By Ted lawrence and John Chenier
In this issue, we present the results of a perusal for topical items on condo blogs.
The New and “Improved” Condo Proxy is Out!
It may not be all that improved, but it is new and it does handle the matter of proxies more thoroughly. Get an expert’s view at http://condoadviser.ca/2018/05/the-new-and-improved-condo-proxy-is-out/condo-law-blog-Ontario
Can I BBQ on my Condo Balcony?
Check Your Municipal By-laws : A quick research on your municipality’s website will easily provide you with some guidance on whether BBQs are permitted on balconies. Notably, the cities of Ottawa, Toronto, Mississauga and London appear to have no by-law prohibiting them. It is interesting to note that both Toronto and Ottawa acknowledge that Condominium corporations have the legal authority to prohibit barbecuing on their property. Find out more at http://condoadviser.ca/2018/05/can-i-bbq-on-my-condo-balcony-2/condo-law-blog-Ontario
Provincial Elections: What Are the Rules on Canvassing in Condos?
The Condominium Act
First, section 118 of the Condominium Act, 1998 is clear about canvassing. This section provides that a condominium corporation cannot restrict reasonable access to the property by candidates for election to the House of Commons, the Legislative Assembly or an office in a municipal government or school board if access is necessary for the purpose of canvassing or distributing election material.
The Election Act
Section 89.1 of the Election Act goes further and provides that no condominium corporation (or persons under their control) may prevent a candidate or his or her representative from accessing the common areas to distribute election materials and perform election-related activities in common areas.
Having said that, access to the common areas is subject to the following restrictions;
The access must be between 9:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m., between Monday and Friday, or between 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. on a Saturday or Sunday;
At least one person seeking access must be at least 18 years of age;
Every person seeking access must, on request, provide valid identification documents; and
Every person seeking access who is not a candidate must, on request, provide valid written authorization from the candidate.
You will find more at http://condoadviser.ca/2018/05/provincial-elections-what-are-the-rules-on-canvassing-in-condos/condo-law-blog-Ontario
Electrical vehicles
New Regulations arrived on May 1st Respecting Electric Vehicle Charging Stations in Condominiums
As electric vehicles become more prominent on our roads, demand for charging stations in condominiums will undoubtedly increase. We are now seeing more and more new condominiums with dedicated electric vehicle charging stations. But what about existing condominiums?
The challenge is to allow for the installation of electric vehicle charging stations (for the benefit of electric vehicle drivers), but without having an unacceptable impact upon other owners or the condominium property. To find out some of the Quirks check out.