CMRAO Quarterly: Autumn 2023

Autumn 2023 | Vol. 5 | Issue 2

Building Awareness of the Role of Ontario’s Condo Managers

The job of a condominium manager is vital to the well-being of the communities they serve and cannot be done by just anyone. It requires a trained and licensed professional with a unique set of skills.

Healthy Condominium Communities Need Professional Management

Promoting consumer awareness is an important aspect of the CMRAO’s mandate. After all, when you live in a condominium community, your quality of life is directly affected by the state of the property and facilities, as well as strong financial management.

It is in every condo resident’s best interest to understand:

what they can fairly expect from their condominium management providers (individuals and businesses)
the effort required to enter the condominium management profession
the Code of Ethics all licensees are required to follow
how condo owners/residents contribute to maintaining a safe workplace for managers
how the CMRAO takes action in cases of wrongdoing
how to reasonably manage disputes with their condominium management provider

Standards Help Condo Communities Across Ontario Thrive

Watch this video

Essential Services that are Regulated and Deserve Respect

Few professions demand the mix of skills and strengths that condominium managers have. Not only do managers require education in financial management, building operations, and condominium law, they also need strong customer service skills and a willingness to play a central role in a small community. This role is so important that, during the COVID-19 pandemic, condominium managers were declared an essential service by the provincial government.

In Ontario, all condominium managers must be licensed, which requires education and training to enter the profession. Continuing professional education, which is now required for managers holding a General Licence, helps licensees keep up with changing legislation, best practices, and new technology in this dynamic sector. In addition to being bound to follow rules and regulations set out in the Condominium Management Services Act, 2015 (CMSA), they must also adhere to a Code of Ethics, which includes the requirement that they act in the best interests of the public and their client (the condominium corporation) at all times.

In the interest of consumer protection, the CMRAO ensures that any person or business providing condominium management services is licensed, conducts inspections to ensure regulatory compliance, and investigates and responds to complaints about condominium managers or provider businesses that may have violated the CMSA and its regulations. The CMRAO also sets the education requirements to ensure all licensees can handle the full range of their responsibilities.

Most of the time, condominium professionals act in good faith and in accordance with their legal and ethical obligations; however, in cases of alleged violations of the CMSA and its regulations, the CMRAO steps in to take disciplinary action, which can include licence suspensions or revocations, actions that are reserved for the most serious issues.

What to Expect from a Condominium Manager

A condominium manager has many responsibilities, but they take their direction from the condominium corporation’s board of directors. Find out more about a condominium manager’s role and obligations, and the types of complaints within the CMRAO’s jurisdiction.

Data Insights and Licensing Trends in the Condominium Management Sector

The CMRAO has issued Limited and General Licences to condominium management professionals consistently over the past five years.

Each year since 2019, an average of 249 net new General Licences (13% growth) have been issued through one of two pathways: Limited Licensees who have graduated to a full General Licence, and holders of a Transitional General Licence (TGL) who have completed their education requirements and progressed to a General Licence. Since TGLs are no longer in effect, there is an expectation that growth will be lower, but remain steady. Between July 2022 and July 2023, growth was about 6%, which may be more reflective of what to expect in the current environment.

Five-Year Trend

(as at March 31, 2023)

General Licence

Limited Licence

Applications for Limited Licences and enrollment in the Excellence in Condominium Management, a mandatory course to be eligible for a Limited Licence, have been consistent in growth. The CMRAO runs two sessions every month; each session has been at capacity, requiring additional sessions just to keep up with the demand.

Age Profile of Licensees

Generally, the age profile for Limited Licensees is between 20 and 40 years old, and between 30 and 60 years old for General Licensees. This is not surprising since the profession is often not someone’s first career, and those holding a General Licence are more experienced in the field.

General Licensees by Age

Limited Licensees by Age

Employment Status of CMRAO Licensees

CMRAO records indicate that approximately 89% of General Licensees are currently employed by a licensed condominium management provider.

Interestingly, only about 57% of Limited Licensees have an active employment record with the CMRAO. This means there is a potential pool of Limited Licensees who do not appear to be working in their role. The CMRAO will be sending notices to licensees to ensure that they are properly reporting their employment status as required by the CMSA.

Progression of Limited Licensees

In addition to completing the education and all other requirements, holders of a Limited Licence must have 2,920 hours, or two years of experience, to graduate to a General Licence.

Between 2018 and 2021, the CMRAO issued 2,449 Limited Licences. As of October 26, 2023, 40% of these individuals had graduated to a General Licence, while 24% were working on obtaining a General Licence (taking courses, gaining experience), and 36% left the industry. Overall, our data on Limited Licensees suggest that approximately:

50% of new entrants get their Limited Licence and progress to a General Licence
15% get their Limited Licence and stay in the industry in a junior level position
35% enter and then leave the field relatively quickly

The data also indicate that individuals who work to obtain their General Licence tend to stay in the industry for the long haul, as illustrated by the high percentage of General Licensees who renew their licence every year.

Promoting a Safe Workplace for Condo Managers

Condominium managers are essential to the well-being of the condo community they serve. The CMRAO is aware that they have increasingly been experiencing harassment. It is important that they feel safe in their environment and respected by all members of the community so that they can effectively deliver their services.

Harassment-free communities are vital for owners/residents as well as condominium managers, and everyone has a role to play in maintaining safe communities.

Learn more

Snapshot of the CMRAO’s CPE Program

On July 1, 2023, the CMRAO’s Continuing Professional Education (CPE) program came into effect, requiring all General Licensees to participate in learning activities and accumulate 10 CPE credits annually to renew their licence. Since the program began, over 100 learning activities have been pre-approved by the CMRAO (as of December 1, 2023). The program encourages condominium management professionals to stay up to date with the latest changes in legislation, best practices, and technology, and acquire, improve, and maintain important skills.

General Licensees are reminded to complete and report 10 credits through their user account on the CMRAO website prior to completing their renewal application in June 2024, in order to renew their licence.

Complaints

The CMRAO handles complaints by conducting inspections and investigations, assisting in issues resolution, holding discipline hearings, and taking corrective actions. What follows is a summary of the complaints received over the last year. This is information the CMRAO will be sharing about the work we do to protect consumers and regulate Ontario’s rapidly growing condominium management sector.

Complaints Results At-a-Glance

Handling complaints is an important aspect of consumer protection. Since the CMRAO began accepting complaints in 2018, it has received over 4,400 of them.

The CMRAO’s approach to handling complaints is focused on solving a problem, educating the individuals involved, and preventing future issues. The CMRAO aims to resolve 80% of complaints within 60 business days, but timelines will always depend on the nature of the case. Some complaints might be resolved in one day, while about 20% will take more than 60 business days.

From July 2022 to July 2023, 792 complaints were resolved, in which:

76% were closed after a review indicated a lack of supporting merit and/or jurisdiction
14% resulted in some type of informal mediation (for example, facilitating communication between the manager and condo owner)
10% resulted in warnings, reminders of professional obligations, or remedial education (sometimes also resulting in follow-up inspections)
1 complaint was referred to the CMRAO’s Discipline Committee (reserved for the most serious issues)

The CMRAO takes complaints seriously and works diligently to administer a fair and transparent process, but not all complaints fall within the CMRAO’s jurisdiction as set out under the CMSA and its regulations.

Submitting a complaint to the CMRAO may lead to potential legal consequences, so it is important for condominium consumers to review the types of complaints that the CMRAO handles and understand that processing times may vary depending on the complexity of the complaint.

Enforcement Activities

All CMRAO licensees are required to adhere to the Condominium Management Services Act, 2015, and its regulations, including the Code of Ethics regulation, which sets out the general obligations of condominium managers and provider businesses, and promotes professionalism, reliability, and quality of service.

The CMRAO publishes its regulatory decisions to maintain transparency and accountability to the public and its stakeholders.

Registrar Proposes Licence Revocation and Issues Immediate Suspension Order

In response to concerning allegations of a licensed condominium manager’s involvement in the use the corporation’s reserve fund investments, the CMRAO Registrar issued a notice of proposal to revoke the General Licence and has ordered the immediate suspension of this licence.

First CMRAO Prosecution Trial Results in Conviction on All Counts

As the result of several complaints received from residents, charges were laid against two defendants that resulted in guilty charges for acting as a condominium manager/management provider, respectively, without a licence.

Visit the Enforcement News section of the website to learn more about the CMRAO's compliance activities.

Learn Even More

The CMRAO's blog provides relevant, timely, and valuable information to help condominium managers better understand their role as licensed professionals. Here are some recent posts:

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