What is the Condominium Authority Tribunal (CAT)?
The Condominium Authority Tribunal (CAT) is a service offered by the Condominium Authority of Ontario (CAO). When it comes to how condo boards are regulated in Ontario, there are two main authorities: the Condominium Authority of Ontario (CAO) and the Condominium Management Regulatory Authority of Ontario (CMRAO). And while both are crucial for the regulation of condominiums in Ontario, they both have distinct responsibilities and tasks in relation to condo management and ownership.
What is the Condominium Authority of Ontario (CAO)?
The Condominium Authority of Ontario was created to assist condo owners. By providing resources, the CAO aims to improve condo living. The CAO operates to provide the following services:
- An online information source for condo owners and residents to help them better understand their rights and responsibilities.
- The CAO offers mandatory training, education, and certification for condo managers and directors.
- A public, online database containing information about condominium corporations including the contact information for the condo board of directors for each building.
- The essential condominium guide, a required guide given by condo developers at the time of purchase, offers information about the roles and responsibilities of living in a condo.
- Created the Condominium Authority Tribunal (CAT), a dispute resolution resource for condo owners.
What is the Condominium Management Regulatory Authority of Ontario (CMRAO)?
The CMRAO Condominium Management Regulatory Authority of Ontario (CMRAO) is the authority that oversees and administers the Condominium Management Services Act, which includes the following:
- The CMRAO Controls licensing and regulation of condominium managers and property management businesses.
- An online, public Condominium Management Database that provides information about condominium licensees such as the type of license they hold and any restrictions on the license.
- Administers the process for the public to initiate complaints against a condominium manager or a property management company. The CMRAO also oversees and determines the actions to be taken by the Registrar over licensees like the revocation or suspension of a license or upholding the requirement for additional professional education for a licensee.
What is the Main Difference Between Ontario’s Administrative Condo Authorities?
Although the CAO and the CMRAO utilize shared resources, collaborate, and assist each other with support of condo living in Ontario, they also have different goals and tasks.
The main goal of the CAO is to provide consumer protection for buyers, owners, and the condo board of directors via helpful information, ongoing education, and dispute resolution services. Alternatively, the main goal of the CMRAO is to provide consumer protection for those who live in and invest in condos in Ontario via effective regulation to help strengthen the profession of condo management in the area.
One of the main differences between the CAO and the CMRAO is that the CAO offers a dispute resolution system through its Condominium Authority Tribunal (CAT). The CMRAO offers licensing governance.
Who Should Condo Boards Consult with When Issues Arise?
When issues arise, condo boards should consult with the CAO. The CAO’s dispute resolution system, CAT, was created exclusively as a dispute resolution source where condominium boards can resolve their condo-related issues in a quick, convenient, and affordable manner. If there are still unresolved issues after your case is closed, there are additional resources and options for a resolution through the CAO.
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