planned on having the birds and the bees talk with his four-year-old son. That changed Saturday morning. Two women wearing next to nothing were bumping and grinding on an apartment balcony 20 feet from his son’s window.
Condo Smarts: Withdrawing owners’ votes without evidence is bad idea (BC)
Dear Tony: We are a mid-sized condo building of 55 units. Our units are mostly retired owner-occupied, as we have a very desirable location. At our annual meeting, we routinely have at least 50 per cent or more of the owners attend. This year at our meeting, our new property manager advised five owners when […]
Apartment and condo dwellers report smelling cannabis more than tobacco smoke, researchers say (ON)
More people in apartment buildings and condominiums reported exposure to cannabis smoke than tobacco one year before legalization, a new University of Toronto study says. Read the article……………………….
Residents of ‘structurally unsafe’ Fort Saskatchewan condo to begin removing belongings (AB)
More than a month after they were abruptly evacuated from their homes, dozens of condo tenants in Fort Saskatchewan will be able to move their belongings out. Residents of the 44-suite Riverview Estates condo complex at 9930 100th Avenue were given 30 minutes to gather essential belongings and leave the building on Aug. 2, after […]
Condo Smarts: Owners on hook for repairs below deductible (BC)
Dear Tony: In your Sept. 5 article discussing the $75,000 water-damage incident to three units, where the deductible is $100,000, you mention that “each strata lot owner will be responsible for the repairs to their owner units.” Are you saying that the three impacted owners alone must pay for the repair of their own units? […]
Noisy condo elevator leads to nearly $12,000 in compensation for sleep-deprived couple (BC)
Scott Bartos and Renata Kuhtz can look forward to a sound sleep. Their strata corporation has been ordered to fix the noisy elevator that has been keeping them awake at night. That’s not only what a B.C. Civil Resolution Tribunal commanded. Read the article……………………..
Condo Smarts: Premiums up in older building, deductible soars (BC)
Dear Tony: Our strata corporation is an older wood frame condo. In the past three years ,we have experienced a number of water claims on our insurance. Two claims this year were failures of pipes, and last year leaks were owner-caused as a result of home repairs to a sink, overflowing bath tub and a […]
Homeowners ordered to replace roofs after failing to follow neighbourhood rules (AB)
A judge has ordered three neighbouring homeowners in Edmonton’s Blackburne Creek subdivision to replace their synthetic rubber roof shingles with wooden ones after ruling they failed to follow neighbourhood rules. Read the article……………………..
Fort Saskatchewan condo residents waiting for answers a month after evacuation (AB)
A month after being evacuated, residents of an apartment complex in Fort Saskatchewan, Alta., say they’re still waiting for the condo board to tell them when they can return home or get their belongings. On Aug. 2, residents from the 44-suite Riverview Estates complex, located at 9930 100th Avenue, were evacuated after city officials determined […]
Spat over roofing materials ends in court, homeowners ordered to change shingles (AB)
A judge has ordered a group of Edmonton homeowners to change their roof shingles to fit within the rules dictated by a covenant in their south-Edmonton neighbourhood. After six years and thousands of dollars spent on court fees, Joanne and Doug Britton have lost their fight to put rubber shingles on the roof of their […]
Condo Smarts: Bylaws show responsibility for heat pumps lies with strata (BC)
Dear Tony: We live in a townhouse complex in Langley. There are 38 units in our development and we are oriented in duplexes, so 19 buildings. Each of our units was constructed with a heat pump that is located between each of the duplexes, beside the garages. Our building is now at an age where […]
Engineering firm on evacuated Fort Saskatchewan condo lost licence in 2004 (AB)
An engineering firm that worked on the recently-evacuated Riverview Estates complex in Fort Saskatchewan had its permit revoked in late 2004, one year after the condo was built, says the Association of Professional Engineers and Geosciences of Alberta (APEGA). The engineer on the same project resigned from his licence to practise months later, APEGA said […]
Owner of illegal North Vancouver townhouse hostel ordered to pay back strata (BC)
The woman who ran an illegal hostel out of her Central Lonsdale townhouse has been ordered to pay the hefty legal bills her strata rang up trying to shut her down. The B.C. Supreme Court has ordered Emily Yu to pay back more than $52,000 to her strata following a years-long legal dispute and multiple […]
Condo Smarts: Plan strata contributions to avoid special levies (BC)
Dear Tony: We sold our condo in Burnaby in February. At the time of the sale, we were instructed to pay for a special levy that was due over the next three years to increase the contingency reserve fund. As part of our sale, the strata manager and council advised we would be required to […]
Tall Pines neighbourhood in Kimberley working towards FireSmart certification (BC)
A Kimberley strata Council is asking for help from the City of Kimberley in hopes of achieving FireSmart status in the community. The FireSmart Canada Community Recognition Program is designed as a management approach to reduce fire hazards in the community. The program is tailored to each individual community and/or neighbourhood and each assessment addresses […]
A 25-foot man holding up a condo courts controversy in Toronto (ON)
If the point of public art is to stir debate, then a new piece by a St. Clair W. condo development is a resounding success. The 25-foot bronze and stainless steel sculpture, which depicts a towering man in a white button-up shirt holding up a tall condo building while standing on a foundation of multicoloured […]
Smoking in condos cloudy issue
As more and more people choose to live the condo lifestyle and developers continue to build larger high density condominium projects, condo boards, managers and lawyers are now faced with some unique challenges. One issue that has been the focus over the past year with the legalization of cannabis, is whether a condo corporation should […]
Condo Smarts: Reallocating surplus exposes owners to dispute (BC)
Dear Tony: I sold my strata lot in June. As a condition of sale, the buyer agreed that if there were any refunds from the $3.5-million special levy we paid in 2017, she would authorize the payment to be directed to the seller. Read the Q&A………………………..
What to do when your property manager refuses to enforce condo rules about dogs (ON)
Our property manager refuses to enforce the rule that dogs must be leashed in the common element spaces. He refused to post a reminder in the elevators. What can we do, other than complain to the property manager’s head office? Read the Q&A……………………….
‘Built wrong from the start’: Fort Saskatchewan condo residents get some answers (AB)
Over a week after their sudden eviction, residents of a Fort Saskatchewan condo building learned Sunday night the structure they were living in was not constructed according to its blueprint, which led to it being deemed “structurally unsafe” 16 years after it was built. Tensions remained high throughout the two hour information meeting at the […]
Witness describes fire at Chilliwack condo complex (BC)
A witness is describing a fiery scene in Chilliwack after a blaze reportedly sprung up at a condo complex early Saturday morning. Kelly, who declined to give her last name, lives in a three-building condo complex on Stevenson Road and says she could smell smoke coming through her air conditioning unit at around midnight on […]
Strata fight forces Langley, B.C. couple out of unsafe townhouse for 2 years
Barb Mykle-Hotzon says her home, which has been gutted by repeated attempts by engineers to find foundation problems, is “ground zero.” Mykle-Hotzon is the owner of a 25-year-old townhouse in the Bridle Run development of Langley, but she and her husband, Terry Hotzon, haven’t been able to live there since 2017. Read the article……………………..
Sasquatch Mountain considers 600% increase for water fees (BC)
People with homes in Sasquatch Mountain Resort could be paying 600 per cent more for their water, if the proposed increase from the Hemlock Valley Utilities goes through. On June 21, residents received a notice from the utility saying the company had made an application to increase the rates for service beginning Aug. 1 of […]
What condo owners can do to oust short-term rentals from their buildings (NS)
A real estate lawyer says Nova Scotia condo owners can use a 2016 Ontario court decision as a blueprint for how to get rid of unwanted short-term rentals in their building. CBC News reported Tuesday about a conflict in the 88-unit Anchorage building in the King’s Wharf development in Dartmouth. Read the article……………………………….
Condo Smarts: Council goes against strata act (BC)
Dear Tony: Our strata council has just purchased and installed eight cameras in our main entry, and parking entry to try and address a growing security problem in our community. At first, council refused to disclose how much was paid for the cameras and monitoring service or any of the details of the monitoring. However, […]
Condo board fights short-term rentals at Dartmouth tower (NS)
Condo owners at The Anchorage in Dartmouth, N.S., are locked in a dispute with a prominent developer over short-term rentals at his Kings Wharf development. The debate with Francis Fares over listings on sites such as Airbnb is now subject to confidential arbitration. Read the article……………………….
Montreal condo complex hires private investigator to catch illegal Airbnb rentals (QC)
“Catherine” had rented the unit online for two nights for $900. But unbeknownst to the person lending her the keys, she was not someone looking for a place to stay while visiting the city, but rather an undercover GardaWorld investigator hired by the building’s management. Another investigator sat in a car parked outside, filming their […]
Condo building evacuated in Fort Saskatchewan (AB)
Residents of a 44-suite condo building in Fort Saskatchewan are out of their homes this long weekend. Dalia Ashry has more on the evacuation order. Watch the news report……………..
A brief history of condo evacuations in Alberta
The residents of a Fort Saskatchewan condominium complex who were forced to evacuate on Friday are not alone in their experience. Over the past decade or so, residents of condo and apartment buildings across the province have met similar fates where they had to quickly pack and relocate on short notice due to multiple structural […]
Bad intel on water main leads to $4.5M court award for condo developer, city prepares to appeal (ON)
The city says it will appeal a court decision that awarded a condo developer nearly $4.5 million after a judge ruled there was bad municipal intel about an important water pipe near the west-end construction site. Read the article………………
Condo Smarts: Owners accused of using strata funds for $35,000 sunrooms (BC)
Dear Tony: Our strata corporation just completed a three-year major upgrade and envelope renovation. We have been planning for this project since 2010, and the outcome was well worth the effort. We are essentially back in a new building with a new look. Read the Q&A……………………..
Proposal put forward for Mattamy Homes to develop part of Stonebridge golf course (ON)
A working group of residents in Stonebridge has come up with a possible solution to development on Stonebridge golf course. The Stonebridge Community Association unveiled the proposal at a packed community meeting Tuesday night. The Stonebridge Working Group came to the solution after multiple negotiations with Mattamy Homes, who owns the golf course. Read the […]
Etobicoke condo residents protest living conditions (ON)
Members of a tenant advocacy group joined frustrated residents of an Etobicoke condo who say moldy, water damaged ceilings, crumbling walls and leaking sewage is threatening their health. Watch the video report……………………………
Janitors locked out of jobs at downtown Toronto condos (ON)
Should a janitor be expected to purchase their own garbage bags if they need more than are provided by their employer? Is it reasonable to ask cleaning staff to use four rags to clean an entire building including washrooms? These are some of the questions being asked by a union representing janitors in Toronto. Read […]
Wasaga golf course owner told to get court decision (ON)
The owners of Marlwood Golf and Country Club will be asked to get a court ruling on whether a development proposed for the course is affected by a restrictive covenant. Opponents to plans to build 65 units on the course — a change that will affect the length of the course, though its owners maintain […]
Part 2: Strata fails to look after non-smoker (BC)
Last week, we started looking at the B.C. Human Rights Tribunal case of Bowker v. Strata Plan NWS 2539. The case involved a militant smoker (LR) in a condominium unit. Above her lived Ms. Bowker, a woman with pulmonary fibrosis. Mr. Bowker filed a human rights claim, complaining about second hand smoke. She brought her […]
It’s a tough climate for condo owners, but not in the way you think (BC)
Facing an insurance hike that could be north of 25 percent, Vancouver strata members are learning that they can’t escape the threat of catastrophic weather in a warming world Read the article………………………….
Condo Smarts: Installation of cameras violated strata act (BC)
Dear Tony: Our strata council has just purchased and installed eight cameras in our main entry and parking entry to try and address a growing security problem in our community. At first, the council refused to disclose how much was paid for the cameras and monitoring service or any of the details of the monitoring; […]
EV charging solutions coming for condos — but slowly (BC)
Coquitlam condo faces challenges in dealing with electric vehicles while EV car owners propose right-to-charge and BCIT is looking at some promising options for older multi-residential housing Read the article……………………..
Province pauses condo rule changes (AB)
The province has paused new condo regulation changes as part of its red tape reduction plans. Strathcona-Sherwood Park MLA Nate Glubish, who is also Service Alberta Minister, noted there is no need to worry about the delay. Since elected two months ago, Glubish stated he’s heard an overwhelming amount of feedback from affected stakeholders. The […]
Condo Smarts: Quirky provision allows mixed-use amendments (BC)
Dear Tony: What happens when bylaws are amended in a mixed-use strata corporation? The strata council, at our AGM, proposed a new bylaw that prohibits smoking or use of any types of combustible substances on common property or strata lots. Of the 12 commercial units, only one attended the meeting and voted in favour of […]
Nearly 40% of Toronto condos not owner-occupied, new figures reveal (ON)
More than a third of Toronto’s condominiums are owned by people who don’t live in them, according to new government figures which suggest that more cities across Canada could be facing a growing struggle with housing affordability. Read the article…………………….
Fort McMurray condo owners to take out $17M loan for embattled wildfire rebuild (AB)
An Edmonton judge approved a $17-million loan between embattled Fort McMurray Hillview Park condo owners and Calmac Developments. The developer will lend the condo cash and complete the work that has been stalled in the wake of the complex’s destruction in the 2016 wildfire. Read the article………………………
Condo fined $10K for delay in door openers to assist disabled resident (ON)
The duty of a condominium corporation to accommodate disabled residents is highlighted by a decision from the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal released earlier this year. Read the article………………………..
An $875 charge for hopping in an elevator? Family questions condo company charging them for breakdown (ON)
A Toronto family is accusing their condo’s property management company of bullying them into paying for an elevator service call they don’t think they should be on the hook for. Carl Song says he was slapped with an invoice for $875 after becoming trapped with his daughter Olivia in an elevator at his CityPlace condo […]
Maple Ridge medical marijuana patient fighting her strata’s no-smoking bylaw (BC)
Tammy Gadsby credits medical marijuana for ending her use of serious pharmaceuticals that included a tranquilizer and an opioid. With marijuana, the 60-year-old Maple Ridge resident said she has been able to better manage her fibromyalgia, depression, anxiety and PTSD than with any other drugs she has tried. Inhaling marijuana produces nearly immediate relief and […]
Condo Smarts: Owner on hook for tub leak, strata for gutter overflow (BC)
Dear Tony: We are very confused about who is responsible for repairing a strata lot when there is a minor leak causing damage. For example, a bird nest plugged one of our drains, resulting in a gutter overflowing and a unit being damaged because an owner left a window open. Read the Q&A……………………………
Registry to smoke pot in Mississauga condo building a ‘hit list,’ unit owner charges (ON)
At least one residents of a Mississauga condo building says its board is going too far by imposing a cannabis registry in the building, and he’s calling it an invasion of privacy. CBC Toronto obtained a notice given to all 141 units of Courtney Club Condos, located on Hurontario Street just north of the Queen […]
Fort McMurray condo owners say building’s problematic and ongoing rebuild could become even more costly (AB)
The condo board overseeing a rebuild of a Fort McMurray building destroyed in a 2016 wildfire is heading to court this week to try and get approval for a financing plan that some condo owners say could decimate their finances. Read the article…………………
Toronto condo adopts new system to divert dog poop from landfills, convert it to energy (ON)
A condo on the edge of downtown Toronto has installed a new system to deal with dog poop that diverts the organic material away from landfills and sends it to a facility to be converted into energy. Dog owners are thrilled. Read the article……………………