Property Management

July 13, 2023 Published by Golden Horseshoe Chapter - By Craig McMillan

Continuing Professional Education for Condominium Managers

From the Volume 16, Summer 2023 issue of the CCI GHC Condo News Magazine

The CMRAO is the Condominium Management Regulatory Authority of Ontario, deals with all aspects of Licensing of Condominium Service Providers and Condominium Managers in Ontario.

The CMRAO’s mission is to enhance consumer protection in the condominium management sector and instill public confidence that condominium community assets will be well managed and protected, providing confidence for those interested in purchasing and owning a Condominium as a home or investment.

Education of Condominium Managers is a large part of its mandate. As such, the industry has seen many changes over the past 5 years to ensure that Condominium Managers are equipped to manage the communities they serve. In 2019 the CMRAO developed the Manager Competence profile, utilizing many condominium subject matter experts brought in to assist from across the Ontario condominium sector. This in turn led to the new education framework and curriculum road map that was developed in 2020/21 and formally launched in late 2021.

Continuing Professional Education:

As of July 1, 2023 Continuing Professional Education Requirements are in place for all General Licensed Managers in Ontario.

Managers will have to accumulate a minimum of 10 CPE credits from CMRAO determined eligible education or professional development activities and every renewal cycle moving forward.

One hour of approved education equals One Credit: This program is being put in place to ensure that Condominium Managers maintain and improve professional competencies, acquire new knowledge and skills, and stay up to date with the frequent and many changes the position demands. These types of requirements form part of most professional careers in today’s world and should be welcomed as an opportunity to learn and grow as a manager.

Program Requirements include ten CPE credits in a renewal period, and they must be from the following categories you must have at least 1 credit for each of the 5 categories:

1. Communication and Interpersonal Skills
2. Physical Building
3. Building Operations and Information
4. Legal and Ethics
5. Finance

Eligible Activities:

In June each year CMRAO will publish a list of eligible CPE activities and credits assigned to each activity. They will add to the list throughout the year as new activities are submitted and approved. Of note to our chapter readers, CCI-GHC has received approval for all four education sessions at the upcoming in person Annual Conference being held on September 15th 2023 as well as their Level 100 Course being held online on September 20th 2023, with more content being considered at the time this article went to print.

Reporting:

General Licensed Managers will report completed activities through their CMRAO account. Education providers will also have to report the same information and keep records of who attended and participation. So, expect to be asked for your License number and license name when you register for these activities.

Sanctions:

The CPE is mandatory. Failure to comply will result in a non-renewal of your license in 2024 and your license will expire. Exceptions will be made for Managers who are on extended leave, but you have to communicate with the CMRAO so they are aware of your employment status.

Fraudulent Reporting:

Just don’t do it. The CMRAO are actively looking for this type of fraud and will act swiftly, repercussions may include refusal to renew license, revoking of current license, or even license suspension.

Condominium Directors have recently seen a pilot program with optional advance training through CAO’s Advance Director Training.

Launched in late 2022 this optional pilot covers Six key topics based on the CAO’ Best Practices Guides, these include:

1. Condominium Governance
2. Emergency Planning & Preparedness
3. Finance
4. Issues Management
5. Overseeing Condominium Managers
6. Procurement

Expect the CAO and the CMRAO’s sphere of influence to continue to grow. Education will be a part of that growth, as these are very young authorities, and both have a commitment to Continuous Improvement in the service they deliver.

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Craig McMillan is President of Maple Ridge Community Management (MRCM) an Associa Company. He has been a Condominium Professional since 2003. Craig holds his RCM designation from ACMO, and his ACCI and LCCI designation from CCI-National. He is a member of the Project Management Institute and holds his Certified Associate in Project Management designation CAPM. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for ACMO and ACMO’s Membership & Programs Committee as well as the Condo Conference Committee He also serves on the Professional & Business Partners Committee and the Communications Committee with CCI - GHC, as well as CMRAO’s Advisory Committee. He is a frequent speaker at industry events & conferences, as well as contributing articles for various industry publications.