Carbon Monoxide Detectors: The Fire Protection and Prevention Act, 1997 now mandates the installation of carbon monoxide detectors in all residential buildings that have (i) a fuel-burning appliance; (ii) a fireplace; or (ii) a storage garage (i.e. parking garage). The installation requirements are set out in Section 2.16.2.1 of the Fire Code and can be summarized as follows:

  • for units with a fuel-burning appliance or a fireplace, a carbon monoxide alarm must be installed adjacent to each bedroom in the suite;
  • if a fuel-burning appliance is installed in a service room, a carbon monoxide alarm must be installed in the service room and adjacent to each bedroom in each residential suite that has a common wall, floor or ceiling with the service room;
  • for parking garages, carbon monoxide alarms must be installed adjacent to each bedroom in each residential suite that has a common wall, floor or ceiling with the parking garage.

For condominium corporations with six (6) or more residential suites, carbon monoxide alarms must be installed by October 15, 2015.

The Drones are Coming? The use of unmanned aerial vehicles, commonly referred to as  drones, is becoming more prevalent in certain industries, such as land surveying, filming and, not surprising, surveillance. Is it only a matter of time before drones are used in the condominium industry for compliance related purposes?

Drones are governed by the Canadian Aviation Regulations. To operate a commercial drone (or any drone larger than 35 pounds), the operator requires a Special Flight Operations Certificate (SFOC) from Transport Canada, which is relatively difficult to obtain. However, drones under 35 pounds are considered recreational hobbyist aircraft and, if used for recreational purposes, fall completely outside the legal regime.

The serious privacy concerns, and related criminal sanctions arising from misuse, are likely to dissuade most condominium corporations from using drones for rule enforcement. However, a larger concern may be residents conducting surveillance on other residents. It is only a matter of time before managers and boards are asked to respond to incidents of "lateral surveillance" by residents.

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.