Restoration & Renovation
Anticipating the needs of aging condo communities
New updates to the OBC, which come into effect January 1, 2025, do little to address accessibility. How can existing condos prioritize inclusion when planning for renovations?
Eco-friendly condo upgrades
Reaching net zero by 2050 means sustainability targets for new and existing condo buildings will need to change quickly.
Addressing hidden damages in condominiums
Condo managers who understand a condo’s life stages, hidden damages, and inspections are more likely to develop effective reserve fund plans with logical budget allotments.
Shaping Toronto’s skyline
While improvements in construction technology, metallurgy and resource management have helped developers to build high-rises at more feasible costs, the design process could be more closely considered.
WELL evolves into residential communities
Minto Communities is the first developer in Canada to pilot the WELL for residential program, which sets out to create healthier homes.
Tailoring amenities to evolving demographics
The types of amenities that were once popular in condos have changed.
A guide to understanding noise in condos
Resolving noise complaints requires an understanding of how sound moves through a building and the obligations of a condominium.
Office conversion prospects judged challenging
Viable conversion candidates must begin with a basic structural prerequisite, but construction costs, location, surrounding amenities and assumptions about future office values all influence the business case.
Tornado research uncovers risks for homeowners
Canada’s tornado risk is more widespread than once thought, according to a growing body of research that, for the first time, tracks the occurrence and aftermath facing property owners across the country.
‘Windows’ of opportunity for home retrofits
In low-rise homes, including condos, up to 35 per cent of heated air can be lost through the windows during the heating season.
Existing condos: rising to modern standards
New regulations from multiple levels of government are forcing condominium boards and property management companies to consider more than just a simple cost-benefit calculation when examining repair and retrofit options.
Ontario condo managers grapple with price hikes
As multi-residential buildings grapple with rising construction costs, condo managers in Ontario are experiencing the impacts up close.
Construction costs rattle the condo industry
Construction cost increases are a significant concern if a condo needs to complete work in the next year or so. But the concern isn't just the here and now.
How to prepare properties for tornado season
The deadly storm that devastated large parts of Southern Ontario on Saturday did so with little warning. In its aftermath,10 people are dead and the tornado-grade winds of the storm, called a ‘derecho,’ left behind massive damage and destruction.
Condos at high risk from reserve fund shortfalls
The growing crop of condo owners across Canada will likely encounter huge annual fee increases and lump-sum payments due to low reserve fund contributions, authors of a new research report are warning.
Newest co-working spaces cater to hybrid future
As a hybrid work models emerges, new condos will welcome residents into co-working spaces with no one-size-fits-all approach.
Scanning the road ahead for EV-ready condos
As the country moves to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles, questions are brewing among people living in multi-unit dwellings.