Vintage social media (aka news briefs) — March 2026

Article from Volume 13, Issue Number 1, 2026

Vintage social media (aka news briefs) — March 2026

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

Here are a few recently published articles of interest from various internet sources, plus a few from other CCI Chapters:

Are we about to run out of condominium managers?
Overcrowding in condo units
Free condo learning
Condos and communication
Obstacles persist for improved energy efficiency in condos

Please email us if you have an article or news story that might interest CCI Manitoba and our members.

Are we about to run out of condominium managers?

Courtesy of CCI Toronto’s Condo Voice magazine (Fall 2025 edition, page 13), Murray Johnson reviews the situation for Ontario in terms of current and future condo manager supplies in his article titled “Are we running out of licensed condo managers?” The article suggests that current condo managers are under strain due to the increasing number of properties they must manage. More worrisome are demographic issues, with significant numbers of managers expected to retire over the next five to ten years. This is expected to result in higher salaries for managers to attract and retain staff, with the associated costs borne by their client condo corporations.

While the article discusses the Ontario context, it is not unreasonable to assume similar issues are present in Manitoba. If any of our readers have similar analyses for Manitoba, consider submitting an article for a future newsletter edition.

Downturn in the micro-condo market

The lack of affordable housing results in strange developments in the condominium industry. While Manitoba is very far removed from the Toronto and Vancouver condo markets, it is very difficult to understand why micro-condos (300 square feet) can sell for $1,000 to $2,000 per square foot during a housing boom. However, it is easy to understand why prices are falling now.

This BBC article about the Toronto market, titled 'Somewhere to put worker bees': Why Canada's micro-condos are losing their appeal, published 2026-01-02, includes a few examples of 300-square-foot condos.

Overcrowding in condo units

Another trend in the condo marketplace is also a result of the affordability problem — overcrowding in condo units.

Shiona Niven authored an article in Condo Business on 2026-01-16 titled Condos grapple with overcrowded units: Corporations must balance community safety and the human rights of residents highlighting the issue.

“Overcrowding in condominium units is a byproduct of Ontario’s affordable housing crisis and often goes overlooked. It poses a tangible risk to buildings, increases the cost to owners (higher condo fees and/or special assessments), and creates major challenges for managers and boards.

“Until condo corporations’ governing documents provide clearer guidance and housing affordability improves, these corporations are left balancing a fine line between safeguarding their communities and respecting the human rights of their residents”.

Free condo learning

If you’d like to learn more about condominium living and the various issues in the industry, try listening to a few episodes in the CondoWise Learning Podcast by Elia Associates. Each episode is typically 10 to 15 minutes long. Elia Associates also publishes a monthly CondoWise newsletter — click this link to review a few samples or to subscribe.

Condo Business, part of the REMI Network, publishes a free digital magazine with interesting articles for condo owners, managers, and directors, and also has a biweekly news flash that you can subscribe to.

Last, but not least, each CCI Chapter across the country has its own newsletter. You can find all of them on the CCI National website.

Condo owners, directors, and fiduciary responsibility

A recent article published by CondoBusiness, part of the REMI.com network, highlights the condo directors' fiduciary responsibilities in relation to often competing interests of resident owners versus investor owners. The article titled "Weak financial oversight puts condo owners at risk" was written by Todd Hofley and published Oct. 22, 2025. The article's key points stress the need for diligent budgeting, properly funding the reserve, and being open and transparent with all owners. It is a must-read for all directors.

Condos and communication

Condo directors and managers want to be open and transparent with unit owners while protecting sensitive and personal information. Communication problems often develop, though, when one or more parties' emotions start to boil over. The key to preventing this type of problem is to step back and take a break from the communication channel until you are suitably calm.

An article titled, ”Condo communication missteps under scrutiny”, by Rebecca Melnyk for CondoBusiness, highlights a few examples of communication gone wrong — valid lessons learned for all directors and managers.

Obstacles persist for improved energy efficiency in condos

A recent article, “Barriers stall deep energy retrofits in the condo sector”, by Rebecca Melnyk for CondoBusiness, highlights the need for governments to update regulations and policies to make it easier for condo corporations to invest in long-term energy savings. In the Manitoba context, significant changes to common elements (such as for a geothermal system or installation of solar panels) require written approval from at least 80% of the unit owners' voting percentages. Also, it is unclear whether reserve funds could be used for such improvement projects, unless required by building code changes. Another factor is that government grants and low-interest loan programs seldom consider condo corporations as a significant portion of residential homes.

This topic has been covered by CCI Manitoba several times in the past few years. For further reading, here are some links

Condominium Reserve Fund Studies - Should there be more?

Condominium Reserve Fund Studies - The Next Steps

Considering Energy Efficiency As Part Of The Reserve Fund Study (RFS) Process

Petition Advocating Financial Support for Condominium Corporations

Alan Forbes is a director of his condo corporation. He also volunteers with CCI Manitoba.

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