New to the Condominium Way of Life: Part 3
Here is our third Q-and-A style blog post! In this post we discuss the different documents that condominiums have to describe the rights and obligations of unit owners and occupiers, as well as the condominium board of directors – the declaration, by-laws, and rules.
Q. Can you explain the difference between a declaration, by-law, and rules?
A. The condominium’s declaration is often called its “constitution” because it (along with the description) creates the condominium. It is like a condominium’s articles of incorporation. It sets out basic information about the condominium, like the number and type of units, the type of condominium, conditions and restrictions on use of the units, the proportions of ownership and contributions toward common expenses, the unit boundaries, and maintenance and repair obligations. The description is often called the “survey” or “map”. It shows the boundaries of the units, common elements, and exclusive use common elements. Condominiums must have a declaration and description and both can be amended.
The condominium’s by-laws typically address board governance and other matters related to how the condominium operates. For example, the by-laws will describe the qualifications for directors, how meetings of the owners are to be conducted, and procedures for conducting mediations. One of the most important by-laws is the standard unit by-law. The standard unit by-law describes the condominium’s obligations for insurance on the units. Any item that is not part of the standard unit as defined in the by-law will be considered an improvement that the owner must insure. Every owner should review their standard unit by-law and provide a copy to their own insurer to make sure they have adequate coverage in place. Other by-laws address special situations, like granting easements or rights-of-way to a neighbour, borrowing funds for a repair project, or paying remuneration to the directors. Most condominiums have at least one by-law and many have several, but there is no requirement to have one at all. By-laws can also be amended or repealed (deleted).
The condominium’s rules tend to cover more mundane issues, like the requirements for garbage disposal (i.e. type of bags or containers, garbage days, permitted times for using garbage chutes). The rules are much easier to change than the declaration or by-laws, so they tend to contain subject matter that changes regularly, like the process to obtain a parking permit from the manager or parking control company. There is no requirement to have rules, but most condominiums have them.
It is important to note that there is a hierarchy among the documents. The declaration is at the top. The by-laws and rules must be consistent with the declaration to be enforceable. For example, a condominium could not pass a rule that permits short-term rentals if the declaration prohibits them. Next in the hierarchy is the by-law, or by-laws. Finally, the rules are at the bottom of the hierarchy. The rules must be consistent with the declaration and by-laws to be enforceable.
Q. How strict can each of the documents be?
A. The Condominium Act, 1998, describes the permitted and mandatory subjects for each type of document. There are several different parts of the Act and its regulations that describe the subject matters, but the most commonly used sections are:
- Section 7 for declarations;
- Sections 56 & 57 for by-laws; and
- Section 58 for rules.
It is important for the condominium to use the proper document for the new condition or restriction or it could be unenforceable. For example, a by-law that attempts to describe the unit boundaries will be unenforceable as the Act requires the unit boundaries to be described in the declaration and description.
The Act also requires by-laws and rules to be reasonable. The declaration has no such requirement. What is reasonable? The Act does not say. Fortunately, there are several reported cases that provide some guidance in determining if a proposed new by-law or rule would be reasonable.
Q. What can I do if I, as a unit owner, think that a rule, by-law, or provision in a declaration is too strict/unreasonable?
A. All amendments to the declaration and by-laws must start with the board of directors. As such, if an owner has concerns about a provision being unsuitable for the community the owner should reach out to the board to discuss possible amendments. If the board refuses to take steps to change the document, an owner may want to apply to challenge the validity of the document. There are a few different ways this can be done, including the Superior Court of Justice, mediation/arbitration, or the Condominium Authority Tribunal.
For rules, owners may requisition a meeting to amend or repeal rules according to subsection 58(5) of the Act, which states:
Amendment by Owners
(5) The Owners may amend or repeal a rule at a meeting of owners duly called for that purpose.
Note subsection 58(5) of the Act does not permit owners to create new rules.
Q. How do I, as a unit owner, go about reviewing a condo’s declaration, by-laws, and rules?
A. You should have obtained copies of the declaration, by-laws, and rules when you purchased your unit. If not, you can obtain copies from the condominium. We normally suggest owners review their documents in the following order:
- Rules;
- Declaration; and
- By-laws.
The reason for this recommendation is that the rules tend to be the easiest to read and will often highlight the key restrictions or conditions for using the property. Reading the rules first gives owners an idea of what to look for when reviewing the declaration. Also, the declaration tends to be more complex and lengthier, which can frustrate owners and make them less likely to continue reading the other documents. The by-laws are important for directors, or candidates for the board, to review as they describe how the board conducts business. For owners, most of the by-laws will be irrelevant to their daily living.
Special thanks to Zach Powell, summer student at Robson Carpenter LLP, for asking the questions owners want to know and preparing this post!