Condominium Organizations Provide Policy Responses Before Crucial Election
May 25, 2023
Edmonton, Alberta – In collaboration, the Canadian Condominium Institute North and South Alberta Chapters, and the Condo Owners Forum sought information from each major political party on how they would implement policy changes necessary for improving the Alberta condominium community.
This provincial election is perhaps the most important to condominium owners, residents, and those who work in the condominium industry in Alberta’s history. There are over 9,000 condominium corporations in Alberta, and over 570,000 condominium owners yet condominium owners are often left out of consideration of critical policy matters, which means those living in condominiums face inequity.
In the past, we have successfully partnered with provincial governments to bring positive changes to the condominium community, and both major political parties have made promises to the condominium community to make the necessary changes which we have indicated we need action on. But now we need commitment to this action, and the responses we have received speak to each party’s commitment to those in the condominiums.
At the 2023 Alberta Condo Expo held on April 29th, we were pleased to have both the NDP and UCP in attendance and both made commitments to improving condominium policy if they were elected.
Today, we are releasing the results of the survey to inform our members, and the members of the greater condominium community, so they can be fully informed when filling out their ballots. In our survey, we asked each party if and how they would implement the following if the are to form the next provincial government:
- Establish a Condominium Dispute Tribunal
- Provide Electricity Rebates for Condominiums
- Implement a Condominium Building Retrofitting Grant and Green Energy Program
- Clean Up the Condominium Property Act
- Establish a Condominium Database
We are disappointed to not have received a response from both the United Conservative Party and the Alberta Party, which unfortunately leaves us without answers as to how they would prioritize the policy actions that are required.
We received just one response from the Alberta New Democratic Party, which we are sharing here for our members and the general public, so that they may make an informed decision when voting.
CCI North Alberta President Anand Sharma commented that “the condominium community has long waited for action from the provincial government, and we can see from the survey results that only one of the major parties will be responsive to the needs of the condo community, and will prioritize working with us on issues such as affordability, governance improvements, and on building retrofit and renovation incentives.”
CCI South Alberta President Ryan Cole says that “the purchase of a home can be the most significant purchase in a person’s life, and that is no different for those who buy condos, however we see that often those who own condos are overlooked by our provincial government and face inequity in policy. We want to urge our members to take the results of this survey into consideration when they vote for our next provincial government on May the 29th, and ensure the next government takes condo issues as a priority.”
COF President Terry Gibson says that “we will work with whichever party is elected as our next government, and will continue to advocate for improving the condo community by working to get our priorities implemented. We ask our members to consider the responses from the survey when they are going to the ballot box.”
CCI North Alberta and South and the Condo Owners Forum are not-for-profit organizations with a mandate to educate condominium directors, owners and professionals. As a combined voice of condominium owners and boards, these three organizations advocate to all levels of government on behalf of more than 20,000 condominium owners.
Media inquiries may be directed to CCI North Alberta, Executive Director Dan Nielsen, 780-235-7627 (cell). You can download a copy of the press release, the Policy Survey we distributed, and the NDP survey response.
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