The deadline to apply for the licences that are now mandatory to continue providing condo management services in Ontario closes on Friday, March 30, at midnight. The original Jan. 29 deadline was extended in mid-February after the new body set up to oversee the industry determined that more than 200 individuals had missed this cut-off date.

No further extensions will be granted, Sandy Vizely, deputy registrar at the Condominium Management Regulatory Authority of Ontario (CMRAO), confirmed in an email.

“It’s now an offence under subsection 34(2) of the Condominium Management Services Act, 2015, to provide condo management services without a licence,” said Vizely. “If convicted, there are serious penalties for committing an offence under the Act.”

“Any condo corporation that enters into an agreement with an unlicensed manager or management company is also contravening the Condo Act,” Vizely added. “It’s important for condo directors to understand their obligations as well.”

The CMRAO received more applications than expected, based on its estimates that around 2,200 individuals and 300 companies were providing condo management services before mandatory licensing launched. As of Jan. 29, it had received 320 applications from companies and 2,432 applications from individuals.

Of the individuals, 1,386 applied for general licences, 636 applied for transitional general licences and 410 applied for limited licences. Which type of licence individuals are eligible to apply for depends on their education and experience.

Mandatory licensing was introduced as part of broader legislative reforms aimed at improving consumer protection in the Ontario condo industry.