With our fiscal year end of June 30th followed by our AGM in September, the summer edition of our newsletter is the time to publish the year-end reports from our Committee. At CCI Manitoba, most of the detailed work is done at the Committee level, the Board setting the direction and making the decisions for proposals brought forward.

We are continuing to receive suggestions to improve the Provincial condo act (The Act) https://web2.gov.mb.ca/laws/statutes/2011/c03011e.php and the associated regulations https://web2.gov.mb.ca/laws/regs/current/164-2014.php?lang=en and we thank you wholeheartedly for your efforts.

Hello Again!

As we come to the end of another year for the Canadian Condominium Institute – Manitoba Chapter, it’s time to reflect on our accomplishments and disappointments and also on what we can look forward to in the coming year. While it certainly has been an interesting and eventful year, it was not without its share of ups and downs.

A View & A Voice

If you want to contribute to the discussion, you can make a submission to cci-manitoba.ca/resources/condo-conversation-corner.

Disclaimer
CCI Manitoba is unable to provide specific legal advice. We recommend that you speak to a lawyer regarding the challenges or problems you may be experiencing. For your information, a list of lawyers who are Professional Members of the Manitoba Chapter of the Canadian Condominium.

Note that frequent references are made to Manitoba’s Condominium Act (The Act) https://web2.gov.mb.ca/laws/statutes/2011/c03011e.php. 

We are seeing another year impacted by rising mortgage rates and in July the Bank of Canada increased the overnight rate for the 10th time since March 2022. At that time, rates were rock bottom at 0.25% but now they sit at 5%, the highest they have been in 22 years. Despite the rising interest rates, condominium activity in the local market is weathering the rapid rate hikes surprisingly well, based on June market results.

Looking for an energy-efficient heating and cooling system? Air source heat pumps can provide both heating and cooling for condominiums and can reduce electric heating costs by up to 30%.  

This topic was raised by a member at CCI Manitoba’s Presidents’ Forum on April 11th, 2023, which pertained to an item in our Summer 2017 Newsletter that published a bulletin from the Fire Prevention Branch of the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service (WFPS) which provided details on the new fire prevention by-law 35/2017.  Since its initial release, the by-law has been amended twice, once in 2021 (updates to penalties and enforcement in section 70) and once in 2022 (changes to Council Committee names). The new (and current)  by-law, 35/2017, replaces the prior by-law 150/2004

This is a recurring feature in our newsletter covering topics affecting condominium corporations (CCs) due to current or planned municipal or provincial legislation and regulations. While our recent focus has been on Winnipeg, primarily with respect to short-term rentals and waste diversion (recycling), if CCs in other municipalities are aware or concerned about similar matters where they live, please let us know, by sending an email to cci.mb.news@gmail.com.

CCI National Leaders Forum & Conference 

The National Leaders Forum (NLF) started at noon on Wed May 31st and ran until the end of the day Friday June 2nd. The National Conference was held on Saturday June 3rd. This article provides two accounts of the NLF & Conference from the perspective of two newbies (first time attending a NLF).

Manitoba Court of Queen’s Bench: Smith v. Lehmann et al

One of the larger disputes that can arise between a Condominium Corporation and a unit owner stems from the financial responsibility of correcting deficiencies of a unit. The Manitoba Court of Queen’s Bench made a ruling Smith v. Lehmann et al. that provided reinforcement to the balance of a unit owner’s duty under section 180(2) of The Condominium Act versus the rights of a Condominium Corporation under section 181.

2023-2024 Education and Event Program Schedule

For up-to-date information about in-person and online events, please use https://cci-manitoba.ca/education-events/upcoming-course-events. Note that as the effects of the pandemic are fading, we are resuming in-person events and hope to include a live streaming option in the future.

There are seventeen Canadian Condominium Institute chapters across the country and each has a representative on the National Council. The Council meets virtually twice per year and in person at the National Leaders’ Forum.

With the reappearance in the City of Winnipeg Council Chamber of some condo related issues, we started to receive some letters to the editor from our members. If you would like to send in your own letter for possible publication in our newsletter, you can do so by sending it to us a cci.mb.news@gmail.com with a subject of “Letters to the Editor”.

When buying or selling a condominium, disclosure statements play a crucial role in providing the buyer with relevant information about the property and the condominium corporation. Two sources of information for prospective buyers and sellers are from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation and the Canadian Condominium Institute.  Proper disclosure can also insulate both the seller and buyer from costly errors if disclosure is questioned.  

List of Individual Members of CCI Manitoba

List of Condo Corporation Members of CCI Manitoba