Ontario is home to thousands of condo corporations with various issues. Sally Thompson, a founder and managing principal of Synergy Partners Consulting Limited and newly appointed president of the Canadian chapter of Community Associations Institute, is sharing advice for first-time owners and long-time residents to help change condo living for the better.

Thompson has written a book, Condo Questions and Answers, addressing the most common and unexpected problems that owners face. Her book is published by James Lorimer & Company and backed by years of experience as a professional engineer and a history of advising owners, property managers, boards and the government.

She has also extensively consulted with the government on amendments to the Condominium Act and previously served as president for the Toronto Chapter of the Canadian Condominium Institute.

Her four-part book breaks down questions related to everything from water leaks and noisy neighbours to understanding condo mortgages. A crucial focus related to reserve funds tackles the likeliness of fee increases, special assessments, and how to determine if your condo is in good shape financially, and much more.

She explores how the future of Ontario condominiums remains precarious without proper funding of reserve funds and remains dedicated to helping the industry get to a better place.

“Condominiums are very complex, and many owners don’t understand as much as they should,” she says. “Writing the book gave me the opportunity to crystalize my thinking, and hopefully share the content with a wider audience.”

“I have also been advocating on behalf of condominiums for more than a decade to have improvements made to the Condominium Act to improve financial stability from day one in the life of a condominium. I hope that my book helps more people understand why this is important so their voices can join in.”