Building Systems

reserve fund

Condos at high risk from reserve fund shortfalls

The growing crop of condo owners across Canada will likely encounter huge annual fee increases and lump-sum payments due to low reserve fund contributions, authors of a new research report are warning.
labour shortages

Labour shortages, supply chain challenges endure

As policies continue to change and the labour shortages remain unsettled, managers must continue to ride the waves.
surfside

The fatal flaws behind the Surfside condo collapse

Building failures of this horrific scope are seldom seen in North America. But it is important to examine what happened so we can learn and prevent similar collapses in the future.
condos

Aging condos can learn new tricks

As appealing as old buildings are, they do present some unique challenges for residents. Often, these aging developments hang on to old processes.
governance

5 ways technology is uplifting condo communities

Technology is revolutionizing the way condo buildings operate and positively impacting the lives of residents and managers.
smart home

Security, privacy and the rise of smart homes

What security and privacy threats should condo communities watch out for due to the rise of internet-connected smart home devices?
reserve funds

Reserve funds ignore climate target impacts

We should be asking our reserve fund planners to look at the Paris accord target dates and compare the end-of-life replacement of our gas-burning appliances against the target dates.
EV chargers

Scanning the road ahead for EV-ready condos

As the country moves to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles, questions are brewing among people living in multi-unit dwellings.
condo collapse

Could a Florida condo collapse happen in Ontario?

How would this scenario unfold in Ontario? Leaving aside the construction process itself, there are vast differences between Ontario and Florida condominium laws that would have given the Champlain towers significant added protections following registration.
procurement

Three red flags of risky procurement practices

Federal scrutiny of condo procurement should be sufficient reason for diligent condo boards to examine their procurement practices.
real estate

Insurance crisis affecting reserve fund planning

The insurance crisis in condominiums is affecting how boards are planning for disasters in Ontario.
repairs

Condos in precarious spot if small repairs sit idle

Should the corporation move forward with certain maintenance repairs if the issue has the potential to become exponentially worse?
elevator repair

Ontario advances elevator repair legislation

Ontario is kicking the dust off of elevator repair legislation, which was passed under the Liberal government in May 2018 but never proclaimed into law.
SAIT partnership

Digging into the coming geothermal boom

While the relevance of geothermal has been percolating for years, the buzz is that more developers are starting to pay attention.
mentorship

What the new Construction Act means for condos

Construction is a billion-dollar industry in Canada. While most large projects at condominiums proceed relatively smoothly, there is always risk of friction for contractors and
building permits

How to avoid a DIY renovation disaster

The renovation work should aim to improve the property and make it more accessible for residents and visitors.
New flat rates for Ontario elevators licenses

New fee model for Ontario elevator licenses

The flat license rate will penalize mid-rise and high-rise owners with extra costs if an elevator passes the periodic inspection and does not require a follow-up. It will be a bargain if just one follow-up inspection is required.