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Compare your options

Your options compared: A) urgent court administrator, B) owner-called meeting, or C) requisition

· Condominium Owners Network

The management company’s licence is suspended and the board isn’t working. Owners have three options on paper. For most buildings in this situation, only one is likely to work in time.

The short version

  • Your building has no lawful manager, and the board may not be able to act.
  • A court can appoint an administrator in about 1–2 weeks. Owners do not need to vote.
  • Electing a new board yourselves is possible on paper, but it takes months and comes with no records, no manager and no court order.
  • Every month of delay loses another month of unpaid fees for good.
  • The legal cost is about $35,000 per corporation plus HST, shared by the owners who take part.
See if this fits your building

Which path fits my building?

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Question 1 of 3Do companies linked to the manager own many units in your building?
Option A. Linked companies can outvote owners at any meeting, so B and C can be outvoted.
Option A is the safer choice. If linked companies do own many units, they could outvote owners at a meeting. You can check who owns units through the parcel registers, or ask LDDC. Continue to question 2
Question 2 of 3Has your board been confirmed to have lost quorum or is vacant, AND do you have the official owners list, 25% of units committed and a manager ready?
B is possible. See the conditions.
Question 3 of 3How many owners are committed?
Each pays about $13,185. That is about $39,550 per corporation including HST, shared by 3 owners.
Each pays about $7,910. That is about $39,550 per corporation including HST, shared by 5 owners.
Each pays about $3,955. That is about $39,550 per corporation including HST, shared by 10 owners.
Each pays about $1,980. That is about $39,550 per corporation including HST, shared by 20 owners.

Weeks vs. months

Rough time from when each option starts, in days. Bars are approximate.

Insurance renews
Oct 22
Oct 22, 2026 (about 2 weeks away)
A · Urgent hearingestimate; court sets the date
about 1–2 weeks (estimate)
About 1–2 weeks (estimate)
B · best case, only if records, quorum and qualified and willing candidates are available
within 30 days of calling
Within 30 days of an owner calling it
C · Requisition meeting held
notice & waitingmeeting: Day 52–82+
Meeting between Day 52 and Day 82, then the new board acts

A: counsel’s estimate; the court sets the actual date. B: counts from the day an owner calls the meeting, which is only possible once the board has lost quorum (and, if directors remain, 15 days have passed). C: striped end means the new board still has to hire a manager and sort out insurance, utilities and records.

B · best case, only if records, quorum and qualified and willing candidates are available B is shown at its best case. If any condition fails, the building starts A from that later date, with the lost time added.

The pressures are measured in weeks. The requisition route is measured in months.

The urgent court route is estimated at 1–2 weeks. An owner-called meeting looks fast on paper, but the 30 days only gets owners to an election. It does not get them records, a manager or insurance.

Do these three things today

  1. Send your documents
  2. Tell two neighbours
  3. Write to the insurance broker

The three options at a glance

Fastest to slowest. Tap a card for more and for its key risks.

Urgent court-appointed administrator. Brought as an urgent application. Hearing estimated within 1–2 weeks; the court sets the date. No owner vote. 1

More about A, and key risks

If the board has lost quorum, that supports this application. A corporation with no working board and no licensed manager cannot run itself, and that is the situation s. 131 exists for. Like a paid, dedicated board: gets things back on track, manages the transition, and is expected to train a “shadow board” of owners to take over. What these terms mean Shadow board: owners who train alongside the administrator. They are not directors yet. Newly elected board: whoever owners elect at the meeting. Shadow board members can stand, but they still have to be elected. As part of this s. 131 application, the court is likely to order a forensic accounting: an investigation that traces the money and records, as part of the administrator’s work. The court order sets the administrator’s powers.2

Key risks

  • Costs more up front: about $35,000 per corporation, plus a share of administrator fees (Estimate: $10,830–$32,500, example of 6 corporations). The court approves the fees.
  • The court decides. It may appoint for a short term or with limited powers, or direct an owners’ meeting first. The application asks for a limited-term administrator who calls that election.
  • Still loses about 1 month of liens (Example: $12K), already past its window.

Available on paper. Unlikely to work in time.
Owner-called meeting to fill board seats. If the board has lost quorum, any owner can call a meeting to elect directors. 3

More about B, and key risks

The right exists, but most of these buildings lack what is needed to use it safely: a record of owners, a licensed manager, confirmed insurance and qualified and willing owners to serve.

Key risks

  • No record of owners. Only owners on the record can vote, and the record sits with the suspended manager. A meeting held without it can be challenged. 4
  • Too slow for the insurance date. A new board cannot be elected, hire a manager, access bank accounts, redirect auto-deposited rents from the manager and deal with the insurer before renewal. (Insurance status varies building to building; some policies may be renewed, others may not.)
  • A board of qualified and willing owners has no court order. It must still hire lawyers to recover records, money and trust funds (Estimate: $5,000–$45,000).
  • Directors’ insurance is unconfirmed. Owners may be unwilling to stand without it.
  • Linked companies can vote. Where they hold many units, they can elect the board.

Requisition a meeting to remove the board. Owners force a meeting and vote in a new board. About 2.5–3 months to hold it. 5

Key risks for C

Key risks

  • Slowest: meeting about Day 82.
  • About 4 months of liens lost (Example: $48K).
  • Lost rent (Estimate): $3,230–$5,500 per rented unit, Oct 7, 2026 to about Jan 12, 2027 (about 3 months).
  • Needs a majority of all units to vote yes, and still needs lawyers (Estimate: $5,000–$45,000) and a manager.

A board without quorum points to Option A

Section 34(5), while desirable, lets owners call a meeting when the board loses quorum. It does not give owners the record of owners, a manager, insurance or the trust money. Lost quorum is evidence for the court that the corporation cannot govern itself right now. Under Option A, the court order can require an owners’ election before the administrator hands over. That is the election s. 34(5) is meant to produce, held with a proper owner record and court oversight. The election still happens, after the building is secured.

Show the detailSide-by-side table, timelines, money at stake, costs over time, cost per owner, and how we estimated it

Why the clock matters

These pressures are already here. They are why LDDC is bringing Option A as an urgent application: it asks the court to hear it sooner than a regular application.

Insurance renews Oct 22, 2026

About two weeks away. Real risk of lapse or non-renewal if no one is lawfully managing the corporation.

Manager’s licence suspended

The CMRAO suspended the management company’s licence. No lawful manager is running the corporation right now.

Rent and trust funds at risk

Rent is being collected but may not reach the corporation. Months of rent could be at risk.

Winter is coming

Utilities and repairs may go unpaid heading into winter.

Tenants may leave

Fewer tenants means less income and less stability.

Board not functioning

The board isn’t working and may not have quorum. If quorum is lost, nobody can lawfully sign contracts, renew insurance or hire a manager.

The money at stake while we wait

Unpaid utility bills

$2,811,756 owed to 26 utility companies

That is 55.5% of the $5,066,005 the management company lists as owed to 231 unsecured creditors.

  1. Hydro One Networks$913,654
  2. Enbridge Gas$574,291
  3. Kitchener (City) Utilities$251,457
  4. London Hydro$212,631
  5. Enwin Utilities$123,826
  6. 21 other utilities$735,897

These bills weren’t paid. Unpaid accounts can move toward collection or disconnection, and the debt grows every month no one with authority is in charge.

Management company’s preliminary creditor list, Sept 24, 2026. Amounts are listed by utility, not by building.

Liens on company-owned units run out

When an owner doesn’t pay common expenses, the corporation gets a lien on the unit. It expires after 3 months unless a certificate of lien is registered in time. 6

With no working board or manager, nobody registers liens. Each month of delay lets another month of unpaid common expenses slip past its window. See the example below. The money is still owed, but it is much harder to collect, and the shortfall lands on all the other owners.

This matters most for units owned by companies, which may include companies linked to the management company. A registered lien can rank ahead of the unit’s mortgage. The owner must get 10 days’ written notice before it is registered.7

ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLE

What delay costs: lost liens and lost rent

Example: 20 company-owned units haven’t paid $600/month in common expenses since July 1, 2026. That is $12,000 a month of liens in this example. Day 0 = October 7, 2026.

Lien dollars lost when action starts (Example)
ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLE: lien dollars lost when action starts. A (Day 14): $12K. B (Day 45): $24K. C (Day 82): $48K.$0$12K$24K$36K$48K$60KJul$12KADay 14Oct 21JulAug$24K(waiting)Day 31Nov 7JulAug$24KB (best case)Day 45Nov 21JulAugSep$36K(waiting)Day 61Dec 7JulAugSepOct$48KCDay 82Dec 28

A = administrator, B = owner-called meeting, C = requisition. Faded bars: if action waits until then.

Every month of delay, another month of unpaid fees loses its lien.

B · best case, only if records, quorum and qualified and willing candidates are available B is shown at its best case. If any condition fails, the building starts A from that later date, with the lost time added.

Example: if B fails at Day 45 and A starts then, an administrator is in place about Day 59 and $36K of liens are lost, compared with $12K for starting A today.

Lost rental income Estimate range, not a precise figure
  1. Administratorrent lost to about Day 21 $700–$1,190per rented unit, Oct 7 to about Oct 28 (about 3 weeks)Example, 20 rented units: $14,000–$23,800, Oct 7 to about Oct 28 (about 3 weeks)
  2. Owner-calledB · best case, only if records, quorum and qualified and willing candidates are available; rent lost to about Day 60 $2,000–$3,400per rented unit, Oct 7 to about Dec 6 (about 2 months)Example, 20 rented units: $40,000–$68,000, Oct 7 to about Dec 6 (about 2 months)
  3. Requisitionrent lost to about Day 97 $3,230–$5,500per rented unit, Oct 7, 2026 to about Jan 12, 2027 (about 3 months)Example, 20 rented units: $64,600–$110,000, Oct 7, 2026 to about Jan 12, 2027 (about 3 months)

B · best case, only if records, quorum and qualified and willing candidates are available B is shown at its best case. If any condition fails, the building starts A from that later date, with the lost time added.

Rent of $1,000–$1,700 per month per rented unit that may not reach owners, from Day 0 until a manager is collecting rent: about 2 weeks after someone with authority is in place.

  • A: action in an estimated 1–2 weeks. Example: $12K of liens lost (July, already past its window).
  • B: a meeting about Day 45. Example: $24K lost (July and August).
  • C: a meeting about Day 82. Example: $48K lost (July, August, September, October).

Example rule: each month’s lien expires 3 months after that month’s fees were due, and the owner needs 10 days’ written notice before it is registered. So a month is lost once its deadline minus 10 days has passed.8

Side by side

The key differences at a glance.

easiermixed, depends, or unsureharderOur judgment, for owners facing these time pressures.

Option A (urgent court-appointed administrator), Option B (owner-called meeting to fill board seats) and Option C (requisition to remove the board) compared
Topic A · Urgent court-appointed administratorurgent application via LDDC Lawyers B · Owner-called meeting to fill board seatsavailable on paper; depends on records, turnout and qualified, willing candidates C · Requisition a meeting to remove the board15% of units sign
What it is The court appoints an administrator (for example, a CPA) to run the corporation for a while. 9 One owner calls a meeting to elect directors to the empty board seats. 10 Owners force a meeting to remove the board and elect a new one. 11
When you can use it Mixed or unsure: When the court finds it just or convenient and in owners’ best interests. Courts treat it as a last resort. 12
A board without quorum and a suspended manager are the kind of facts the court looks for.		 Mixed or unsure: Only if the board has lost quorum (or has no directors), and the remaining directors haven’t called a meeting within 15 days.
Needs proof, for example director resignations on the CAO public registry or other official records. 13		 Easier: Any time owners of 15% of units sign. 14
Cost Mixed or unsure: About $35,000 per corporation in legal fees, plus HST and disbursements (court filing fee about $293). The fee includes a legal opinion for each building.
Shared by participating owners: more owners taking part means less each.
Counsel will try to recover costs from the management company and its principals first, then the corporation.		 Mixed or unsure: The corporation repays the owner’s reasonable costs of calling the meeting, on request. 15 Mixed or unsure: The corporation repays the requisitionists’ reasonable costs, on request. 16
Vote needed? Easier: No owner vote. The court decides. Mixed or unsure: An election, not a removal vote, so no majority of all units is needed.
But owners of 25% of units must attend or send proxies for quorum. 17		 Harder: Yes: a majority of all units must vote to remove the board.
For example, in a 131-unit corporation: 66 units.18
How fast Easier: Urgent application. Hearing estimated within 1–2 weeks.
This is an estimate: the court sets the actual date.		 Mixed or unsure: Meeting must be held within 30 days of an owner calling it. 19
The meeting is only the first step.
Then more time for the board to act.		 Harder: About 2.5–3 months just to hold the meeting.
Then more time for the new board to act.
Unpaid bills and liens while you wait Easier: An administrator could be in place in an estimated 1–2 weeks, so the fewest months of liens are lost.
Its powers are set by the court order.20		 Mixed or unsure: Meeting within 30 days of calling it, but only after quorum is lost and proven. Then the new board must hire help before it can register liens.
21		 Harder: About 2.5–3 months to the meeting: one more month of liens lost for each month of delay. Utility debt keeps growing.
21
What you need Easier: Owners who want to take part, and one court application per corporation.
No full owner list needed.		 Harder: The record of owners, which owners do not have.
Proof the board lost quorum, one owner to call it on the government’s mandatory form, and candidates willing to serve.
Notice can be handed to owners or left at each unit or its mailbox. 22
But only owners on the record of owners can vote, so the record still matters. 4		 Harder: Signatures from owners of at least 15% of units, plus the official record of owners to notify every owner.
We do not have complete owner data.23
What happens after Easier: The administrator is like a paid, dedicated board that gets things back on track. Then manages the transition and is expected to train a “shadow board” of owners to take over.
As part of this s. 131 application, the court is likely to order a forensic accounting: an investigation that traces the money and records, as part of the administrator’s work.
Handles lawful management, insurance, utilities, repairs and trust funds, then hands the corporation back to owners (expected: a few months).
The administrator calls the owners’ election before handing over.
The court order sets the administrator’s exact powers and term.2		 Harder: New directors join any who remain and inherit a broken system, the same as C.
They will need to hire professionals. See “After the vote”		 Harder: The new board inherits a broken system: rent, repairs, utilities, insurance, records, trust money and a new manager.
It will need to hire professionals. See “After the vote”
Getting records, money and assets back Easier: The administrator acts under a court order and reports to the court.
The order sets what the administrator can do.2		 Harder: The new board will still need to hire lawyers to demand the records, money and assets from the old manager, and go to court if they aren’t handed over.
A property management company can help run the building, but it won’t go to court for you.		 Harder: The new board will still need to hire lawyers to demand the records, money and assets from the old manager, and go to court if they aren’t handed over.
A property management company can help run the building, but it won’t go to court for you.
Court oversight Easier: Yes. Reports to the court and must account for all money spent.
Owners can review the accounts and give feedback on key decisions.		 Harder: No court supervision. The board answers to owners. Harder: No court supervision. The new board answers to owners.
Watch out for Each corporation needs its own application.
The retainer does not cover separate damages claims against the manager.
The court may grant a shorter or narrower appointment than requested.		 Mixed or unsure: Needs proof the board lost quorum. Without it, this option isn’t available.
Directors still in office stay on. Owners must turn out for quorum, and candidates must step forward.
Only owners on the record of owners can vote. 4
If linked companies hold many units, they can attend and elect directors.
No minimum notice period found: the usual notice rules don’t apply24. A lawyer should confirm the notice steps before anyone relies on this.		 The current board could act first (for example, sign a new manager) before the meeting.
Notice or process could be challenged, especially without full owner data.

Assumptions: A: the 1–2 week hearing timing is counsel’s estimate; the court sets the date. B: the board has lost quorum and that is proven, the record of owners is available, 25% of units attend, and candidates come forward. Most buildings here do not meet all four today. C: signatures from 15% of units are in hand today, and a majority of all units votes yes at the meeting.

How long each option takes

Option C example: the board received the requisition on Wednesday, October 7, 2026.

Urgent court-appointed administrator

  1. Now

    LDDC brings an urgent application, because of exigent circumstances: suspended licence, insurance renewal on Oct 22, rent and trust funds at risk, unpaid utilities and repairs heading into winter, and, where it applies, a board without quorum.

  2. Estimated within 1–2 weeks

    Urgent hearing. The court sets the actual date. No owner vote and no full owner list needed.

  3. If the court appoints an administrator

    The administrator restores lawful management, protects insurance, pays utilities and repairs, and deals with trust funds. Reports to the court.

  4. A few months

    The administrator holds an owners’ meeting to elect a board. Shadow board members can stand for election. The newly elected board then takes over. 25

The court decides whether to appoint an administrator, and looks for serious problems the board can’t fix. In one case, the court first refused (2024) to give the board time to improve, then appointed an administrator (2025) when it didn’t. That case involved a sitting board that asked for time. A corporation with no working board is in a different position.26

Owner-called meeting to fill board seats

  1. Step 1

    Confirm the board has lost quorum, for example director resignations on the CAO public registry or other official records.

  2. Within 5 days of losing quorum

    The corporation must tell owners and ask candidates to come forward. 27

  3. 15 days after losing quorum

    If the remaining directors haven’t called a meeting, any owner can call one. If no directors remain, an owner can call one right away. (The remaining directors must call and hold it within 30 days of losing quorum.) 28

  4. Owner calls the meeting

    Use the government’s mandatory form. Deliver it to owners by hand, by mail to the record of owners, or at each unit or its mailbox. No minimum notice period was found; a lawyer should confirm the notice steps before anyone relies on this. 29

  5. Within 30 days of calling it

    Hold the meeting. Owners of 25% of units needed for quorum. Only owners on the record of owners can vote. Candidates can make their disclosures at the meeting. 30

Reality check: each step assumes a record of owners, a venue or platform, candidates and a manager ready to start. If any are missing, treat B as what the administrator delivers at the end of Option A.

After the meeting: the new directors join any who remain. The board must then hire a manager and fix insurance, utilities and records itself, with no court supervision. The corporation repays the owner’s reasonable costs on request. 15 See “After the vote”

Requisition a meeting to remove the board

  1. Day −3

    Close signing: titles match, all co-owners signed, good standing on file. 31

  2. Day 0

    Board receives the requisition (in person, by registered mail, or at the address for service). 32

  3. Day 5

    Check for a preliminary notice. If none went out, the board can’t hold a compliant meeting by Day 35, so put them on notice in writing. 33

  4. Day 36

    Board’s 35-day deadline has passed. If there’s been no meeting, a requisitionist can call one. 34

  5. Day 37

    Requisitionist calls the meeting: notice to every owner, with the requisition and candidate disclosures. This needs the record of owners. 35

  6. Day 52

    Earliest meeting date (15 days’ notice, plus a few days if mailed). 36

  7. Day 68

    Cautious option: send a preliminary notice first, to head off a technical challenge. 37

  8. Day 82

    Last day to hold the meeting (45 days from calling it). The corporation repays reasonable costs on request. 38

After the meeting: the new board must hire a new manager and sort out insurance, utilities, records and the reserve fund. In total, about 2.5–3 months just to hold the meeting, then more time. See “After the vote”

Milestones from ontariocondoboardcoach.org.

Options B and C

After the vote: a new board inherits a broken system

Under B or C, qualified and willing owners take over a broken system with no court order behind them.

Rent collection

Make sure rent reaches the corporation.

Repairs and maintenance

Keep the property safe and in good repair.

Utilities

Pay the bills, especially heading into winter.

Insurance

Keep the building insured.

Trustee or insolvency process

Work with a bankruptcy or insolvency trustee, if one is involved.

Records

Recover the corporation’s books and records.

Money held in trust

Find and protect money held in trust.

Choosing a new manager

Hire a licensed condo manager.

Securing the board is step one. Recovery needs professionals.

To get it right for all owners and avoid costly mistakes, the new board will need to hire professionals to manage the road to recovery, for example:

  • Lawyer to demand records and assets
  • Licensed condo manager
  • Accountant
  • Insurance broker

Under B or C, you will still need lawyers.

The new board will still need to hire lawyers to demand the records, money and assets from the old manager, and go to court if they aren’t handed over.
A property management company can help run the building, but it won’t go to court for you.

Under option A, the court-appointed administrator is like a paid, dedicated board. It gets things back on track, reports to the court, manages the transition, and is expected to train a “shadow board” of owners to take over. The court order sets the administrator’s exact powers and term.2

Estimate

Estimated costs over time

Rough spend for one corporation, month by month. These are estimates based on the assumptions below, not quotes.

Option A: the administrator’s time is shared

The administrator works for all participating corporations at the same time, and the time billed is shared across them.

Total time, all corporations (Estimate)

$65,000–$195,000

40 hrs/week in total, shared across all corporations, × $375/hr, for 1 to 3 months. Estimate: about $15,000 a week. Low: 1 month (about 173 hours). High: 3 months (13 weeks, 520 hours).

Your corporation’s share (Estimate, split evenly)

  • 1 corporation$65,000–$195,000
  • 3 corporations$21,670–$65,000
  • 5 corporations$13,000–$39,000
  • 6 corporations$10,830–$32,500
  • 12 corporations$5,420–$16,250
  • 20 corporations$3,250–$9,750

Example only: the final number of corporations taking part isn’t confirmed yet. The chart uses 6 as an Example.

Plus the legal fee to go to court

About $35,000 per corporation, plus HST and disbursements

The fee includes a legal opinion for each building.

LDDC Lawyers’ fee for the urgent court application. Shared by the owners in that corporation who take part (not across corporations). Disbursements extra, such as about $293 to file. Doesn’t cover damages claims. Counsel will try to recover it from the management company and its principals.

The court approves the administrator’s fees.

B and C: Lawyers (Estimate): $5,000–$45,000

Demand letters $5,000–$15,000, plus a possible court application to compel turnover of records, money and assets $0–$30,000. Starts after each meeting (B about Day 45, C about Day 82). Included in B’s and C’s spend below, to compare with A’s legal fee of about $35,000.

Urgent administrator
Option A, urgent administrator: estimated spend by Month 5 about $59K to $93K for one corporation (estimate). Example lien dollars lost: $12K. $0$25K$50K$75K$100K$125KM0M1M2M3M4M5 Administrator ~Day 14
Owner-called meeting B · best case, only if records, quorum and qualified and willing candidates are available
Option B, owner-called meeting: estimated spend by Month 5 about $16K to $68K for one corporation (estimate). Example lien dollars lost: $24K. $0$25K$50K$75K$100K$125KM0M1M2M3M4M5 Meeting ~Day 45
Requisition
Option C, requisition: estimated spend by Month 5 about $12K to $50K for one corporation (estimate). Example lien dollars lost: $48K. $0$25K$50K$75K$100K$125KM0M1M2M3M4M5 Meeting ~Day 82

B · best case, only if records, quorum and qualified and willing candidates are available B is shown at its best case. If any condition fails, the building starts A from that later date, with the lost time added.

Estimated spend so far, one corporation (low–high). “Liens lost” is the example only.
ByA · AdministratorB · best case, only if records, quorum and qualified and willing candidates are availableC · Requisition
Month 1$42K–$43Kliens lost: $12K$0–$0incl. lawyers (Estimate): $0–$0liens lost: $24K$0–$0incl. lawyers (Estimate): $0–$0liens lost: $24K
Month 2$50K–$59Kliens lost: $12K$4K–$12Kincl. lawyers (Estimate): $2K–$8Kliens lost: $24K$0–$0incl. lawyers (Estimate): $0–$0liens lost: $36K
Month 3$53K–$76Kliens lost: $12K$10K–$34Kincl. lawyers (Estimate): $5K–$22Kliens lost: $24K$3K–$9Kincl. lawyers (Estimate): $1K–$4Kliens lost: $48K
Month 5$59K–$93Kliens lost: $12K$16K–$68Kincl. lawyers (Estimate): $5K–$45Kliens lost: $24K$12K–$50Kincl. lawyers (Estimate): $5K–$34Kliens lost: $48K

B · best case, only if records, quorum and qualified and willing candidates are available B is shown at its best case. If any condition fails, the building starts A from that later date, with the lost time added.

B’s spend does not include the cost of a challenged or failed meeting, or the legal fee for A if the building has to fall back to it.

A costs more up front, but starts in an estimated 1–2 weeks.

B and C cost less at first, but still need lawyers and a manager. Every month of delay loses another month of liens.

How we estimated this
  • Estimate, not a quote. One corporation. Before HST. Timing counts from Day 0.
  • A, legal fee: about $35,000 per corporation for the urgent court application (LDDC Lawyers), counted at Day 0.
  • A, administrator (Estimate): 40 hrs/week in total, shared across all corporations, at $375/hr, for 1 to 3 months starting about Day 14 (1 month = 13/3 weeks, about 173 hours; 3 months = 13 weeks, 520 hours). Low: 1 month. High: 3 months. Total $65,000–$195,000, split evenly across 6 corporations (Example): $10,830–$32,500 each.
  • Manager (all options): Example $3,000–$6,000 a month. A: hired by the administrator about Day 21. B and C: about 2 weeks after the meeting.
  • B and C, meeting: Example $2,000–$5,000 for notice, venue or online platform, and a scrutineer. B on about Day 45, only if the board has lost quorum. C on about Day 82, the latest date.
  • B and C, Lawyers (Estimate: $5,000–$45,000): Included in B’s and C’s spend.
    • Demand letters for records, money and assets: Example $5,000–$15,000, in the month after the meeting.
    • Possible court application to compel turnover, if the old manager doesn’t hand things over: Example $0–$30,000, in the 2 months after that. Low end assumes it isn’t needed.
  • Lost liens (dashed line): Example $12,000 a month of unpaid common expenses since July 1. A month’s lien is lost once its 3-month deadline minus 10 days’ notice has passed8. Counted until someone with authority acts: A about Day 14, B about Day 45, C about Day 82. Not added to spend.
  • Lost rent (estimate range): $1,000–$1,700 per month per rented unit, from Day 0 until a manager is collecting rent (about 2 weeks after someone with authority is in place): A about Day 21, B about Day 60, C about Day 97. Per rented unit: A $700–$1,190, Oct 7 to about Oct 28 (about 3 weeks); B $2,000–$3,400, Oct 7 to about Dec 6 (about 2 months); C $3,230–$5,500, Oct 7, 2026 to about Jan 12, 2027 (about 3 months). Not added to spend.
  • Not included: accountants, insurance, repairs, utility arrears, damages claims, and any costs recovered later.
  • Figures labelled “Example” are illustrations, not published rates or quotes. Real costs vary by corporation.

Cost per owner and best-fit paths

Buildings with fewer committed owners

A doesn’t need a majority of owners, so the constraint is cost per owner. The $35,000 plus HST is about $39,550 per corporation. The fee includes a legal opinion for each building.

Committed ownersEach pays about
3$13,185
5$7,910
10$3,955
20$1,980

You are fronting the cost for the whole building. Counsel will ask the court to have it repaid, first by the management company and its principals, then by the corporation, which spreads it across every unit.

Best-fit paths

BuildingBest fit
Linked companies hold a large share of unitsA only, at any owner count; B and C can be outvoted
10+ committed ownersA now
Fewer than 10, larger buildingPledge drive with a capped amount each and a trigger total, then A
Small building, 25%+ of units committed, quorum loss proven, manager lined up, insurance not expiring soonB is realistic: notice can go to every door and quorum is a handful of units

Only a few owners on board so far?

You can still act. The law lets one owner apply, and a unit’s mortgage lender can too. In practice LDDC asks for a few owners per corporation to give evidence. 39 If your group is small, pledge a capped amount each and proceed once the total is reached. While you organize, do the free steps: request the records in writing, write to the insurance broker, and keep proof of every unanswered request. To discuss Option B (an owner-called meeting under s.34(5)) as described above, contact David Di Lella at LDDC directly: dadilella@lddclawyers.com. That evidence helps whichever route you take.

Considering Option A?

The law lets a single owner apply. LDDC asks for a few owners from each corporation to sign affidavits, so the court hears from more than one owner. More owners also means a lower cost each.

The cost per owner and the best-fit path for each kind of building are in the detail above.

See the steps to take part

Do these three things today: Send your documents · Tell two neighbours · Write to the insurance broker

Sources and sections

Numbers in the text point here. “s.” means a section of the Condominium Act, 1998 (Ontario); “O. Reg. 48/01” is its general regulation.

  1. s. 131 ↩
  2. s. 131(3) ↩
  3. s. 34(5) ↩
  4. s. 51(1) ↩
  5. s. 46, 33 ↩
  6. s. 85(1)–(2) ↩
  7. s. 86(1), 85(4) ↩
  8. s. 85(2), 85(4) ↩
  9. Condominium Act, 1998, s. 131; inspector powers s. 130 ↩
  10. s. 34(5); O. Reg. 48/01 s. 11.11 ↩
  11. s. 46; removal s. 33 ↩
  12. s. 131(2) ↩
  13. O. Reg. 48/01 s. 11.11(1) ↩
  14. s. 46(1) ↩
  15. s. 34(6) ↩
  16. s. 46(6) ↩
  17. s. 50(1.1)(a); O. Reg. 48/01 s. 12.9 ↩
  18. s. 33(1) ↩
  19. O. Reg. 48/01 s. 11.11(4) ↩
  20. s. 131(3), 85 ↩
  21. s. 85(2) ↩
  22. O. Reg. 48/01 s. 11.11(2)–(3), 16.1 ↩
  23. s. 46.1 ↩
  24. s. 47; O. Reg. 48/01 s. 12.8(3) ↩
  25. s. 131(3): the court order sets powers and term ↩
  26. s. 131; Laxmi Realestates Inc. v. TSCC No. 2470, 2024 ONSC 5143 and 2025 ONSC 3417 ↩
  27. O. Reg. 48/01 s. 11.2(2)(c), (3) para. 4 ↩
  28. s. 34(4)–(5); O. Reg. 48/01 s. 11.11(1) ↩
  29. O. Reg. 48/01 s. 11.11(2)–(3), 12.8(3), 16.1; s. 47, 55(3) ↩
  30. O. Reg. 48/01 s. 11.11(4), 11.6(7)–(8), 12.9; s. 50(1.1), 51(1) ↩
  31. s. 46(1), 49 ↩
  32. s. 46(2)(c) ↩
  33. s. 45.1 ↩
  34. s. 46(4)–(5) ↩
  35. s. 46(5), 47(4), 46.1 ↩
  36. s. 47(1)(b); Legislation Act s. 89(3) ↩
  37. s. 45.1; Reg. s. 12.2(1) ↩
  38. s. 46(5)–(6) ↩
  39. s. 131(1) ↩

General information only, not legal advice. Every corporation is different; speak with a lawyer about your situation.

Option A figures and timing estimate are from LDDC Lawyers (Levitt Di Lella Duggan & Chaplick LLP). Timelines are estimates based on current information. Citations are to the Condominium Act, 1998 (Ontario) and O. Reg. 48/01, as shown on e-Laws on October 8, 2026, unless noted.

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