What we heard from the Condominium Authority this morning
This morning, owners from several buildings met with staff from the Condominium Authority of Ontario (CAO). The CAO called the meeting to answer questions about what owners can do while boards are not acting and SIREG Management Inc.'s licence is suspended.
Here is what owners asked, and what the CAO said, in plain terms.
What the CAO can and cannot do
- The CAO cannot extend insurance. That sits with a functioning board or, where a court has ordered it, an administrator.
- The CAO cannot appoint an administrator. Only a court can, under section 131 of the Condominium Act.
- The CAO does not hold a list of owner emails or mailing addresses. Corporations do not report that to the CAO. The CMRAO consumer notice that went out used contacts the CMRAO had; the CAO said it cannot speak for how complete that list is.
- The CAO does monitor some compliance items (annual returns, director training, AGM dates on the condo calendar). It does not see day-to-day failures such as missing status certificates or unanswered records requests unless the law's scope changes.
Replacing a board that is not acting
- An owner requisition still starts a clock: owners generally wait for the board's response window before calling the meeting themselves.
- A faster owner-called meeting under section 34 only works if there is clear written proof that directors resigned and the board lost quorum. Silence from directors is not enough on its own.
- Electronic owners' meetings can be held without a special bylaw (since the November 2023 amendments), though a bylaw can still add limits.
- When the CAO registry and old minutes disagree, check the registry's "last updated" date and, for notices, include everyone who might still be a director.
Notices and incomplete owner lists
- Parcel registers and related land-registry documents are a starting point for names and an address for service.
- Sending notice to the unit address, when no other address is known, is a good-faith step that can help if a meeting is later challenged.
- Any owner can challenge a meeting in court. If nobody does, and notice was handled carefully, decisions are more likely to stand. That is not legal advice; talk to a lawyer about your building.
Escalation to the Minister
CAO communications staff said they will help raise the gaps with the Honourable Stephen Crawford, Minister of Public and Business Service Delivery and Procurement (the minister responsible for the Condominium Act and the condo regulators), and encouraged owners to write as well. Points raised on the call included:
- this is a governance vacuum the Act was not written for
- owners cannot get the owner list from a board that is not functioning
- without that list, every lawful path slows down while insurance, utilities, tenants and unpaid debts keep getting worse
- the CAO itself has said it would be easier if it held owner contact information in a crisis like this
Owners can already write to the Minister. Use our Write to the Minister form to build a letter with your building and unit details. You send it from your own email.
What owners should keep doing
- Keep collecting documents and writing for records.
- Pull parcel registers where you still need names or an address for service.
- Follow the path that fits your building: court administrator, owner-called meeting where the facts support it, or requisition. See Your options compared.
- Contact your building lead if you have questions about your own corporation.
Owners who want to retain LDDC for a court-appointed administrator application can follow the steps on the LDDC Action page.
This is general information only, not legal advice. Questions? Contact us or email owners@condoownersnetwork.com. To hear about developments, subscribe to updates.