Condo Conversation Corner - Fall 2025

Article from Volume 12, Issue Number 4, 2025

Condo Conversation Corner - Fall 2025

By Alan Forbes | Other articles by Alan Forbes | Regular Column

In this edition we discuss:

The master key approach to security
Obstacles to requesting a special general meeting
Financial benchmark data
Evaluating property manager performance

Note that frequent references are made to Manitoba’s Condominium Act (the act) and Manitoba’s Condominium Regulation (the regulation).

Master key approach to security

We received an inquiry about the use of a master key for access to condo units and about how to enforce the policy regarding its use so that unit owners can’t circumvent it, for example by changing the locks on their units.

Allowing access to units by the condominium corporation is a requirement of the act (section 90), but with some constraints. However, a master key is not necessary to enable such access; it’s but one of many options. Other options include a designated key holder, combination lock and lock boxes.

Section 90 of the act states:

Right to enter limited

90(1) A condominium corporation, or a person authorized by it, may enter a unit, or a part of the common elements of which a unit owner has exclusive use, to perform the corporation's mandate and duties and exercise its powers, but only if

(a) an emergency exists and entry without consent or notice is necessary to deal with it;

(b) a person occupying the unit consents to the entry; or

(c) a notice of entry is given to the person occupying the unit in accordance with subsection (2).

Notice requirements for entry

90(2) The notice of entry must

(a) be written;

(b) specify the purpose of entry;

(c) specify the time or times of entry, which must be reasonable; and

(d) be given to the person occupying the unit at least 24 hours but not more than two weeks before

(i) the specified time of entry, or

(ii) if more than one time is specified, the first specified time.

There is nothing in the act prohibiting a rule regarding master keys. However, having a master key program is something that should be carefully considered after speaking with the corporation’s lawyer and property manager, particularly regarding liability issues. Also, having a master key does not mean that section 90 of the act can be circumvented.

A master key program approach would support common deadbolt locks, maintain aesthetics and promote safety and security, whereas unit owners selecting their own locks could result in a hodge podge and less security.

According to section 169 of the act, the corporation can make rules to support a master key program. It says:

Power to make rules

169(1) A condominium corporation may, by resolution of the board, make, amend or repeal rules respecting the use of the common elements and units to

(a) promote the safety, security or welfare of the unit owners, tenants and other occupants;

(b) promote the security of the common elements, units and common assets;

(c) prevent unreasonable interference with the use of the common elements, units or common assets;

(d) maintain the aesthetic appeal of the property; and

(e) promote the fair distribution of services and amenities and the use of facilities.

Rules to be reasonable and consistent with act, etc.

169(2) A rule, including a rule made before February 1, 2015,

(a) must be reasonable; and

(b) is not effective to the extent that it conflicts with this act or the condominium corporation's declaration or by-laws.

What is a reasonable rule?

169(3) A rule is reasonable if

(a) it is reasonably related to the purpose under subsection (1) for which it is intended;

(b) it applies to all unit owners, tenants and other occupants in a fair manner; and

(c) it is clearly expressed so as to inform a person of what he or she must or must not do to comply with it.

Any such rule must be implemented following a process consistent with the act.

Notice

170(1) Before a rule or its amendment or repeal may take effect, a board must give each unit owner notice of the proposed rule, amendment or repeal.

Content of notice

170(2) The notice must include

(a) a copy of the proposed rule or amendment or a copy of the rule to be repealed;

(b) a statement that unit owners have the right to request a special general meeting under section 114 within 30 days after the notice is given; and

(c) a statement that the rule becomes effective on the date determined under subsection (3).

When rule effective

170(3) A rule, amendment or repeal takes effect as follows:

(a) if unit owners request a special general meeting within the 30-day period, the rule takes effect only if it is confirmed or approved, with or without amendment, by a vote of unit owners who hold a majority of the voting rights in the condominium corporation voted by those unit owners present in person or by proxy at the meeting;

(b) if unit owners do not request a special general meeting, the rule takes effect 31 days after the notice is given under subsection (1).

Amendments by unit owners

170(4) After a rule takes effect, unit owners may vote to amend or repeal it at a general meeting of unit owners.

Does your condominium corporation use a master key approach and, if so, do you have a rule to help with conformance? Please let us know.

Obstacles to request a special general meeting

Suppose a condo board is behaving badly and concerned unit owners want to do something about it. They can request a special general meeting (SGM) of the owners under section 114 of the act.

Special general meeting requested by unit owners

114(1) A unit owner may request that a special general meeting be held by giving the condominium corporation a written request signed by those unit owners entitled to vote who, at the time of the request, own at least 25% of the units.

Consider the hypothetical case of a condominium corporation that has several separate residential buildings, each with secure access. Unit owners who want to request a special general meeting might not have access to the other buildings and probably won’t have the email addresses of all owners to contact them. Is the condominium board obligated to help facilitate such communication?

If the board does not co-operate, the concerned owners could rely on Canada Post to deliver paper copies of their information in order to obtain the required 25 per cent threshold. It would cost a few hundred dollars though — stamps, envelopes, printer ink and paper — but the costs could potentially be reimbursed under section 115 of the act.

Reimbursing costs

115(3) Upon request, the condominium corporation must reimburse a unit owner who calls the special general meeting for the reasonable meeting costs incurred.

What are your thoughts on the matter? What would your board do?

Financial benchmark data

We received this inquiry from one of our members

“Do you have any reporting on condo fee costs on a square footage basis that we can compare ourselves to?

“As a condo corp, we believe we have very reasonable condo fees compared to other similar corporations, but would really like to understand where we line up. Of course, we may not always be comparing fees on an apple-to-apple basis, depending upon what services other condos offer as part of those fees (eg., pool facilities, workout facilities, gathering room, age of facility, etc.), but we would like to at least try to build something that we can then provide to our unit owners to show where we stack up when we communicate our financial information.”

The simple answer is no, CCI Manitoba has no data on condo fees at all, never mind on a square footage basis.

This is a question we have considered though. A few years ago we did a small project to benchmark condo corporation costs — such as insurance, auditor and management fees — based on the number of units and the property type (townhouse, low rise, high rise, etc). The results were interesting but are now somewhat out of date.

The person who asked the question is correct: It’s important to do an apple-to-apple comparison, otherwise the results are meaningless. For example, I live in a 1,500-square-foot townhouse in Transcona yet my fees will be much lower than those for a 1,200-square-foot penthouse on Wellington Crescent that has a concierge, swimming pool and underground parking.

The internet has some information but it is difficult to find Manitoba or Winnipeg data because our market is so small. A quick search of the internet found this article, Condo Fees in 2025 Across Canada: Data & Insights, which includes variables affecting fees such as insurance, utilities, management fees and reserve-fund contributions, which highlight the need for an apple-to-apple comparison.

Just out of curiosity, I asked online AI for “condo fee benchmark data Canada based on square footage.” According to ChatGPT (OpenAI, 2025), typical condo fees in Canada range from $0.40 to $0.85 per square foot.

“I found a few references and ranges for condo / strata (‘maintenance’) fees in Canada expressed per square foot, along with caveats. This gives a rough benchmark rather than a precise rule, since the fees depend heavily on location, building age, amenities, and what’s included (heat, water, insurance, etc.).

“Canadian benchmark ranges (per square foot)

Location	Fees per sq. ft.	Notes / source
Toronto / GTA	$0.50 to $1.00	https://www.brokerlink.ca/blog/average-maintenance-fee-for-a-condo-in-toronto?utm_source=chatgpt.com
Downtown Toronto	$0.50 to $1.00	https://torontorealtyblog.com/blog/whats-happening-with-condo-maintenance-fees/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
Toronto average	$0.64	https://condos.ca/blog/posts/the-costs-of-owning-a-condo?utm_source=chatgpt.com
Vancouver	$0.25 to $0.60	https://torontorealtyblog.com/blog/whats-happening-with-condo-maintenance-fees/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
Ottawa	$0.45 to $0.65	https://www.mattrichling.com/blog/whats-a-good-condo-fee-in-ottawa-a-2025-guide-to-what-you-should-and-shouldnt-be-paying?utm_source=chatgpt.com
Canadian average	$0.40 to $0.85	https://urbanteamhomes.com/strata-fees-in-canada/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

“Caveats and what affects variation

“While these are useful ballpark figures, in practice the actual condo fee per square foot can deviate, sometimes significantly, due to:

Age / condition of building — older buildings may need more maintenance, repairs, upgrades.
Amenities — buildings with gym, pool, concierge, party rooms, guest suites, rooftop terraces, etc., drive up costs.
Services included — whether heating, water, electricity, insurance, maintenance, janitorial, snow removal, etc., are included.
Reserve fund / depreciation study — whether the condo corporation has properly funded future repairs.
Climate / insurance costs — in some regions, costs of repairs, insurance, weatherproofing, etc., are higher.
Building height / complexity — high-rise, taller buildings tend to have relatively higher common costs.”

Interesting information for sure, but useful? — it depends on your apple.

Evaluating the performance of property managers

We occasionally get inquiries from corporations asking for advice about what to do with an unsatisfactory property manager. We also occasionally get inquiries from exasperated property managers asking for guidance about problematic condo corporations.

We recently had an unusual but pleasant inquiry from a condo corporation happy with its property manager that wanted to strengthen the relationship. Board members were considering an annual performance review and open discussion with the property manager.

It became clear the starting point would be the management agreement. First to consider are the tangible aspects — are all of the services listed in the agreement being provided to some extent and, if so, is the performance for a given service considered to be satisfactory, needing improvement or exceptional? If a listed service is not being provided at all, and if it isn’t needed, potentially it could be removed from the agreement at the time of the next renewal. As well, the property manager may be providing services that are not part of the agreement; if they are needed, they should be added to the agreement.

The second consideration are the intangibles. Does the board have a good relationship with the property manager? Do you view each other with respect, admiration, as peers or partners, or does the board view the property manager as a subordinate? If you ran into the property manager in public, what would your instant reaction be? Would the chance encounter bring a smile to your face or spike your blood pressure?

This is something we haven’t discussed in CCI Manitoba since I have been a director. We have some documents to help condo corporations find a new property manager, but these documents are for use only after the relationship has gone sour. We don’t really have anything to sustain and improve the relationship, but probably should have.

If you have gone through a property manager performance evaluation process as a condo director or as a property manager, we would love to hear from you.

If you want to contribute to the discussion, you can submit a comment on our website or send us an email.