A group of volunteer unit owners elected by the condo corporation's members to manage the building's affairs. The board makes decisions about maintenance, budgets, rules, contractors, and major repairs. They work with a property management company to handle day-to-day operations. Board members serve terms and are elected at annual general meetings.
Why It Matters
A competent condo board keeps the building in good shape, the finances healthy, and the rules fair. A dysfunctional board can lead to deferred maintenance, financial mismanagement, and petty power struggles. You can gauge the board's quality by reviewing meeting minutes in the status certificate.
Real-World Example
You are considering a condo in a 20-year-old building near Bathurst and St. Clair in Toronto. The status certificate reveals that the board has been conducting regular reserve fund studies, proactively replacing the building's windows in phases, and maintaining a surplus in the operating budget for three consecutive years. Board meeting minutes show professional, focused discussions about maintenance priorities. Contrast this with another building where the minutes reveal board members arguing about pet policies for six consecutive meetings while a leaking garage goes unaddressed. The quality of the board directly predicts the quality of your investment.
Ontario & GTA Context
Under the Ontario Condominium Act, 1998, condo board members have a fiduciary duty to act honestly and in good faith, and to exercise the care, diligence, and skill of a reasonably prudent person. The Condominium Authority of Ontario (CAO) provides mandatory training for all new directors. Owners have the right to requisition a meeting to remove board members if 15% of unit owners sign the requisition. Ontario also requires annual general meetings where the board presents the audited financial statements.
How It Works in Practice
Before buying a condo, request and read the board meeting minutes included in the status certificate. Look for signs of competent governance: regular maintenance planning, financial prudence, and constructive decision-making. If you become an owner, consider joining the board yourself -- it gives you direct influence over how your investment is managed.
Common Questions
Can I join my condo board in Ontario?▾
How do I remove a bad condo board member in Ontario?▾
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