Updated: December 31, 2020
Estimated reading time: 12 minutes
Condominium law firms move into talking about webinars, virtual meetings and Auditor General report on condo industry.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Davidson Houle Allen LLP – Ottawa, Kingston
- Elia Associates Professional Corporation – Oakville, Barrie, Toronto, Ottawa
- Fogler, Rubinoff LLP – Toronto
- Gardiner Miller Arnold LLP – Toronto
- Gowling WLG (Canada) LLP – Kitchener-Waterloo, Toronto, Ottawa
- Horlick Levitt Di Lella LLP – North York
- Lash Condo Law – Toronto
- Miller Thomson LLP – London, Kitchener-Waterloo, Guelph, Toronto, Vaughan, Markham
- Robson Carpenter LLP – Ayr, Kitchener-Waterloo, Toronto
- Shibley Righton LLP – Windsor, Hamilton, Toronto
- Helpful Links
Introduction
Welcome to the field of Ontario condominium real estate law practices in my condo home library, the Condorary.
If competence is the enemy of adversity, by all means get some, get some more from condominium lawyers, organize it and use it.
Where can I find a condo lawyer?
Which law firms of lawyers shine brilliantly by open engagement in education of condominium property managers and unit owners through organizations such as the Association of Condominium Managers of Ontario – ACMO , the Canadian Condominium Institute – CCI regional chapters in the province and the Community Associations Institute – CAI. Perhaps in other ways committed to assisting current and future clients in solving their problems?
Are there other legal stars in the provincial constellation? Just like a shooting star in the night sky, a few will wink in and out of here at hyper-warp speed while many others remain pinpoints of faint light to find elsewhere. This quarter has added 2 law firms while 1 practice has disappeared from sight.
How to Use the Law Firms Information
What information do condominium lawyers provide to the public?
The fourth quarter consists of 93 post (written & recorded) by 10 law firms alphabetically listed below. Do you have an interest in registering for a live podcast or webinar to ask questions ; listening later for convenience? Visit the websites of the legal professionals who offer them for the date and time of their next scheduled event or see Webinar Events.
Access to any law practice is formatted as follows: Click on the title of their lead article to arrive at the latest post on their blog or article collection. Click on the law firm name to go to their website. Click on an editorial selected topic of interest by author for the actual post. In the index, an * in front of the law firm name indicates a recent information update.
Davidson Houle Allen LLP – Ottawa, Kingston
Auditor General’s Report on the Ontario Condominium Industry The Auditor General’s overall criticism is that Ontario is failing to take adequate steps to protect condominium owners and boards. I summarize the criticisms as follows:
Source: James Davidson, © 2017 Davidson Houle Allen LLP
Real estate law firm’s quarter post count – 23, podcast – 2 :
By DHA Team
Government announces province-wide shutdown and additional restrictions – December 21
25% reduction in CAO fees to continue into 2021-22 – December 15
Lawyers, guns and money – with DHA’s Jim Davidson – November 30
Holiday Q&A with DHA! – November 27
By Melinda Andrews, B.A., J.D., Associate
Virtual meeting deadline extended for condominiums! – October 02
By James Davidson, B.A., LL.B., ADR, Partner
A look back at 2020 – December 31
Auditor General’s report on the Ontario condominium industry – December 10
How to list candidates in a Notice of Meeting – December 08
Condominium meetings during the pandemic – an update – November 20
Human Rights – sometimes more than one process – November 18
More about chargebacks – November 17
CAO publishes new Condo Guide – November 6
The theory of Reserve Fund planning – a primer – October 20
A little bit of guidance respecting minutes – October 15
An update respecting gymnasiums – October 13
Solicitor – Client privilege – another piece of the puzzle – October 08
By Emily Deng, BSc., J.D., Associate
Return to a “Modified” Stage 2: What does this mean for condo AGMs? – October 09
By Mohiminol Khandaker, LL.L.,J.D., LL.M., Associate
Join Melinda Andrews at Buildings Week! – December 01
Changes to the CAT’s jurisdiction now in effect – October 02
By Nicole Robinson, Articling Student
Tarion and the New Home Construction Regulatory Authority – December 31
By Cheryll Wood and Mohiminol Khandaker
Condos and Gyms… Where Are We Now: Province Introduces New COVID-19 Response Framework and Restrictions – November 4
By Cheryll Wood, B.B.A., LL.B., J.D., Associate
Upcoming amendments to the Condominium Act – October 26
Podcast
Episode 11 – Condo Crunch 1 – Condo Board Responsibilities – Condopedia
The Davidson Houle Allen Video Library contains podcasts converted to videos.
Elia Associates Professional Corporation – Oakville, Barrie, Toronto, Ottawa
COVID-19 Bulletin No. 33: Back to the Future – Ontario Returns to Province Lockdown Effective 12:01am Saturday, December 26th 2020, Ontario entered a province-wide lockdown to minimise the transmission of COVID-19 and to prevent hospitals from becoming overwhelmed. All Public Health Regions were moved into the “Grey Zone” of the five-zone system put in place by the Ontario Government.
Source: © Elia Associates Professional Corporation
Real estate lawyers quarter post count – 8, videos 2 :
By Elia Associates
COVID-19 Bulletin No. 33: Back to the future – Ontario returns to province lockdown – December 29
COVID-19 Bulletin No. 32: Ontario enforces tougher restrictions on regions – December 15
COVID-19 Bulletin No. 31: Should visitors be restricted? – December 01
COVID-19 Bulletin No. 30: Toronto and Peel region returning to lockdown – November 27
COVID-19 Bulletin No. 29: COVID-19 Restrictions in Ontario – November 23
COVID-19 Bulletin No. 28: Return to a “modified” Stage 2 – October 13
By Victor Yee B.A., J.D., Associate
With all due respect to the Auditor General … Democracy is messy, managers should be paid more, levelling the playing field means awarding costs to either side, and the silent majority of condos are doing OK – December 10
New claws for the CAT: pets, vehicles, parking, and storage (a.k.a. why the CAT must award legal costs) – October 01
Webinar
For webinar enthusiasts, check out the Condowise series of videos.
Fogler, Rubinoff LLP – Toronto
Condominium Law Update: New SCC Decision Confirms the Duty to Act Honestly in Contracts In C.M. Callow Inc. v Zollinger, 2020 SCC 45, a decision released on December 18, 2020, the Supreme Court of Canada confirmed that parties to a contract must act in good faith and have a duty to act honestly, even when exercising a right of termination in a contract. Misleading a party with whom a party is in a contract with, even if the party is abiding by the strict terms of the contract, can constitute dishonesty and will attract damages for the other party.
Source: © Emily Duncan and Rachel Fielding, Fogler, Rubinoff LLP
Real estate lawyers quarter post count – 1 :
By Emily Duncan and Rachel Fielding, Associates
Condominium law update: New SCC decision confirms the duty to act honestly in contracts – December 22
Gardiner Miller Arnold LLP – Toronto
No Oppression Claim Against Directors Personally Unless a Director Instigates the Conduct There are limited circumstances where directors of condominium corporations can be personally liable for oppressive conduct under Condominium Act, 1998. In a recent Ontario Superior Court of Justice decision, the declarant (also a unit owner at a vacant land condominium corporation) sued the condominium corporation and the individual directors.
Source: An Nguyen, © 2020, Gardiner Miller Arnold LLP
Condominium law firm’s quarter post count – 4 :
By Tony Bui, B.A., Associate
CAT issues first order under Rule 4.5 – Applicant must obtain permission before continuing any proceedings – December 21
By Andrea Lusk, B.Sc., LL.B., Associate
Top 10 condo cases 0f 2020 – December 30
By An Nguyen, J.D., Associate
No oppression claim against directors personally unless a director instigates the conduct – December 01
By An Nguyen and Tony Bui, Associates
Electronic meeting recordings and best practices – November 12
By Alex Young, B.A., Associate
Key take-aways from the CAT record request decisions – Part 2 – December 15
Feature Newsletter – Condo Alert! Winter 2020 – PDF
Feature Newsletter – Condo Alert! Autumn 2020 – PDF
Gowling WLG (Canada) LLP – Kitchener-Waterloo, Toronto, Ottawa
Auditor General’s Scathing Report on the Condo Industry in Ontario As part of its annual report, the Auditor General of Ontario issued, yesterday, a scathing report on Ontario’s condo industry and specifically on the lack of industry oversight. The “Value for Money Audit“ on the condo industry is nearly 80 pages long and is worth a careful read. In this blog we provide a summary of some of the findings and conclusions reached by the Auditor.
Source: Rodrigue Escayola, © 2020 Gowling WLG (Canada) LLP
Real estate lawyers quarter post count – 19, Videos -2 :
By Rodrigue Escayola, Partner
Provincewide COVID shutdown and impact on condos – December 21
A condo Christmas carol – December 16
Big changes to “slip and Fall” claims against condos – December 10
Auditor General’s scathing report on the condo industry in Ontario – December 08
What “lockdown” means for Peel and Toronto condos – November 23
Toronto & Peel condos moved to lockdown restrictions – November 20
Holiday webinar: a year in review and condo jeopardy competition! (Dec. 2 at 5pm) –
November 20
Confused by colour zones and restrictions? Try our COVID tool – November 17
Condo Gyms & Pools Under Ontario’s New COVID-19 Colour-Coded Restrictions – November 13
Condos under Ontario’s new colour-coded COVID framework – November 9
The battle of Otterlo – a remembrance post – October 31
Next Webinar: Excel at Virtual AGMs (and Covid Update) (Nov. 4 @ 5pm) – October 27
Possible protection for condos who make best efforts to follow COVID regulations – October 20
Condo pools (and libraries) under Ontario’s modified Stage 2 – October 15
Must condos close their gyms under Ontario’s modified Stage 2? – October 13
Ontario rolling back to Stage 2: closing gyms and conference centres – October 09
Province regulates face masks and meeting limits in condos – October 05
By Graeme Macpherson, Associate
Ontario extends the period allowing virtual AGMs, electronic notifications and remote board meetings – October 01
Video and Webinar
Visit the Gowling WLG Video Library of international content which also contains information about other aspects of law.
Horlick Levitt Di Lella LLP – North York
COVID-19 & Residential Tenancy Law in Toronto COVID-19 has quickly circled the globe and is causing havoc across the planet. The flu spread through China, Europe and now has hit the United States. Here in Canada, the virus has started to spread in several provinces, and non-essential businesses have begun to shut their doors. Employment insurance applications are in the millions, and hundreds of thousands of Canadians are already facing down rent and bills they might not be able to pay.
Source: Horlick Levitt Di Lella LLP
Condominium law firm’s quarter post count – 0, Video – 11 :
Video and Webinar
The HLD Lawyers Video Library contains case law videos and recorded webinars. Forget Netflix. Participants’ law questions are answered along with other insights.
Lash Condo Law – Toronto
Condo Lawsuits – New Protocols for Snow and Ice Injuries We previously blogged about insurance companies not wanting to provide coverage to snow and ice removal service providers. We noted that Bill 118 was trying to address some of the underlying concerns. Bill 118 received royal assent on December 8, 2020, but the changes are not exactly what those in the snow removal industry were hoping for. That said, Bill 118 does materially change how lawsuits arising out of snow and ice injuries can be brought.
Source: Joseph Salmon, © 2017 Lash Condo Law
Condominium law firm’s quarter post count – 13 :
By Denise Lash B.Sc., LL.B., ACCI, FCCI
Virtual meetings in 2020 lessons learned – what’s new in 2021? – December 15
Adjourned condo meetings – December 01
Condo Webinars: the new normal/new legal issues – November 27
Virtual meetings – the recording – November 10
Condo Webinar – Preparing for the holidays – Covid -19 – October 30
Guide to electronic voting and virtual meetings – October 26
Chairing a condo virtual meeting – October 20
Second wave COVID-19 – condo corporation steps – October 04
Virtual meetings and electronic voting – extended until May 31, 2021 – October 02
By Josh Milgrom, B.A., J.D.
Happy holidays from Lash Condo Law – December 08
Toronto and Peel condos – close your gyms and other lockdown requirements – November 23
By Joseph Salmon B.A., J.D.
Condo lawsuits – new protocols for snow and ice injuries – December 28
Honesty is the best legal policy- condo court decision – December 22
Miller Thomson LLP – London, Kitchener-Waterloo, Guelph, Toronto, Vaughan, Markham
Upcoming changes to the sale of pre-construction residential condominium units After an expansive audit from the Attorney General of Ontario, the Government of Ontario and the Tarion Warranty Corporation (“Tarion”) have begun implementing a series of procedural and legislative changes, with a view to improving the quality of construction and the confidence of consumers that are buying a new home.
Source: Eric Laxton © Miller Thomson LLP 2020
Real estate lawyers quarter post count – 1 :
By Eric Laxton, B.A., J.D., Associate
Upcoming changes to the sale of pre-construction residential condominium units – December 11
Robson Carpenter LLP – Ayr, Kitchener-Waterloo, Toronto
The Curse of COVID: Recap of the Top 2020 Stories You might have noticed that Annie Bailey’s post (10 Condo Law Highlights of 2020) had a notable omission: COVID-19. Given the overwhelming number of legal changes, reported cases, and news about COVID-19 in condominiums, we decided to dedicate an entire year-in-review post to COVID-19 in 2020. Here is our list of the top ten legislative changes, reported cases, and resources that your condominium need to be aware of heading into 2021 while we continue to deal with COVID-19 and the pandemic.
Source: Michelle Kelly, © Robson Carpenter LLP
Real estate lawyers quarter post count – 08 :
By Annie Bailey, B.A., J.D., Associate
10 condo law highlights of 2020 – December 08
By Michelle Kelly, B.Comm., LL.B., Partner
The curse of COVID: Recap of the top 2020 stories – December 17
COVID-19: Five new categories – November 30
Solicitor-Client privilege waived by discussing bills with owners – November 18
Upcoming amendments: January 1, 2021 – November 6
CCI Grand River chapter’s first virtual conference is coming up! – October 22
Virtual or In-Person meetings during a pandemic: which is best? – October 13
The Condo Authority Tribunal (CAT) hears new matters starting today? – October 01
Shibley Righton LLP – Windsor, Hamilton, Toronto
Questions Regarding New November 2020 Lockdowns in Toronto and Peel Region With Toronto and Peel Region going into ‘lockdown’ for a 28 day period, we have begun to receive questions regarding the impacts of these new restrictions on condominium business.
Source: © Shibley Righton LLP
Real estate lawyers quarter post count – 8:
By SR Team
Questions regarding new November 2020 lockdowns in Toronto and Peel region – November 24
Toronto and Peel enter lockdown – November 23
Condominium gyms to reopen – November 6
Province and Toronto disagree on condo gym opening – October 23
Recent court decision – October 23
Back to a modified Stage 2 – October 19
Ontario government announces new Covid restrictions – October 9
Breaking news – province extends virtual meetings deadline to May 31, 2021 – October 2
Helpful Links
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