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Mandatory Condo Board Member Training?
The Condominium Authority of Ontario (CAO) has mandatory online training for all condo directors. Directors who do not complete this mandatory training within six months of their election/appointment to the board are automatically disqualified from their position.
At COF we believe in the importance of training for board directors, but we wonder if Ontario has gone too far in requiring training as a condition of being a director. Should training for board members be mandatory in Alberta? Give us your feedback in our Forum.
https://www.condoauthorityontario.ca/director-training/director-training-overv
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4 Replies
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I looked at the outline of what Ontario requires – I believe that level of training (several brief modules to be completed at the director’s own pace withing a time limit) is a good idea – in principle. Alberta has different requirements, but the responsibilities and obligations should be covered (and always, with the best practice mentioned as a better way to go than the bare legal minimum).
I wish such a series of courses had been available when I was co-opted onto our first ‘elected’ board 18 years ago. I took the CCI-SA CM-100 & CM-200 courses and learned more by osmosis, adding to my Toastmasters training and civil service work experience. A specific condominium director’s course would have been a tremendous asset.
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Absolutely. Would a company hire directors with zero business/law experience? NO. Condos shouldn’t, either.
Our board members have zero knowledge of what their duties are (other than what the PM company tells them, right or wrong) and, as a result, very poor decisions have been made and will continue to be made, and that just costs us more money in the long run. Having a knowledgeable board of directors that recognizes what their duties actually are would be extremely helpful in avoiding the epidemic “bad board of directors syndrome” that plagues the majority of Alberta condos/townhomes.
I would definitely vote “yes” to having mandatory condo board member training.
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Is there a way to bring the two threads together? We have a conversation under Education and one under Governance. Thanks!
Repeating my post under governance:
The question for me is whether we want to have educated, informed Boards making the best decisions on behalf of the condo communities they serve.
At this condo, we have a new board that refuses to read, understand or abide by the governing documents (Condominium Property Act, Condominium Property Regulation, Corporation Bylaws).
This board has made several poor decisions including: writing resolutions that are against the Act, ignoring the sanctions process laid out in the Regulation, writing policies that are against the Bylaws and case law, allowing their friends to ignore the Bylaws, and mismanaging our monies, while telling Owners that we have extra funds available so that’s why hallways are being repainted.
We also need educated, informed Owners!
