Condominium Managers Welcome Increased Consumer Protection

TORONTO, Sept. 24, 2013 /CNW/ - The Association of Condominium Managers of Ontario (ACMO) welcomes new proposals designed to give increased protection for Condominium owners.

The Stage Two proposals released by Canada's Public Policy Forum (PPF) today are based on findings of the Review of The Ontario Condominium Act. They include the establishment of a provincial Condominium Office to deal with complaints, mandatory licensing of condominium managers, and the need for better education for directors of condominium corporations, and improved communication with condo owners.

The President of the Association of Condominium Managers of Ontario (ACMO), Steven Christodoulou says, "ACMO welcomes the report and will be reviewing its recommendations.  On behalf of our members, I want to personally thank the working groups and panel of experts who developed their proposals for their insight, professionalism and contribution to the project."

During the second stage of the review of the Condominium Act, five working groups representing a broad cross-section of stakeholder interests formulated recommendations for action.  Each working group focused on a specific area: Consumer Protection, Financial Management, Dispute Resolution, Governance and Condominium Management Qualifications. In addition, a 12-member panel of experts then reviewed the working groups' proposals to build on the shared interests.

"We are pleased that the expert panel recognized that ACMO's Registered Condominium Manager (RCM) certification program has laid a solid foundation for a condominium licensing procedure in Ontario," says Christodoulou. "We believe this process will result in new rules and practices that will bring added security for the province's 1.3 million condominium owners."

The Executive Summary and full Second Stage report is available here.

Canada's Public Policy Forum (PPF) proposes that the next step will be to launch the third and final stage of the review process in the fall of 2013:

• A residents' panel will review the stage-two recommendations
• Government officials will draft an action plan for implementing the recommendations
• Condominium residents and other stakeholders will have an opportunity to review the action plan.

We encourage ACMO members and stakeholders to review the full report and provide feedback to the Ministry of Consumer Services.

The Association of Condominium Managers of Ontario (ACMO) has been focused on the quality of condominium management since 1977. It has a membership of more than 1000 professionals with extensive knowledge of the condominium industry.

Image with caption: "Condominium Managers Welcome Increased Consumer Protection. (CNW Group/Association of Condominium Managers of Ontario (ACMO))". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20130924_C9980_PHOTO_EN_31254.jpg

SOURCE: Association of Condominium Managers of Ontario (ACMO)

Steve Christodoulou, RCM, President of the Association of Condominium  Managers of Ontario (ACMO)

Email: [email protected]
W: [phone] or 1-800-265-3263
Web: www.acmo.org

Or

Dean McCabe, RCM, Past President of the Association of Condominium Managers of Ontario (ACMO)

Email: [email protected]
W: [phone] or 1-800-265-3263
Web: www.acmo.org