Created with the goal of improving the condo living experience in every region of the province, the Condominium Authority of Ontario (CAO) provides a variety of resources and services specifically for condominium communities. The CAO provides information and resources, foundational mandatory director training, and issue and dispute resolution.
In order to provide these valuable services to improve condo management in Ontario, the CAO needs to charge fees so that they can offer these services that are essential to managing and maintaining the organization.
What Types of Fees Are Charged by the CAO?
The CAO charges two distinct types of fees to condominium communities: assessment fees and tribunal fees.
Assessment Fees
Assessment fees are charged by the CAO to support condo communities in Ontario. They assist condo owners in a variety of different situations. According to Section 1.30 (5) of the Condo Act, all assessment fees for each condominium corporation must be used towards the common expenses. The CAO’s corporate assessment fees are based on the equivalent of $1 per voting unit per month and charged to the condo corporation in one lump sum. The corporation passes on this expense to individual condo owners by including it in its annual budget. Then, the entire budget is funded by condo fees collected from condo unit owners based on a percentage documented in the condominium corporation’s declaration.
What are CAO assessment fees used for?
CAO assessment fees are used to provide the following resources for condo owners:
- Guide and tools for resolving common condo issues.
- Information and resources about living in a condominium.
- Required online training for condo directors.
- Transparent condominium registry with details on all condominium corporations located in Ontario.
- Use of the Condominium Authority Tribunal, a resolution dispute system for common disputes between condo owners.
Condominium Authority Tribunal Fees
When individual condo owners encounter issues that cannot be resolved easily, they will have to pay additional fees to the Condominium Authority Tribunal (CAT). The tribunal was created to help resolve disputes for those living in condos and is administered by the CAO. For those who file a dispute, there is an initial $25 fee charged to begin the negotiation process as well as a separate fee for each of the next stages.
The fees are structured as follows:
- Stage 1: Initial Negotiation Process – Parties work together for a resolution via CAT’s Online Dispute Resolution System. Here they can communicate via the messaging system and exchange documents and settlement offers. This is the least expensive stage to resolve issues.
- Stage 2: Mediation Process – This stage requires a $50 fee for mediation by a resolution expert to work with both parties to resolve the dispute using the Settlement Offers tab. Both parties can agree to the resolution via a settlement agreement or consent order. If there is no resolution, parties move to Stage 3 once the mediator has given permission.
- Stage 3: Adjudication Process – This stage requires a $125 fee for a Tribunal Decision and the applicant is only allowed to move forward via the Mediator’s recommendation and the agreement of all applicants. The mediator will then prepare the Summary and Order document that outlines the requirements for Stage 3 and the unresolvable issues from Stage 2.
These fees are the responsibility of the owner filing the dispute and all the fees are non-refundable and non-negotiable.
Partner with Larlyn Property Management
If you are a condo owner or a condo board member, Larlyn Property Management is the perfect partner for all of your condominium management needs. With years of experience in property management, the team at Larlyn has been recognized and awarded for excellent customer service and the expertise offered in the industry. We invite you to utilize our experience to save money, stress, and improve service to condo owners.
