With summer having come to an end and some of us looking forward to another balmy winter, I thought I would reflect on the past few months.

For up-to-date information about in-person and online events, please use https://cci-manitoba.ca/education-events/upcoming-course-events. Note that as the effects of the pandemic are fading, we are resuming in-person events and hope to include a live streaming option in the future.

In this edition of Condo Conversation Corner, we have three topics of interest:

• What should a condo board director know?
• How does a condo board find a new property manager?
• What to do if a condo board is failing in its duties.
   

While it is easy to quantify the cost of a CCI Manitoba membership, it is more difficult to quantify its value. 

Creating an energy-efficient building envelope is one of the most effective ways to save energy in condominium buildings. 

In its second quarter report, the Bank of Canada indicated it may hold off on increasing its key interest rate again from the current five per cent. This is due to evidence indicating the economy is cooling and there has also been a cooling in Canada’s housing market and prices. This cooling continued in the third quarter. While a rate hike has not been conclusively ruled out, it does not appear there will be any further increases in the prime lending rate this year. However, do not expect rate cuts any time soon.
 

Manitoba’s new Limitations Act sets a time limit for one party to sue another for injury, loss or damage at two years from the day the reason for the claim is discovered. There are certain exceptions, but once the limitation period has expired, the aggrieved party is generally not permitted to seek recovery from another party.

The Annual General Meeting was a fun-filled event held Sept. 23 at Assiniboia Downs with a Manitoba Derby theme that brought out fancy hats and bow ties. The evening started at 5 p.m. with registration and networking, with drinks and appetizers available. The AGM proper started at 6 p.m. and was followed by awards presentations, then horse racing and networking for the rest of the evening.

We want to thank all of our members who attended the event and, based on the smiles on their faces, everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. 
 

We have 15 positions on our Board of Directors, with each director normally serving a three-year term. The terms are staggered so that our members elect five each year at our annual general meeting (AGM). At the AGM held Sept. 23 at Assiniboia Downs, four directors were re-elected to our board, bringing the total serving to 14. There is one vacancy.
 

Some time this fall, the issue of short-term rentals (STRs) will make its way through the City of Winnipeg’s council chambers. The minutes from the Feb. 2 council meeting provided the details of the proposed regulations, while the proposed bylaw changes are described in the Reports section of the agenda of the Sept. 13 Standing Policy Committee on Property and Development Regular Meeting Minutes as “16. Zoning By-law Review - Phase 1.” The subsequent step in the process was item 2 in the Reports section “Regulating Short-Term Rental Accommodations” in the Oct. 17 Executive Policy Committee Regular Meeting Minutes.” 

Welcome to the initial article about the CCI Manitoba Management Advisory Committee. We're excited to share this initiative. Let's dive into what's been happening and how you can get involved.

CCI Manitoba held its very first Treasurers’ Forum on Aug. 23, recognizing the treasurer's role as one of the most difficult and demanding condo board positions. The session was attended by representatives from 37 condominium corporations. These representatives ranged in experience on their condo boards from three weeks to 11 years and included self-managed as well as professionally managed corporations.

Did you know?

Many of our members do not realize that they are CCI members and hence are missing out on some of their membership benefits. While they do receive this quarterly newsletter and perhaps an occasional email from us, they may not realize why. This may be because many of our members fall into one of two of our group-membership categories - Condo Corporations and Business Partners. When a Condo Corporation becomes a CCI member, all unit owners become members as well, entitling them to this quarterly newsletter and other member benefits as described in another article. Similarly, when a company or business, such as a property management firm or a law firm, becomes a CCI member, all of their staff become members as well. To access our CCI members-only area of our website, just click on the Members Only menu item and login (If you don’t know your username and password, email our administrator). In this members-only area you can find resources such as our newsletter archive and recordings of past education sessions. Note that the login credentials change annually and are sent to the primary contact for the membership upon renewal.