More than a year into existence, Ontario’s Condominium Act Tribunal (CAT) is working effectively, Toronto employment lawyer Deborah Howden tells Law Times. 

Howden, partner with Shibley Righton LLP's Toronto office, tells the publication that while the tribunal only handles issues of access to records, that is the most common area of dispute between condo corporations and unit owners. 

“What’s distinctive about the CAT is this is a new tribunal in Ontario, and it’s a designated authority, and there’s only a handful of such authorities in the province,” Howden tells Law Times. 

“It’s our first and only online adjudication body.” 

She tells the legal publications that prior to the Ontario Condominium Act being amended, an owner with an issue had to have a reason related to the condo corporation to access to a particular document. 

A reason is no longer necessary for a purchaser, condo owner, or mortgagee of a unit to access that information, provided the record doesn’t relate to an exemption under the Condominium Act, Howden says.

This is an excerpt from an article that appeared on AdvocateDaily.com.

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