Alberta proposes condo law changes

The Alberta government is proposing some changes to the province’s condominium laws but there are concerns that the laws will be too weak.

The Alberta government is proposing some changes to the province’s condominium laws but there are concerns that the laws will be too weak. Among the measures on the table; better consumer protection for condo buyers including clearer information; safeguarding of deposits held by developers using trustee accounts, and developers to pay their share of fees for unsold units; better management of condo boards; and better regulation and management of disputes procedures. June Donaldson, a condo owners’ advocate, says the proposals improve on previous ones but don’t go far enough to protect owners. Jim Rivait of the Canadian Home Builders’ Association says: “Now that the Condominium Property Act has been introduced in the legislature, we will begin a detailed review and we look forward to working with Service Alberta Minister Stephen Khan to ensure the legislation meets the need of homebuyers.”