Governance

March 20, 2026 Published by Toronto and Area Chapter - By Croydon DeMello

The Director's POV

From the Winter/Spring 2026 issue of CCI Toronto Condovoice Magazine.

The main role of the Director on the board of a condo corporation is to oversee the affairs of the condo building. This covers a variety of topics, some of which include having a grasp of legal, accounting, unit owners' and renters' customer service, trades, vendors, ever-changing market conditions, and especially, the relationship between the board of directors and property management.

The board position is a volunteer position, which means that most people who sit on condo boards are more qualified in other industry skills and have the aspiration to volunteer their time, rather than having prior education or experience in matters that are helpful when looking to make good decisions on meeting agenda items.

If you come into this role as a newbie and want to do well, you can get up to speed by learning the basic philosophy of a few essentials. A useful board member is also one who has sound reasoning, fairness, makes timely decisions, and has a grasp of people skills. Taking the CAO Directors course is mandatory, but there are many other educational courses available to you to supplement your learning, many of which are offered by CCI.

Learn about condo law and understand the different levels of law between the Declaration, Bylaws, and the Condominium Act. There are legal aspects to residing and in conducting business and some of these laws are not permanent and can be changed with a voting process. Seek legal advice when dealing with situations that can bring about liability to the Corporation, and have a lawyer review contracts with vendors. Contract law governs knowing your rights and responsibilities when establishing long-term commitments.

Have a basic understanding of accounting, including how to read financial statements, monitor cash flow on bank statements, and set the annual budget for income and expenses. The collection of maintenance fees and the management of expenses are at the heart of condo finance. The reserve fund study is the financial planning for your building to plan to have enough money saved for major repairs and replacements of the common elements.

Send out regular newsletters to your residents. It develops a community spirit. You can highlight important upcoming matters, include photos, fun puzzles, building trivia, and even have an advertising component.

Keep meetings with the property management timely and efficient. Go over the important items that require discussion. Utilize the diverse thinking and experiences of the board members and management to solve issues. Respect everyone’s opinion and time and maintain a safe space to allow people to express how they feel and think on the topic at hand. The goal is to serve what is best for the Corporation and unit owners. Sometimes a voting system will have to help expedite a decision when an agreement cannot be reached.

If your Corporation contributes to a shared budget, know which area constitutes as being part of the shared common area and what the expected revenue and expenses are. Even though an issue might stem from the tower, the resolution of the matter may fall under the jurisdiction of the shared facilities.

Keep a working relationship with your superintendent, if applicable. That person is vital to the running of the building’s equipment infrastructure. Most times your superintendent will be the first person on site for any emergency issues that arise. This is the person who is like the onsite doctor for your building and who knows the nuances of the Corporation from the time spent fixing things. The fire and police departments are good to have access to be compliant and to work together to keep a safe and secure environment.

Know what your insurance covers, what is not covered, and what the deductibles are for the specific claims. There are riders available for an extra cost to enhance protection for the Corporation and board of directors. Insurance claims are inevitable, so make sure the coverage is adequate.

Research the current geographic and economic market conditions. Know what is happening in the real estate market, federal, provincial, and municipal news and laws, builder projects and vendor and trade costs.

You don't have to know the engineering side of the equipment but have a basic understanding of how the equipment works and what its core function is. This way you can know whether it is better to repair or replace for long term performance.

Maintain a level of respect when dealing with the servicing issues of your owners and residents. People have their characteristics, and you are dealing with managing their emotions and intellect. Respond in a timely manner to complaints and strive to resolve them in a fair manner. A great tool is to celebrate with the unit owners and residents in the summertime at a BBQ, which is a good opportunity to get to know your neighbours and the people that comprise the Corporation’s board and property management.

Maintain the health of your building's equipment, cleanliness and the areas that have decor. The elevator, if applicable, is a very important piece of equipment to monitor for safety. The plumbing maintenance of the building is an ongoing service to maintain pipes that don't clog. The energy efficiency of your building includes electricity, gas, water and emissions. Keep the building clean of organic waste matter. Know how to correctly dispose of biohazardous material.

Attend the industry conferences and extra- curricular classes that occur through the year. Meeting your industry providers is really where everyone comes together and to meet the people that make up the condominium ecosystem. You can learn a lot from seeing the issues discussed about other buildings and the processes they have to go through.

Keep a relationship with your local city councillor so you are up to date on local city matters and to help navigate any city requirements. Sometimes city matters become condo matters. For example, during the pandemic when hotels were converted to shelters for people to live in, and both sides had to work together toward being a good neighbour.

You don’t have to get a PhD in the aforementioned topics, as at the end of the day board members are volunteers but a common- sense understanding will go a long way and you can always reach out to the experts in the field who are working day to day that have experience. All that is required is that you schedule a consistent time on a weekly basis to keep up to speed on the various particulars of your role. Have fun, learn and change the community for the better.

Croydon DeMello, TSCC 2281 President