The CMRAO stands for Condominium Management Regulatory Authority of Ontario. The CMRAO is a regulatory body created through provincial legislation. The CMRAO is a not-for-profit Corporation and is paid for by the licensing fees collected from Condominium Management providers, and Condominium Managers.
The goal of this regulatory body is to protect consumers (Condo Owners), strengthen the Condominium Management profession, and to give Condo Owners confidence in the individuals and companies that oversee their investment and community. One way the CMRAO strives to achieve their goal is by ensuring that all Property Management Providers (companies) and all Condominium Managers are licensed and regulated.
The CMRAO issues the following types of licenses:
Condominium Management Provider License General License
Transitional General License
Limited License
Condominium Management Provider License – Every Condominium Management Company in Ontario must have a Condominium Management Provider License.
General License – The General License is the full license designation for Condominium Managers, and can only be obtained after the individual has completed educational requirement in condominium law, physical building management, financial planning for condominium managers, and condominium administration and human relations, or successfully passes four challenge exams. In addition to the educational requirements, the individual must have provided two or more years (2,920 hours) of Condominium Management Services within the previous 5 years.
*It should be noted that in the near future the educational requirements will be changing.
Transitional General License – Individuals can no longer apply for a Transitional General License (the last day for such applications was March 30, 2018). This designation was created to give Condominium Managers, already working in the industry (two or more years), time to complete their educational requirements. All transitional general licensees must have their educational requirements completed by June 30, 2021. An individual with a Transitional General License can perform the same work as an individual with a General License. Very soon, this license designation will no longer exist in the
Condominium Industry.
Limited License – Everyone has to start somewhere. The Limited License is for individuals that are newer to the industry, and have less than two years of experience providing Condominium Management services within the previous five years. The Limited Licensee does have some restrictions while performing their work. They must be supervised by a General Licensee or a Transitional General Licensee, they cannot enter into contracts
or agreements without approval of the Supervising Licensee, they cannot manage/control/or disburse more than $500 of the client’s general funds without approval of the Supervising Licensee, they cannot manage/control/or disburse reserve funds, and they cannot sign status certificates.
In addition to licensing Condominium Managers and Condominium Management Providers, the CMRAO also
performs the following tasks:
• Maintaining a public registry (online) of licensed Condominium Managers and Condominium Management provider companies. This list will have information on all licensees, including any details about suspensions, license cancellations or any disciplinary actions taken against a CMRAO licensee.
• Promoting and enforcing compliance with the Condominium Management Services Act, 2015, licensing requirements and a Code of Ethics.
• Addressing complaints about licensees by conducting inspections or investigations, assisting to resolve issues, holding discipline hearings and taking corrective actions when necessary.
• Preparing and establishing training and educational requirements for Condominium Managers. Promoting awareness of the new regulatory system for Condominium Management.
