This study is no longer a best practice—it is a legal requirement designed to stabilize condominium finances.

1) What Is the Purpose of the Contingency Fund Study?

The study determines how much money must be available in the contingency fund to pay for major repairs and replacements of common elements over time. It also recommends annual contributions that reflect the real condition and lifecycle of the building.

2) How Often Is It Required?

Under the regulation, the contingency fund study must be obtained periodically, with updates generally required every five years to reflect changes in building condition, completed work, and cost evolution.

3) Who Can Perform the Study?

The study must be prepared by an independent, qualified professional, such as:

• Engineer
• Architect
• Chartered appraiser
• Professional technologist
• CPA (in certain cases)

Independence is critical: the professional cannot be connected to the syndicate in any managerial or ownership role.

4) How the Process Works (Montreal Reality)

A proper study starts with data from the maintenance logbook: inventory, condition assessments, and remaining useful life. These technical elements are then converted into a financial projection answering three questions:

• What work is required?
• When will it be required?
• How much will it cost?

In Montreal, typical major cost drivers include:

• Roofing systems and membranes
• Masonry, façades, balconies, anchoring systems
• Underground garages (slabs, membranes, ventilation)
• Mechanical and plumbing systems

5) Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Underestimating repair scope due to informal assessments
2. Postponing essential work, increasing long‑term costs
3. Funding the minimum, rather than following professional recommendations

Law 16 replaces arbitrary percentages with evidence‑based financial planning.

6) Recommended Strategy

• Coordinate the maintenance logbook and contingency study
• Adjust budgets transparently and communicate clearly with owners
• Implement gradual contribution increases when necessary

Gestion Ajax CTA

Gestion Ajax handles the entire process: planning, professional coordination, document integration, and owner communication.

📞 Want to know how this applies to your building? Contact us today.

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Over the past decade, many condominium syndicates in Québec have faced the same challenges: aging buildings, unplanned major repairs, underfunded reserve funds, and sudden special assessments. Law 16 was adopted specifically to address these structural weaknesses and professionalize condominium management.

With the adoption of the implementing regulation on July 30, 2025, in force since August 14, 2025, the most important provisions of Law 16 are now fully applicable. From this point forward, condominium syndicates must comply with clear, standardized corporate governance and building‑management requirements.

1) The Three Mandatory Pillars of Law 16

Law 16 is built around three core documents that together form the foundation of modern condominium management:

• The Maintenance Logbook (Carnet d’entretien)
  A structured technical record documenting the condition of common elements, the history of maintenance and repairs, and a long‑term plan for major work.
• The Contingency (Reserve) Fund Study
  A professional assessment establishing the amounts required to ensure the contingency fund can cover major repairs and replacements, and recommending appropriate annual contributions.
• The Syndicate Certificate (Statement of the Co‑ownership)
  A mandatory disclosure document provided when a unit is sold, informing buyers about the building’s physical condition, financial health, and planned major work.

Together, these tools aim to prevent deferred maintenance, improve transparency, and reduce financial surprises for owners.

2) Key Dates Every Board Must Know

• August 14, 2025
  Entry into force of the regulation activating the main obligations of Law 16.
• August 14, 2028
  General compliance deadline for existing syndicates to have a compliant maintenance logbook and contingency fund study in place (subject to transitional rules).
• Immediately upon sale
  The syndicate certificate must be provided when a co‑owner sells a unit, within the legally prescribed timeframe.

In Montréal, these deadlines have a very real impact on property values, financing conditions, insurance, and buyer confidence—especially for buildings constructed between the 1980s and early 2000s now entering critical maintenance cycles.

3) Who Can Prepare These Documents?

Law 16 is clear: key technical documents must be prepared or reviewed by qualified and independent professionals.

For the maintenance logbook, this includes engineers, architects, professional technologists, or chartered appraisers, provided they have no direct or indirect connection to the syndicate (not administrators, owners, managers, or residents).

The contingency fund study must also be prepared by an authorized, independent professional, which may include the above profiles and, in certain cases, a CPA (Chartered Professional Accountant).

4) Why Law 16 Fundamentally Changes Condo Management

Law 16 forces a shift from a reactive model—“we fix problems when they happen”—to a preventive, planned, and documented approach.

• The maintenance logbook becomes the building’s technical memory.
• The contingency fund study translates that memory into a financial strategy.
• The syndicate certificate ensures transparency and informed decision‑making during sales.

This professional framework aligns Quebec condos with best practices seen in more mature condominium markets.

5) How Gestion Ajax Supports Compliance

At Gestion Ajax, we actively support boards of directors by:

• Creating a clear Law 16 compliance roadmap
• Coordinating qualified independent professionals
• Implementing simple annual update processes
• Producing syndicate certificates efficiently during sales

The post Québec Law 16: What Changes for Your Condominium (2025–2028) appeared first on Gestion Ajax INC.

Prerequisites

There are two main prerequisites for holding a general meeting:

• All members can communicate immediately with one another;
• There will be an opportunity to conduct a secret vote that allows the verification of the votes after the meeting without compromising the secrecy.

All the relevant documents can be sent by email, avoiding physical contact. The meeting can be organized by such online platforms as Zoom, Teams or Skype. The voting process could also be made online using those tools. For example, the participants can send their votes by e-mail or by Zoom platform, where it is also possible to send private message to the Board of Directors. This would help them to keep their confidentiality and secrecy. To make the process even easier, only participants who vote “against” can send the messages.

Organisation of Virtual Meeting

The Notice of general meeting should include the following additional information:

• The hyperlink to connect to the meeting;
• The telephone number by which to join the meeting;
• The connection and voting instructions for the meeting.

When organizing a meeting remotely there should be tools and methods to ensure that the meeting runs smoothly and complies with the provisions of the Civil Code of Quebec and the declaration of co-ownership. The major things you should plan are following:

• Record the whole meeting;
• Take every precaution to avoid an interruption in the broadcast as a result of poor Internet connection;
• Allow the chairman of the meeting to grant or withdraw a right to speak to the co-owners;
• Calculate the quorum in real time.

Conclusion

Those are the main important tips for organizing the Annual General Meeting remotely. There are already syndicates which have organized their meetings remotely and succeeded in that process.

Of course, the authorization to do it virtually would be only valid for a certain period of time until the COVID-19 pandemic is over.

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The Canadian real estate market hit records in July despite the economic uncertainty brought on by the COVID − 19 pandemic and experts have different opinions on how the situation will continue.

The actual national average price of houses sold in July is $571,500, up 14.3% from the same month last year, according to the Canadian Real Estate Association.

Experts’ reviews

According to Royal Bank senior economist Robert Hogue, traditionally, buyers and sellers waited for spring to come in order to activate. This year, spring fever has been pushed back to summer. It is generally quieter season and that’s when containment measures were lifted.

According to other opinion, this increase in real estate market is because of the recommendations to stay at home and also to work from home. Some people want a larger property for their comfort.

From these opinions, we can assume that the situation will remain more or less the same until Christmas.

Kean Birch, associate professor at York University, plans to monitor the extension or end of mortgage payment deferrals. The main concern according to him are consequences of the mortgage payment deferral. When it is over, there could be dramatic situations which would be very unfair.

CEO of the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), anticipated a drop in house prices despite “recent activity”. It appears to be the “result of very low interest rates and a sharp reduction in new listings”.

Though Sherry Cooper, chief economist at brokerage firm Dominion Mortgage Centers, called CMHC’s forecast “too pessimistic.” According to numbers, the national average selling price has increased 14.3% year-over-year. The real estate market is helping the economy recover.

As opposed to these predictions, the federal body said that the uncertainty still stands and there could be a drop in the demand due to losses in household income, in particular.

Real Estate sales changes

The Canadian housing market smashed sales and price records in July. It continues to catch up with temporary closures in the spring due to restrictions imposed by public health officials.

But CMHC says that we still can’t notice all the economic shock of the pandemic in the most recent data. There are still risks to prices, sales and new construction projects.

The federal agency also released its results for the three-month period ended June 30. It posted net income of $ 566 million, compared to $ 379 million. The arrears rate stood at 0.34%.

CMHC also declared that insurance settlements have raised by $ 256 million, or 711%, due to increased provisions for COVID-19 claims.

Conclusion

Overall, it will take time for the economic consequences of COVID-19 to fully materialize. The real estate market still remains volatile. But CMHC assures that they are in a good position to overcome all the consequences of the pandemic and to take other steps to support Canadians.

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So, if you live in Montreal, you have an opportunity to study either in the world’s 31^st top University- McGill University or in Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM). These two are the major ones having this program.

Both these universities have program which is suggesting all the necessary courses for obtaining an adequate knowledge to become an expert in Property Management.

McGill University

McGill University program is “Professional Development Certificate in Residential and Condominium Property Management”. The program suggests following courses:

• Residential Property Finance and Accounting. This course gives knowledge about financial and accounting side of the residential property and condo. It includes budgeting, preparation of financial statements, negotiation with suppliers, collection, financing of a contingency and self-insurance fund, cash-flow planning, preparation for audit, taxation and investments.
• Fundamentals of Condominium and Property Law in Quebec. Priority of this course is the main legal principles contained in the Civil Code of Quebec and other legal frameworks governing residential and co-ownership properties.
• Residential Building Systems and Maintenance Management. This course goal is to learn how to manage emergency situations. It also provides an overview of various building systems including plumbing, heating, mechanical, elevators, electricity and security systems.
• Residential Property Management and Administration. This course teaches how to manage residential building operations including development of internal policies and procedures, record keeping, contract management, and organization of meetings.
• Practical Aspects of Condominium Management. This course goal is to apply the knowledge gained from the previous four courses in the program and use it within specific context of condominium management.

The main privilege of this program is that it is bilingual. Course material is provided in both English and French languages. And, also the communication with the instructors could be in both languages.

UQAM

As for UQAM, the program is “Condominium Management Training Program”. It suggests the following courses:

• Legal management of co-ownership. This course focuses on all the aspects of the legal framework governing co-ownership in Quebec. Also, the resulting governance, including declarations, regulations, special rules and also the rules of professional and ethical conduct.
• Financial management of the condominium. During this course, students will learn how to prepare and analyze the financial statements of a co-ownership syndicate. Fund accounting concepts, including all the specifics of the contingency fund will be taught.
• Technical management of the building of the condominium. This course will provide its participants with a better understanding of the construction and operation of condominium buildings. An overview of the laws applicable to construction and building maintenance will be provided.
• Management of the daily life of the condominium. Here, the knowledge and experience of the three previous training modules (legal, financial and technical) are taken up and exposed in the current context of the operation of the condominium.In UQAM the course is provided only in French. But there are also two other additional courses: legal management of co-ownership 2 and provident fund in the management of a condominium.

Conclusion

Concluding all the above mentioned, a person who wants to become a property manager in Quebec, at this moment, has only one decision to make: which university to choose. McGill University program is bilingual and has 5 courses to complete. UQAM suggests the program only in French, has 4 obligatory courses and 2 additional ones. If you are bilingual, you can just compare both programs and choose the more appropriate for you, though they are pretty much alike. Concerning the price of each one, it is also almost equal. The range is approximately from $5500- $7000. Therefore, the only thing we can tell you is good luck in this new career.

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And here comes a decision of hiring a property manager. So, when considering it, one should go through all the benefits and reasons of having a property manager.

Thus, the benefits of having a property manager include:

No Stress

No one likes stress. You don’t want to have a stress each time you receive a phone call from your tenant. Why should you? You can avoid all that stress by delegating that work to someone else. You are the one who write the rules. For instance, you can tell your property manager not to disturb you if there is a repair or some other work which is under $100. You can just have the bill after the work is done.

Search of Tenants

The process of finding tenants could be very time-consuming and stressful. There are criterions that the property owners don’t know, and it will be hard for them to find good tenants. Property managers have their system of screening and analyzing the potential tenants (credit and criminal background check, interviews, applications, references, etc.). In addition, they find the ones which pay the rent on time, cause less problems and rent for a long time. 

Management of Tenants 

There is a saying. “Never manage your own rental properties”. There are nuances that you don’t know but property management team knows. This could also include the tenants. Having a property manager lets the owners not bother themselves from day-to-day management of their properties. Property managers are the ones who answer the phone calls of the tenants. Moreover, the tenants even shouldn’t know the phone number of the property owner. All the requests and demands should be addressed to property managers, they manage the routine of the property, handle the conflicts and ensure the tenants’ satisfaction.

In addition, they collect the rents. Collecting rents on time each month is a very important aspect, it is the way of having a stabile inflow of cash. Property managers have experience with dealing with tenants and collecting the rent for the owners.

Maintenance

When any problem occurs, the property manager is the first person that the tenants contact. They are responsible for any maintenance and repair works. The property management teams know the best contractors to make the repair. In addition, this will minimize the costs for the owner and keep him away from searching them by himself (ask referrals, search online, etc.). Also, the property manager will do check-ups time to time to find out the minor problems (repairs, malfunction, etc.) and to overcome them in an early stage.

Knowledge of Laws

A good property manager has substantial knowledge of the landlord-tenant laws and will assist you in having a property which corresponds to these regulations. In each unpredictable situation with the tenants (late rent payment, eviction, etc.), their awareness of the legal issues will help you to deal with the problem.

Tenant retention/short vacancy periods 

To find a tenant is one thing but to keep him for a long time is something different. The turnover process involves not only loss of the rent, but also other serious issues. For instance cleaning of the property, changing of the locks and furniture (if available), painting of the walls, etc. Also, we should not forget about the expenses connected with the finding, showing and screening the new tenants. Therefore, this is a long and time-consuming process.

The great property management company has a good retention policy and a system of finding tenants with a long stay intention.

Concerning the vacancy periods, property managers know how to prepare the property for rent. They also know the rate by how much they can increase the rent. Property managers are familiar with the local market and its rules. They already have prepared ads and know the best places to advertise the property for the potential tenants.

Conclusion 

From the above mentioned, it becomes obvious that property manager is a good investment for the property owner. Paying a property manager is a nominal expense, it’s a business expense. Property management companies are there to take away your headache, stress and also to increase your return on investment (ROI). They should guarantee your passive income. Property management company’s fees could be approximately 5-15% from the rent (in Montreal), but that amount worth the work they are doing. A good property manager even increases your income by 15-30%. The only problem is to make a good choice of the property management company. They should be trustworthy, reliable and loyal.

The post Is It Worth It To Have A Property Manager? appeared first on Gestion Ajax INC.

Property Management is the control, management and maintenance of the real estate. It can comprise residential, industrial and commercial real estate. In other words, Property Management is the management of the property’s day-to-day activities which belongs to the third party. That is to say, property managers are hired by property owners to oversee the daily operations of their real estate and deal with the issues, questions and concerns the tenants could have.

Responsibilities of the Property Manager

Property managers have following responsibilities:

1. Attracting and Finding tenants: The process of finding tenants could include preparing advertisements and making listings: everything that could attract the potential tenants.
2. Screening tenants: The process of screening includes running credit checks and checking references as well as the proof of employment. Here, a criminal background check could also be made.
3. Collecting rent: The property manager should also collect the rent. They are responsible for ensuring optimal cash flow by setting an exact date for rent collection.
4. Knowledge of Landlord-Tenant Law: The property manager should comply with the real estate board laws. They should know the legal processes for screening a tenant, handling security deposits, terminating leases, etc.
5. Maintenance and Repair: The property manager must keep the property clean, safe and in habitable condition. If repairs or renovations are needed, property managers should use their list of reliable contractors to have that work done.
6. Maintaining the budget: The property manager must operate within the set budget for the building and keep the detailed records of all income and expenses and records of complaints, repairs, leases, maintenance requests, and insurance costs.

So, here it comes to the answer of the question whether the landlord needs a property manager. Many landlords manage their properties by themselves and don’t want to hire specialized companies to do that work. But at some point, they are in a situation that they need an additional help.

Therefore, they turn to the property management companies.

Reasons for hiring a Property Manager

The following reasons play an important role for such a decision:

Firstly, some landlords may have many rental real estates and they lack the time or expertise to deal with all of them. Secondly, the landlords may have just an interest in acquiring properties, renting them and getting profits but not managing them. Thirdly, a professional property manager has a full understanding of all the state and federal laws and could avoid some legal issues while screening and selecting tenants. Moreover, there are also some other reasons, for instance the distance between the owner’s house and the rental units, no desire to become an employer of resident manager instead hire an independent contractor, etc.

Concerning the remuneration of the property management company, it is also necessary to mention that owners pay property managers a fee or a percentage of the rent of the property under the management.

In conclusion, hiring a specialized property management company will save the landlords from additional headaches concerning their relationship with the tenants. This will also give them an opportunity to manage their property professionally and accurately.

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