June 28th, 2019 Upcoming Changes Paused for Red Tape Review Changes in the regulations due to become effective on July 1, 2019 have been put on hold for a six-month review by the current government. Service Alberta Minister, Nate Glubish made the announcement on June 27th, 2019. Honourable Nate Glubish in the statement about the decision said, “Reducing red tape…
By Hanna Tough What type of illumination does your building use? Did you get on the eco train right away, or is your building still working overtime to produce enough energy to light common areas 24/7? The condominium market continues to be dominated by sales of halogen lamps and CFLs (compact fluorescent lamps) rather than…
By Heather Cournoyer It’s been 10 long years for me as a member of the board of directors of Hargate Tower and I have witnessed the good, the bad and the ugly! Fraud, threats, lawsuits, inadequate funds, vandalism, water damage, noise complaints, evictions and more—that’s the bad and ugly. The good is how we, as…
1 Welcome Package / Committee What better way to communicate with owners but when you first receive notification of the change in ownership. Creating a simple FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) sheet along with a document checklist to ensure they have all the required condo documents (and where to get it if they don’t) is invaluable.…
By Hugh Willis As of January 1, 2018 the Condominium Property Act of Alberta was amended (among a number of other changes) to allow a corporation to send notifications to owners electronically provided the owner has provided consent to do so. The Act reads as follows: Service on owner 71.1(1) A document, including any written…
By Amber Forest Preventative Maintenance to Cure Your HVAC Woes When it comes to a building’s Heating Ventilating & Air Conditioning (HVAC) system, often it’s a case of out of sight, out of mind. That is, of course, until it’s not working on the hottest or coldest day of the year. This reactive approach can…
By Heidi Besuijen You might engage a lawyer for the purpose of making an application before the courts to obtain an Order. This could relate to the non-payment of contributions or a special assessment, to tenants within a condominium corporation, or even be an aspect of a larger piece of litigation which is ongoing. No…
By NIALL MCCARRA Just like us humans, building envelopes can experience their own cold and flu like symptoms. Maybe this winter you can be the doctor and your building envelope the patient. Winter conditions are harsh on building envelopes, but winter is a good time to evaluate building envelope performance. Roofs and Attics In cold…
By: Nadine Riopel Anyone who’s ever been on a condo board or attended an AGM knows about the jerks. They’re loud, they’re angry. They’re pretty sure that everything that’s wrong is your fault, and they either want you to fix it or they want you fired. Like anyone else, I encounter my fair share of…
By Excel Sheppard Insurance Service and Risk Management When searching for a new home, prospective condo owners are attracted to communities with active security programs. In order to deter crime and provide homeowners with a sense of safety, many condominium corporations utilize surveillance cameras as part of this security strategy. On the surface, installing security…