Condo Owners Association

Condo Owners Association (COA) is a nonprofit association in the Province of Ontario to represent and advocate for Condo Owners rights Condos, work with all levels of Government to create better legislation with the Provincial Condo Act and support consumer protection, better governance and accountability in the operations and directorships of Condominiums for long term successful sustainability and value. The Toronto-based association as founded in 2010 in Toronto, Ontario Canada by Linda Pinizzotto because she realized that Condo Owners province wide were having difficulties with their Boards of Directors and Property Management and since the Provincial Condo Act 1998 was self-governed, it provided very little consumer protection. She believed that Condo Owners needed an Association to promote changes. COA succeeded in their mission when the Ontario McGuinty Government in Ontario launched a Condo Review Consultation in June 8, 2012.
July 2013 Break Through Changes Announcement
The Condo Owners Association has been working with the Ministry of Consumer Services and is a stakeholder in the Condo Act Review. After months of consultation through Stages 1 and 2 of the Review process; the Ministry held a press release on July 17, 2013 to announce: the proposal of mandatory qualifications for condominium managers how an independent, regulatory authority to oversee licensing and standards would be set up. COA believes the Ministry's Announcement will provide better governance, accountability and ethics within the Property Management sector and supports condominium management companies and condominium managers need of a government licensing structure </ref>
Mission Statement
"The Condo Owners Association mission is to represent and provide leadership to condominium Owners with a united voice advocating and fostering quality lifestyle, prosperous and sustainable condominium ownership. " COA favors the following mandate:
* Advocate and foster a prosperous, sustainable economic environment in Condo Communities
* Work with government for change of the condo Act in support of Condo Owners
* Work with municipal, provincial and federal governments for improved legislation
* Support government licensing for Property Management Firms and Property Managers
* Provide a wealth of insight, information and support to Condo Owners
* Provide a positive contribution to the quality of life in Condo Communities
* Maintain a record of complaints and work to provide solutions
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COA is also working with the Consumers Protection Centre on their review of Property Management licensing.
Concerns on illegal acts have surfaced with respect to meth labs. ".
Better legislation and building codes for the development of condominiums. ".
History
Linda Pinizzotto is the Founder, President and Chair of the Condo Owners Association.
In 2010, Pinizzotto who had worked through Board problems for over 8 years as the President of a condo board believed that her knowledge and experience could help other condo owners. She funded and registered the Condo Owners Association in the hope that it would provide advocacy and representation for condo owners no different from the various associations i.e. Teachers, Doctors, Lawyers, Service-trades, Unions.
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Pinizzotto speaks on the need for COA and important representation for Condo Owners . with Hugh Riley and Sandra Kyrzakos. In the early 2000s, condominium construction popped the City of Toronto City of Toronto Ontario. COA has grown rapidly because of the vast amount of construction of high rise condominiums across Toronto, GTA, Mississauga, Brampton and across the Province. The timing of the Condo Owners Association was crucial because less than a year later on Jan 21, 2011 headlines were made in the National Post stating Toronto’s unstoppable condos and by 2013 the Province of Ontario are quoting 1.3 million condo owners,
The Condo Owners Association advocates to the Ontario government working with the past and present Ministers of the Ministry of Consumer Services since 20009. They oversee the Provincial Condo Act Condominium Act 1998. By June 8, 2012 the McGuinty Government announced they will “Build a Better Condo Act” to provide more governance and accountability plus stronger consumer protection.
Toronto Over 1.2 of construction today are condominiums and there are 587,000 condo units province wide. COA submitted their recommended for Condo Act changes to the Ministry recognizing the importance of better governance and accountability and the need for a standardized declaration. The condominium is too confusing for the average condo owner because every building has a different declaration yet there are various common elements. COA also keeps in mind multi-culturism and the vast amount of seniors living in condominiums. "
In 2012, the Condo Owners Association (COA) submitted an introduction to the Minister of Consumer Services for a "Government Reserve Fund Bond". This would unitize and help assist condo corporation:
# provide a safer financial structure for corporation reserve funds
# ensure a level and supportive field for better investment interest rates
# create a new concept for government while assisting condo corporations
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