The minister spoke about Bill 106
Dipika Damerla, the Liberal MPP for Cooksville-Mississauga East, hosted a Condominium Town Hall with the Hon. David
Orazietti (Minister of Government and Consumer Services) on Sep. 30 in
Mississauga.
The Mississauga News
reported that the Ministry's report recieved mixed reviews from the
owners who attended. I don't think that was an accurate portrait of the
meeting.
I heard something different. David Orazietti claimed that a
non-government agency would be able to deliver better service far
cheaper than if it was a government agency.
I found this to be an interesting position. Not only was he taking a
cheap shot at Ontario's public servants he appears not to have heard of
the Ornge fiasco, Highway 407 and the questionable consumer protection
provided by Tarion.
Mr.Orazietti claimed that the Condo Authority would cost condo owners
only a dollar a month and that he was determined to meet that target.
(Later in the meeting, he said that if the number of complaints
exceeded the expected numbers, the costs may have to be raised.)
He also promised that the Condo Authority would be completely
transparent and would subject to the Freedom of Information laws, the
sunshine list and The Office of the Auditor General.
I was listening to the third Minister of Consumer Services in the last
three years so I wonder if these assurances will be binding on all the
future ministers we will have by the time all the regulations are
proclaimed. We will have to see.
However, I saw that the majority of condo owners in attendance are
expecting the government to deliver on their promise of a quick, cheap
and effective agency that will solve their various condo disputes.
I am concerned that they are expecting far more than Bill 106 will deliver.
I was not the only one. Condo owner Michael Gress lauded the changes,
but said he can't understand how this won't lead to a hike in
maintenance fees.
"It goes without saying we are going to be paying more," he said. "But
it sounds like it's going to be a lot easier to recover costs if
there's a dispute. I had got go to court with my condo manager last
year and it cost a fortune."
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