OWNER & RESIDENT A-Z

ACCESS TO UNITS   See:  UNIT ACCESS POLICY

ALTERATIONS   See:   RENOVATIONS

BATTERY CHARGER

The Corporation owns a (car) battery charger that can be borrowed from the Superintendent during his normal working hours. The Superintendent is not able to assist residents who want to use it.

BARBECUE

There is a gas barbecue on the deck adjacent to the second-floor lounge. It is available to residents, at no cost, from 7am to 11pm daily. It is not available in the winter, when the deck is closed.

Reservations, not exceeding 3 hours, may be made on the calendar outside the lounge. If another resident has reserved the lounge for an event the barbecue is not accessible.

If a resident is planning a function with more than 10 guests, the Superintendent must be contacted, as an official lounge reservation is also required. If there are 10 or fewer guests, the lounge may be used in conjunction with the barbecue without an official reservation but other owners may use or walk through it at the same time.  Lounge Reservation forms are available on this website.

The resident making the barbecue reservation is responsible for ensuring the barbecue is turned off and covered after use and that the barbecue and the area are cleaned.

 THE MAIN GAS VALVE BEHIND THE BARBECUE MUST BE TURNED OFF AFTER USE.

The Superintendent should be informed of any equipment problems.

As with other parts of the recreation facilities, the BBQ is for Residents only. Guests using the barbecue must be accompanied by a Resident at all times. No person under sixteen (16) years of age may use the Barbecue unless accompanied at all times by a parent or the parent’s agent who is not less than sixteen (16) years of age.

In addition to the Rules on use of the BBQ, the Board has approved the following Guidelines:

• Reservations for the BBQ and one or both of the tables on the deck may not exceed three-hours.

• No unit may make more than three barbecue bookings per week or more than one booking each weekend. 

• The barbecue can be used, without a reservation, if no bookings are entered in the calendar for the current date and time.

• If a Resident has booked the BBQ and is not present at that time, their booking is cancelled, and other Residents can use it on a ‘first-come, first-served’ basis.

• If plans change, Residents are urged to cross out unwanted bookings, so others are not inconvenienced.

• The deck itself cannot be reserved. 

• For safety reasons, the deck is locked and the BBQ unavailable during winter months.

BICYCLES

There is a bicycle storage room on the B2 level and a key for it may be obtained from the Superintendent; the cost is $30.  As the room is not large, residents are asked NOT to use this room to store unused bicycles. Though this room is quite secure, and we have had only one report of theft or other problems for many years, the Corporation accepts no liability for bikes stored in it or in the garage in general.

Residents may also leave bicycles in their assigned parking space; rings have been  installed on the wall in each assigned spot. Use of rings in other areas of the garage should be discussed with the Superintendent.

Bicycles may only be brought into or leave the building through the garage.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

MTCC 573 is a ‘corporation’ and, as described in greater detail in the Condominium Act and our by-laws, has a Board of Directors. The New Town of York is governed by this Board, which has five volunteer members, elected, by all Unit owners, for staggered three-year terms. The Board has the responsibility of operating the Corporation for the benefit of all owners within the guidelines set by the Act, our Declaration and our By-laws.

The Board employs a Property Management Company and a Superintendent to assist them with this task. The Board is empowered to determine the Corporation’s annual budget and can establish and enforce Rules to ensure that the building runs smoothly, that the assets of the Corporation are protected and that the rights of all owners are respected. The Board normally meets every 4 to 6 weeks and Board Highlights are posted on this website and are sent, by email, to owners and residential tenants after each meeting.

BOARD HIGHLIGHTS

The Board usually meets every 4 to 6 weeks and, among other matters, receives regular reports from the Property Manager and the Superintendent. As the Board sometimes discusses personnel, legal or contractual matters Board minutes are not public documents, but the Secretary prepares Board Highlights on a regular basis and these are posted on this website and are distributed by email to all owners and residential tenants.

BY-LAWS

Under the Condominium Act, all Condominium Corporations are required to have by-laws to ensure they are operated for the benefit of all owners. Once adopted by the Corporation, by-laws are registered in the Land Registry Office. The Act lays down many of the matters that must be covered by the by-laws. Under the Act, by-laws must be passed by the Board and must then confirmed by a majority of all owners.

MTCC 573 currently has four by-laws:

• By-Law 9: The General Operating By-Law. This By-Law was confirmed by owners in June 2019 and deals with the election and size of the Board of Directors, Directors’ duties, owners’ meetings, the assessment and collection of common expenses, occupancy standards and other basic matters concerning the Corporation and its obligations and powers. In July 2025 By-Law #9 was slightly amended by a section in By-Law #12, below.

• By-Law 10: The Mediation and Arbitration By-Law. This By-law was also confirmed by owners in June 2019 and deals with the procedures to be followed at MTCC 573 in mediation and/or arbitration cases.

• By-Law 11: The electronic meetings and electronic voting By-Law. This By-Law was confirmed by owners in February 2021 and allows the Board to hold electronic meetings of owners and to hold electronic owner votes.

• By-Law 12: The Standard Unit By-Law. This By-law was confirmed by unit owners in July 2025 and describes the “standard residential unit” and the "standard commercial unit". If a damage or insurance claim involves the Corporation, the Corporation is responsible for returning a unit to this condition. (It should be stressed that owners should, in addition to personal property insurance, have their own insurance to cover all upgrades that have been made to their unit over and above this 'standard unit'.) 

By-Laws 1-4 (the original By-Laws of our Corporation) were repealed and replaced by By-Law 5 (General Operating) in 2004. By-Law 5 (General Operating) and By-Law 7 (Telecommunications) were repealed and replaced by By-Law 9 and By-Law  10 in 2019. By-Law 8 (Electronic Voting) was repealed and replaced by By-Law No 11 in 2021 and By-Law 6 (Standard Unit) was updated and replaced by By-Law 12 in July 2025.

CABLE TELEVISION

From June 2007 to 28 February 2023 the Corporation had a bulk cable TV service agreement with Rogers Cable. In 2022 the Board examined options and decided to cancel this service with Rogers and add TV to our existing Bell internet contract from March 1, 2023. For details see Internet Service below.

CARBON MONOXIDE (CO) DETECTORS  See   SMOKE DETECTORS

CHRISTMAS TREES

Residents may have real Christmas trees in their own Units but are strongly advised to take proper safety precautions and are asked to ensure that needles are not dropped in the common element hallways etc. when bringing them into and, particularly, out of the building.  The City collects Christmas trees in early January, and you are advised to check with the Superintendent to see when they will be doing this. Residents must bring their tree to the loading dock area for collection and should remove all decorations and put the tree into a bag before bringing it through the common elements.

COURIERS

Courier companies cannot access the mailroom and the Superintendent cannot accept courier deliveries. Many courier companies will gain access to the Building and, if nobody is home, leave deliveries at a Unit front door. The Corporation accepts no responsibility for these and may remove them if they are seen to be a hazard. 

DECLARATION

The Declaration is the legal document that is officially registered in the Land Registry Office when a developer transfers a building to the owners and a Condominium Corporation is created. It has been described as the "constitution" of the Corporation and establishes basic matters such as where the building is located, information on the boundaries of the individual Units and the common areas, how expenses are apportioned and how the Corporation's by-laws and rules are made and changed. Our Declaration is available on this website and it should be noted that in late 2021 it was amended by the adoption of Schedules 1 and 2, which were registered on Unit title at the Land Registry Office on 14 February 2022.  The Declaration can be consulted from the Declaration pages of this website.

DOGS  SEE:  PETS

DOORS

The Unit front door is an exclusive use common element; you may not decorate the outside of your Unit front door or change its appearance. No items may be attached to the exterior of the entrance door to a Unit or its frame other than a reasonably sized door-knocker and/or seasonal decoration. In addition, nobody shall install anything on the interior of the entrance door to a residential unit which may hamper the Corporation in the maintenance or repair of the common elements. As noted below (see: RENOVATIONS) repair and replacement of most of the 'door hardware' on Unit front doors - locks, handles, kick-plates, etc. - is an owner responsibility. All hardware on Unit front doors must be Fire Rated, for multi-occupancy buildings. 

Door closers are mandatory under the Fire Code and are inspected by the Corporation annually; for this reason, they will be replaced by the Corporation as necessary. If damage is caused by residents the cost will be charged-back. Though damage to Unit doors and door frames is almost always caused by residents, movers or Unit contractors, the Corporation generally touches-up the door frames every year or so without charging this cost back to the owners. If repairs are necessary to the Unit door itself these will normally be charged-back as repairing scratches etc. requires the whole door to be re-stained.

While some residents believe that adding weather-stripping to the unit’s front door helps with noise or draft prevention, it’s actually a very bad idea. Most multi-residential buildings use a “make-up-air” system (positive-pressure ventilation) to slightly raise the air pressure in the hallways, ensuring that odors from individual units stay out of the common areas. For this system to work properly, air must be able to flow freely from the hallways into the units around the front doors. Weather-stripping would block this airflow.

When you use your unit’s extractor fan, it should pull in extra air from the hallway to “make up” for the air being extracted. If you block this airflow by weather-stripping around the door (and if your unit windows are closed), your extractor fans will become ineffective. Without fresh air to replace the air being expelled, the fans won't be able to function properly. This could lead to condensation and, potentially, mold in your unit.

DRAINS

Only human waste and toilet paper should be flushed down the toilets. Residents are urged to use conservative amounts of granular or liquid washing detergent in dishwashers and washing machines.

Residents are particularly reminded that fat, grease and food particles should not be put into the drains – these can cause blockages which can cause major damage to your, and other, Units.  

Under a City by-law it is illegal to have a “garbage grinding device” (Garberator) in this part of the City. It is also against our Rules.

Residents are reminded that they are fully responsible for the Corporation’s insurance deductible and/or indemnification should problems arise, and damage occurs to the common areas or any Units as a direct or indirect result of the usage of appliances (leaking hoses etc.) or if drain blockages can be attributed to a specific Unit.

DRYERS See also  LAUNDRY ROOM

Though there is a Laundry Room with coin-operated machines on the 2nd floor, most residents have a washer and dryer in their Unit. It is important that residents clean their dryer filter and in-wall filter as necessary. (The dryer filter probably after every load, the in-wall filter at least once a month). It is also useful to vacuum out the accessible parts of the in-wall vent that leads to the common dryer shafts annually. Improperly maintained clothes dryers and filters are one of the main causes of fires. Many owners have upgraded the original in-wall lint filters to be easier to clean and this is highly recommended.

ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING SYSTEM (EVCS)

In Spring 2022, the Board started a process to make our building electric-vehicle welcoming. This involved an electrical load survey (to confirm we had enough 'spare power') and the drafting of a standard legal Agreement (which is registered on Unit title at the Land Registry Office).  Owners interested in having an Electric Vehicle Charger (EVC) are now able to sign this Agreement and have the Corporation install electrical infrastructure on their behalf (and at their cost) up to and within their Unit's assigned common elements parking space. Owners can then purchase and  operate an EVC according to the terms of the Agreement at a cost set by the Board. 

Initially, the Owners of 37 of our 51 Units signed the necessary Agreement and paid to have their assigned parking space made 'ev-ready'. These Owners were able to benefit from reduced 'bulk rates' for both the legal and the electrical work. Some of these Owners have already purchased and had an EVC (the 'charger') installed. 

To make it easier for the remaining 14 Unit Owners to 'join' the EVCS when they want to, the Board agreed that the Corporation should install sufficient shared infrastructure to support all 51 residential Units in 2022. The Unit owners who did not take advantage of the 'group install' in 2022 will thus be able to install an EVC in the future by paying their pro-rated share (1/51) of the cost of the shared electrical infrastructure ('Fixtures'), 100% of the unique electrical Fixtures serving only their own Unit and, of course, the legal costs for registration of their Agreement on title etc..  The cost of the shared Fixtures is approximately $600/Unit. There is a useful summary of the new Regulations at: https://tinyurl.com/yavg5xar  and we have Policy statement on the Useful Documents page of this website.

At a Board meeting in May 2022, the Board determined the cost to 'join' the EVCS for future years (the 'pro-rated 1/51 share) and agreed to add a 3% per annum 'inflation figure. 2026=$664, 2027=$684.

The Corporation has appointed MetroEV to install and maintain the EV chargers and to manage the Energy Management System that deals with the billing and, if necessary, load sharing. The cost of the electricity used, plus a service charge, is directly billed to the relevant Owners - via their credit card. See:  https://www.metroev.ca/  The cost per 'charging-hour' is set by the Board (usually annually) to ensure owners pay the full cost but the Corporation does not profit ('break-even'); effective December 1, 2024 it is $1.30/charging hour.

Unit Owners who rent their parking spaces to other residents (or who lease their Unit) remain ultimately responsible for the costs of electricity etc. incurred by the EVC in their Unit's assigned parking space but the charges for electricity can be sent directly to their tenants.

1.      If your Unit’s assigned parking space WAS NOT wired in 2022. You need to contact the Property Manager to start this process and pay your Unit's 1/51 share of the "shared Fixtures' (ca$670). You will also need to sign a legal Agreement (which is then registered on Unit title at the Land Registry Office). Once you have signed this legal Agreement, we will have MetroEV, the Corporation’s EVCS contractor, install the wiring and the EVC (the ‘charger’). All at your expense.

2.     If your Unit’s assigned parking space was wired in 2022 but you have not yet purchased an EVC (the ‘charger’) – most EVCS owners here are in this group. You need to contact MetroEV to purchase the EVC and have it activated – a fairly speedy process.

3.       If your Unit’s assigned parking space was wired and you have already purchased an EVC, but it is not yet activated. You need to speak to MetroEV, download the EVCS app, install it on your phone or tablet and then contact MetroEV to set it up.

ELECTRICITY AND ELECTRICAL PANEL

Each Unit has its own Toronto Hydro electric account and meter and Unit owners are responsible for these electrical charges. The Corporation is responsible for the electricity used in the common areas. Though the electric meter for each Unit is located outside the Unit, the circuit breaker panel for your Unit is located within the Unit; usually in the laundry room or the heat pump area. Each Unit has 100-amp service.

If there is no power in part of your Unit, check the breaker panel. The breaker will, typically, trip to the centre position requiring it to be reset. To reset the breaker push to the “off” position and then push to “on” position. If a breaker is continually tripping – call a licenced electrician!

If your Unit has absolutely no electrical power while other Units do, please contact the Superintendent, as the main breaker for all of your Unit, located beside your meter, may need to be reset. If only your Unit is affected, you will need to contact a licenced electrician or Toronto Hydro; the Superintendent can advise you. Unqualified people should not try to reset this main breaker as a qualified electrician needs to evaluate why it 'blew'.

For leased Units it is normal for the tenant to register as the customer with Toronto Hydro and to be responsible for paying the Unit's monthly costs.

ELEVATORS

The building has two elevators and, unfortunately, does not have a dedicated freight elevator. If you are moving in or out, having major work done to your Unit or are bringing equipment or large furniture to or from your Unit it is necessary to reserve an elevator and arrange to have it padded.  There is no cost to make an elevator reservation, but the Superintendent requires 24-hours advance notice and a deposit of $500 must be paid (in advance and by cheque) for all move-outs. If you or your movers or contractors damage an elevator, or other parts of the common elements, the cost of repairs or clean-up will be charged to the Unit owner. 

Though we do not charge an elevator fee, in general, a staff member of MTCC 573 must be on duty during all elevator reservations and if this involves overtime pay the full cost of this must be paid (to the Corporation) by the person making the elevator reservation. Reservations on weekends are particularly liable to result in a charge for overtime as our staff work (fixed) and shorter shifts on these days.

In the event that you are stuck in one of the elevators, remain calm; there is two-way communication to and from the elevators. Press the emergency telephone button and wait for further instructions. An off-site security company monitors these phones 24/7.

If you notice unusual operation of an elevator, please notify the Superintendent or Property Manager immediately.

Do not enter or attempt to use the elevators when the fire alarms are ringing. Do not allow unattended children to use the elevators. Children should not use the elevators as a playroom nor jump in the elevators. The cost of repairing any damage caused by residents and/or their guests will be charged to the Unit in question.

As noted above, if you are moving in or out of the building, doing renovations or are expecting a large delivery, you must reserve an elevator in advance; reservations are made, by completing an elevator reservation agreement. When you reserve an elevator, the Superintendent will normally pad it so that it is protected from damage. Only elevator reservations for move-outs require a deposit ($500 to be paid at the time of booking) and during all moves in or out you must hire a security guard to ensure that non-residents cannot enter the building while the front doors are open. Full details are noted on the Elevator Reservation Agreement form.  In general, a Reservation Form is not required for the delivery of a single piece of furniture or one appliance but the Superintendent MUST be alerted at least 24 hours ahead so that the elevator can be padded and it should not be assumed that an elevator will always be available.

In addition to reserving the elevator for moves or major construction projects (which is compulsory) you are VERY STRONGLY advised to ask the Superintendent to pad it if you are using it to move any construction material, furniture or heavy tools. If you or your movers or contractors cause damage to the elevators the cost of the repair will be charged back to you.  For renovation/alteration projects, where there may be repeated use, you can make a ‘general reservation” but to have the elevator padded the Superintendent still needs 24-hours advance notice each time. As noted above, for short-time requirements (e.g. delivery of one piece of furniture or one appliance) a Reservation Form is not required but the Superintendent MUST be informed at least 24 hours ahead so that an elevator can be padded.

As we only have two elevators, only one can be reserved and put “on service” and the possible hours are from 9am to 5pm (7 days a week), there is a four-hour maximum. (As staff are normally only on duty for four hours per day on weekends, elevator reservations on weekends need to be carefully planned to avoid charges.) If elevator use continues longer than 4-hours or past the time of the reservation, or occurs when staff are not normally on duty the Corporation will charge you for any staff overtime costs.

Though we make every effort to honour elevator reservations, they are always subject to cancellation as we must always keep one elevator available for the use of residents.

E-MAIL

Under the Condominium Act a Unit owner's physical  'address for service' is assumed to be the Unit unless they have informed the Corporation of another physical address (in writing). Non-resident owners should normally do this. 

The Act allows and encourages condominium corporations to use email to communicate with owners and at MTCC 573 we always use only email. (Board resolution of 21 June 2023.) If an Owner wishes to receive hard-copy of 'obligatory documents' (e.g. PICs, budgets and AGM information) they must, as laid down in Regulation  send a written request to the Corporation at our Address for Service. Using e-mail greatly reduces administrative costs (which are, of course, paid with our monthly fees) and allows for speedy communications. 

For tenants, we will only use email unless a tenant requires written documents due to a disability.

EMERGENCY POWER

The building has an emergency gas generator that starts automatically if the Toronto Hydro power to the building fails. This generator powers emergency lighting in the hallways, stairwells and other parts of the common elements including the garage and one elevator. It does NOT provide emergency power to individual Units.

ENERGY CONSERVATION

Our building is fairly well insulated but you are advised to ensure that your windows can be completely closed and that the weather stripping is in good condition. Several owners have replaced their window glass with Triple E glass and have seen considerable savings in their electricity costs. (Until the windows are replaced - in about 2034 under the 2023 Reserve Fund Study predictions - repair and replacement of window glass is a Unit owner’s responsibility. See “Windows" below.)

The in-Unit heat pumps belong to owners and are an owner responsibility; if you are going to be away, we suggest you turn your heating and air conditioning unit to "low". Select heat or cool as appropriate and adjust the thermostat so that the heat pump and fan turn on only when external temperatures are extreme. Make sure all your windows and blinds are closed.

Water should never be left running unless in actual use and it is recommended that you use water-saving appliances and consider installing low-flow toilets.

ENTERPHONE SYSTEM   See:  INTERCOM

EXERCISE ROOM  See:   RECREATION FACILITIES

FIREPLACES

All Units on floors 5-10 have fireplaces and flues; under our Declaration, Units "shall include ... the fireplace and flue appertenant to that unit only".

However, in 2011 and 2012, all of the flues were blocked off (on the roof and at the firebox) by their owners as they were deemed to be unsafe and unable to pass a WETT inspection. (See http://www.wettinc.ca) When the building was re-roofed in 2021, the Corporation improved the sealing of the flues on the roof.

Even though it is blocked off, the flue going from the Unit fireplace to the roof remains the property and responsibility of the owner. As noted in all Status Certificates, owners could (at least in theory) rebuild and reopen their flues if they can reach agreements with the Corporation and other affected owners (i.e. all those directly above the Unit). An Agreement with the Corporation under Section 98 of the Condominium Act would be necessary and a working flue would require an annual WETT inspection, at the owner's expense. 

All flues were blocked off inside the Units; some owners have installed electric "insert" fires and some tried using gel or ethanol fires.

From time to time the Board receives questions from Unit Owners about the possibility of removing the flue box and thus creating more useable space in a Unit or of re-opening the flues to have a fireplace again. Both are probably technically possible, but would be very expensive to do and would involve legal agreements with the Corporation - required under Section 98 of the Condominium Act - and legal agreements with all other Units that would be impacted. (Those below and immediately adjacent.) The cost of these agreements and any engineering advice or monitoring required by the Corporation would be the full responsibility of the requesting Owner. Though several Owners have started to investigate re-opening their flue or removing the 'flue box' in their Unit; none have proceeded to actually do so due to the complexity and the cost.

FIRE PROCEDURES

The building has an automatic fire alarm system and when the alarm bells ring you should normally exit the building and meet at the front door.  Fire testing is carried out monthly and advance notice of these tests is given.

The Toronto Fire Service notes that if the fire bells ring: 

“To stay in your unit or exit the building - the decision is yours - whichever you decide, remain calm.” 

There is additional information, extracted from our official Fire Safety Plan (revised in late 2018), on this website.  (Useful Documents - Fire Safety Plan)

There are hard-wired smoke and, as appropriate, CO detectors in Units: these are owned and maintained by the Corporation.  See SMOKE DETECTORS (below).

Toronto Fire Services provides the following information on making a survival kit so that you are prepared in case a fire should break out in a high-rise: 

• Wet towel - to place at the base of the door.

• Duct tape - to tape over door and vent openings.

• Foil wrap; to use to cover vent openings.

• Whistle - to use to signal for help.

• Flashlight - to use in case of power failure, or to signal for help.

• Bright-coloured cloth; to hang in the window to signal your location.

• Ink marker - to use for messages on cloth, door or windows.

• Cotton bed sheet - if smoke is heavy in your room, soak the bed sheet with water and make a tent near an open window.

• Washcloth; place the wet cloth over your mouth and nose to aid breathing in smoke-filled areas.

• Fire safety plan; have a copy of your building’s emergency procedures on hand.

• Plastic pail with lid - to use for storing survival equipment [fill with water during a fire]

See:   http://www.toronto.ca/fire/prevention/fireinsky.htm and

http://www.toronto.ca/fire/prevention/pdf/tips/tips_english.pdf

 FIRE IN YOUR UNIT

• Leave your Unit, take your key

• Close all doors behind you BUT DO NOT LOCK THEM

• Activate the nearest building fire alarm by using an alarm pull station

• Use the exit stairwells to go to the main lobby then leave the building immediately

• Dial 911 from a safe place (never assume that this has already been done)

• Know the correct address of the building (135 George Street South, at the corner of George Street South and Front Street East, one block east of Jarvis Street, in the City of Toronto) and the location of the fire within the building

• Do not use the elevators

• Do not return to your Unit until it is declared safe to do so by a fire official

 FIRE ALARM RINGING

• Before opening the door of your Unit feel the knob for heat. If it is not hot, brace yourself against the door and open slightly. If you feel strong air pressure or a hot draft, close the door immediately If smoke is heavy in the corridor it may be safer to stay in your Unit. 

• Place a wet towel at the base of the door

• If you find no fire or smoke in the corridor, take your Unit key, close the door behind you BUT DO NOT LOCK IT and leave by the nearest stairwell exit

• If you encounter smoke in the corridor or stairwell consider taking an alternative exit where it may be clear or return to your Unit.

If you cannot leave your Unit, or must return to it because of heavy smoke or fire.

• Remain in your Unit and close but DO NOT LOCK the door in case fire fighters may need to enter your Unit

• Seal all cracks where smoke may get in by using wet towels or sheets (i.e. under the door)

• If you require assistance for evacuation, dial 911 and tell the City of Toronto Fire Services where you are. Signal to the fire fighters by waving a sheet from a window

• Crouch low to the floor if smoke comes into the room

• Move to the most protected room and partially open a window for air – close the window if smoke comes in

• Remain calm and wait to be rescued. Do not consider jumping.

 FIRE PREVENTION TIPS

• Laundry dryer lint traps and the traps in the in-unit dryer ducts should be cleaned regularly and frequently.

• Take care when cleaning soot and ash from your fireplace.

• Before you clear your fireplace of ash make sure no embers are still burning.

• Do not put warm or still burning ash or embers in the garbage bins or garbage chute.

• Do not use flammable liquids for cleaning purposes.

• Do not store combustible material in any area of the building.

• Burning material, such as cigarettes, ashes and like material, should never be put into the garbage.

• Take great care to close the screen to your fireplace when a fire is burning. Be conscious of sparks leaping from the fireplace toward rugs and carpets and other combustible materials in your living room.

• Practice safe cooking. Do not overheat any cooking utensil.

• Constantly attend all deep-fat frying operations.

• Wear sensible clothing when cooking. Avoid clothing that includes loose hanging sleeves and highly flammable fabrics.

• Do not use unsafe electrical appliances, frayed extension cords, or over-load the circuitry.

• Never leave appliances unattended while in use.

• Avoid careless smoking habits. Use non-combustible ashtrays.

• Never smoke if you are feeling sleepy and never smoke in bed.

If you, or any resident in your Unit, are likely to require help in leaving the building in the case of a fire or other emergency you should ensure that you have noted this on the Owner or Tenant Information Form and have completed an Emergency Assistance Form. These forms are available on the Useful Forms page of this website. These forms are an essential part of our (YOUR) Fire Safety Plan and can be accessed by the Emergency Services should there be an emergency.

GARAGE   See PARKING

GARBAGE AND RECYCLING

The City of Toronto is attempting to reduce the volume of household waste sent to landfill and is encouraging residents to recycle and reuse as much as possible. Household waste must be sorted into ‘recyclables’, ‘compostables’ and ‘landfill garbage’.

The Corporation (i.e. YOUR maintenance fee!) pays for household garbage collection and the City charges us by volume. Recycling is collected at no charge, and the City does not charge for the collection of compostables, so it is to everyone’s benefit to recycle or compost as much as possible and thus reduce the quantity of household garbage sent to landfill. Additional information concerning garbage and recycling is available as a separate document on the Useful Documents page of this website.

Garbage chute rooms are located on each floor. Household garbage must be placed in plastic garbage bags, properly tied, and these bags must be pushed down the chute. Bags of household garbage too large for the chute must be taken to level B1 and the Superintendent informed.

To avoid disturbing other residents, garbage chutes should not be used between 10:00 pm to 7:00 am.

Bottles and/or glass must never be thrown down the garbage chute. Apart from the fact that they should be recycled, such items could 'explode' on impact and seriously injure the Superintendent who may be working in the Garbage Room.

 PLEASE ENSURE THAT GARBAGE BAGS ARE PUSHED DOWN THE CHUTE 

and

DO NOT LEAVE ANY GARBAGE OR RECYCLING MATERIAL ON THE FLOOR OF THE CHUTE ROOMS

The recycling bin is located on garage level B1, adjacent to the entrance to the elevator lobby. Details of what can be recycled or composted are posted in each garbage chute room and near the recycling bins.

The Green organic waste bin is kept on the Loading Dock.  Access via the garage exit ramp. Residents unable to use the ramp or go outside should put organic waste into the chute but BAGS MUST BE WELL SEALED.

For the disposal of renovation debris or items such as appliances or old carpeting, please make prior arrangements with your contractor or supplier. The Corporation’s garbage bins, and the garbage chute MUST NOT be used for anything except regular household waste.

If you have other material, including hazardous waste, for disposal you can take it to a City of Toronto Transfer Station (the nearest one is at 400 Commissioners Street, just east of Cherry Street.  For hours of operation and more information on what the City will accept for recycling, see: 

http://www.toronto.ca/garbage/pdf/transfer_information_package.pdf

The City will collect bulk material (NOT renovation debris) such as furniture, computers and TVs at no cost. Please discuss the date of the next scheduled bulk collection with the Superintendent. Large material must not be 'abandoned' in the garage or on the loading dock.

The City collects, at no charge, small electronic waste such as old cell phones, old (small) computers and VCR players - they can be left in the boxes in the Mail Room

There is a more detailed document, Garbage and Recycling, available on the Useful Documents page of this website. 

GARBERATORS

The City (and our Rules) do not permit any Garberators - "garbage grinding devices"  See:

 http://www.toronto.ca/311/knowledgebase/68/101000048668.html )  

As Garberators put additional strain on our own drainage pipes and increase the possibility of blockages, the Corporation occasionally inspects for these and, if found, the owner will have to have them removed - at their own expense.

GARDENING AND PLANTS

A group of volunteer residents maintains the plants at the front doors, the lobby plants and organises a seasonal garden on the deck adjacent to the 2nd floor lounge. Additional volunteers are always welcome.  Contact them through any Board member or the Superintendent.

GUESTS See TENANTS, GUESTS and VISITORS

GYM   See RECREATION FACILITIES

HALLWAYS

The lobbies and hallways in the building are common elements. It is forbidden to leave personal items such as mats, winter boots, overshoes or umbrellas in the hallway outside your Unit. Not only is this unsightly, it is contrary to fire regulations.

HEATING AND AIR CONDITIONING

Each Unit has a heat pump to provide heating and cooling. These heat pumps are the property of the Unit owner who is responsible for their repair and replacement. (Including replacing the filters as necessary). The heat pump is connected to the Unit's electric meter and Owners are responsible for the electricity used to run the heat pump's fan, compressor etc. It is a closed-loop system and the water is supplied to each Unit as part of the services provided by the Corporation.

The fan motors generally require servicing at least once per year and filters should be changed regularly. The temperature in each Unit is controlled with a thermostat located on a wall near the heat pump. Many owners have installed programmable thermostats, which can help to reduce your electricity costs.

To ensure that all residential heat pumps are in proper working order the Corporation normally arranges for their annual cleaning and inspection. This minimises the possibility of water damage to other Units or to the common elements and ensures that the pumps are safe to use. The cost of this service is added to the common expenses of the Corporation. If problems are identified the cost of repairing these is the responsibility of the Unit owner.

Effective 2024, the Board decided that owners who have attached heat-pump connected humidifiers to the water supply must have them inspected annually by a licenced HVAC technician and must send this report to the Property Manager.  This is to avoid (or reduce) waste of water and floods, which can damage both other Units and the common elements.  

Though owners can, of course, use any licenced  HVAC technicians to maintain (or replace) their Unit heat pumps, we strongly recommend that owners use the HVAC company which is contracted by the Corporation - Selective Air Systems. This avoids the 'buck passing' that can occur if several companies are involved.

HUMIDIFIERS  SEE:  HEATING and AIR CONDITIONING

INSURANCE

 A. COMMON ELEMENT INSURANCE

The Corporation must, by law, insure the common elements (i.e. all parts of the building except Units) against major perils and must also insure the 'standard unit'  to the level set by the Corporation's Standard Unit by-Law. This policy is known as the Master Policy and has deductibles. The common elements must be insured by the Corporation to full replacement value. See Sections X and XI of our Declaration.

”Major perils" are fire, lightning, smoke, windstorm, hail, explosion, water escape, strikes, riots or civil commotion, impact by aircraft and vehicles, vandalism and malicious mischief. "Water escape" refers to water originating either outside the condominium premises (e.g. flooding from a burst City water-main), or within the common elements (e.g. a leaking common-elements  water pipe.)

The Corporation must also have liability insurance against breach of duty and personal injury. Breach of duty coverage refers to liabilities resulting from the failure of the Corporation to act in the case of known hazards.

B. UNIT OWNER'S INSURANCE

The individual unit owner is partially covered by the Corporation's Master Policy. If there is a fire, the Master Policy will cover repairs and replacements to restore the damaged Unit(s) to the level of the 'Standard Unit'. (The ‘Standard Unit’ is described in the Corporation's Standard Unit By-Law.) For example, if a fire breaks out in one Unit and adjacent Units are damaged, the Master Policy will restore all of the affected Units to the Standard Unit as described in the By-law. The Standard Residential Unit at MTCC 573 does not include any floor coverings above the concrete slab, any plumbing fixtures or kitchen or bathroom counters and cabinets or additional items or 'improvements' - tiles, wallpaper etc. - made by the builder or a subsequent owner; all such additions and 'improvements', as well as damaged furniture and other contents should be covered by the Unit owners' own insurance. The Standard Commercial Unit is the 'basic concrete shell'.

If damage to the common elements or another Unit is caused by a negligent owner, they will have to reimburse (indemnify) the Corporation's deductible on the Master Policy. (See Indemnification, below) these deductible costs depend on the type of claim. Details are shown in the Annual Insurance Certificate which is sent to all owners every year and is available on the Useful Documents page of this website.

Indemnification: Section XI of MTCC 573’s Declaration states: “Each owner shall indemnify and save harmless the Corporation from and against any loss, costs, damage, injury or liability whatsoever which the Corporation may suffer or incur resulting from or caused by an act or omission of such owner, his family or any member thereof, any other resident of his Unit or any guests, invitees or licensees of such owner or resident to or with respect to the common elements and/or all other Units, except for any loss, costs, damages, injury or liability caused by an insured (as defined in any policy or policies of insurance) and insured against by the Corporation. All payments pursuant to this clause are deemed to be additional contributions towards the common expenses and recoverable as such.”

The Corporation’s Master Policy does not generally cover an injury that occurs inside a Unit.

As noted above, the Master Policy does not cover anything not listed in the Standard Unit By-Law which includes any improvements that owners or previous owners may have made to the “Standard Unit” or to any upgrades installed by the builder. Some owners have upgraded their kitchens; others have papered walls, installed carpets or wooden floors, installed mirrored doors or tiles, etc. Anything inside Unit boundaries that is not listed in the “Standard Unit By-Law", is not covered by the Corporation's Master Policy, and therefore must be included in the Unit owner's individual insurance policy.

In addition to ensuring that you are covered for Indemnification and 'improvements' to the ‘Standard Unit’, your Unit owner's insurance should cover all your personal belongings and the contents of your Unit. It is wise to make an inventory, take a video or take photographs that show everything from major appliances and furniture to clothing, children's toys and kitchen utensils, and include major improvements that have been made to the Unit. The inventory should be kept in a safe place and be up to date. This inventory is needed to determine how much coverage is required and, after a loss, to refresh the memory of what was owned and to use as proof to an insurance adjuster. Tenants should have a 'renter policy' covering personal possessions and liability.

Your own insurance should also cover the deductible on the Corporation’s master insurance policy for which an Owner may be responsible and for personal injury. For some special items such as jewelry, furs, silverware, stamp and coin collections and securities, coverage is either excluded or extremely limited under most insurance policies. Articles such as these often have a high value, and frequently leave the premises. You must insure them separately by a special rider on your policy; if you have such items be sure your insurance broker is aware of them.

OWNERS (and Tenants) ARE STRONGLY ADVISED TO DISCUSS THEIR INSURANCE NEEDS WITH AN INSURANCE BROKER. Most insurance companies offer special 'condominium owner' policies that take into account the fact that the Corporation insures the 'structure' of the building under the Master Policy.

C. INSURANCE CLAIM PROCEDURE

 The owner/resident who experienced the damage: 

• Immediately notifies the Superintendent and/or the Property Manager.

• Makes a claim under their own insurance policy.

• Follows the instructions of their insurance company. 

The owner/resident causing the damage: 

• Contacts the Superintendent and/or the Property Manager.

• Gives the name and telephone number of their insurance company to the Superintendent or Property Manager.

• Informs their own insurance company of the problem. 

The Property Manager: 

• Inspects the extent of the problem.

• If appropriate, contacts the Corporation’s Master Policy insurance company.

• Informs affected Unit owners of the responsibility of the Corporation and of the Unit owners.

In cases where the Corporation is responsible for the cost of the repair, the Corporation's insurance company normally sends a contractor, of their choosing, to perform the work.

INTERCOM   

In August 2025, the building moved its 'intercom system' to ButterflyMX. See also the Intercom information sheet on the Useful Documents page of this website.

All registered residents may have a directory entry that will allow them to admit guests and visitors and this entry will be routinely created for you by the Corporation;  the normal format is  Family Name, Initial(s).  If you do not want to be listed or have other listing suggestions, let us know. The default is a phone call but, if you have downloaded and set up the ButterflyMX app (available free from the appropriate app store), you can then adjust the phone number you wish the system to call or set the preference to 'swipe' if you prefer to use the app. To be added to the system, registered residents must have a unique email address and a phone number.

Using the ButterflyMX system, residents can open the front door from a phone call (by pressing 9, after you identify the caller) or through the ButterflyMX app - where you 'swipe right'. The app provides additional options and if you use it you can see your visitor and, if you wish, they can see you. As some phone systems automatically send 'unknown' calls to spam or voice mail, all residents are advised to add the ButterflyMX phone numbers to their phone's contacts. The numbers calls may come from are: (365) 615-5220: (365) 615-5224: (365) 615-5238: (365) 615-5239 and (365) 615-5283.

If an owner has listed their unit for sale or for lease, they may ask for a Directory entry for their realtor so that they may admit clients to the building but Owners are reminded that THEY are responsible for the actions of anyone they authorise. Having a directory entry allows realtors to avoid an external lock-box and they may then put a lock box with a Unit key ONLY into one of the Fire stairs - which is much more secure. The Corporation's Lock Box Policy is on the Useful Documents page of this website.

Residents are strongly advised  not to open the front door for people they do not know - 

YOU are responsible for people that you admit to the building!

INTERNET

In 2017 the building was connected to the Bell Canada fibre network and fibre was installed to and in all of the residential units. Subsequently the Corporation was offered a "bulk internet package" and, after much discussion, and a favourable vote at a Special General Meeting, well over the required 66.6% of all owners agreed that the Board should sign a building-wide internet contract.  Installation was completed in September 2017. In 2022 the contract was renewed (at a lower cost and with faster speeds) until February 29, 2028. At the same time, the Board signed an additional contract to add  Bell FibeTV to this contract effective 1 March, 2023 - replacing Rogers cable.

Under this contract Bell supply a rental modem (the Home Hub 3000 modem or better) to each Occupant (Unit) at a cost of $0 to the Owner and Occupants for use of the Internet Package. For FibeTV, Bell supplies every residential unit with up to two HD boxes.  The Internet Package includes Bell Fibe with download speeds of up to 1.5 Gbps and upload speeds of up to 940 Mbps (speeds may be slower when using wi-fi or be limited by your own equipment) and McAfee-powered security services.   

Because a resident of each Unit is the registered customer, if you move from 135 George Street South you need to contact Bell (see below) to cancel these services and must return the modem and other equipment to Bell. New owners or tenants should contact Bell (see below) to register as a customer and obtain a modem and the TV boxes. 

IMPORTANT: Though the Corporation pays the internet and FibeTV bill for the building, a registered resident of each Unit is the Bell customer and that resident is responsible for the modem and other equipment being rented - even though the monthly rental cost charged directly to you is $0.  If a resident wants extra equipment or wants to subscribe to additional channels they must arrange this with Bell and pay the extra monthly fees.  For leased units, though the owner will be (indirectly) paying the monthly fee through their monthly maintenance fees, it is strongly recommended that the tenant registers with Bell as the customer; this will simplify resolving any technical problems or repairs. 

For repairs or assistance with any Bell service (or to add a new service) you should call the special Bell Canada team who serve bulk customers at:   1-888-988-0818.

Residents should note that work on Unit internet equipment sometimes requires access to the Building's telecommunications closets.  These rooms are locked, so access is provided by the Superintendent and any repair visits by Bell should be arranged during the Superintendent's normal on-duty hours. If after-hours access is required and can be arranged (in advance) you may be billed for overtime.

KEYS AND FOBS

Unit front door locks and keys and Unit Mailbox locks and keys belong to Unit Owners; unlike some condominium buildings Unit front doors at MTCC 573 are NOT on a master key system. 

Electronic access fobs for the building doors and garage remote openers can be purchased by owners - ONLY. Keys to the bike room on B2 can be purchased, from the Superintendent, by owners and all registered residents. Payment must be made by cheque payable to MTCC 573. 

Non-resident owners should issue fobs and the Unit garage remote openers to their tenants and it should be remembered that the Unit owner is responsible for actions of their guests, visitors, tenants and contractors. 

Be careful when you give or lend a building fob or remote garage opener (or your Unit key)!

New owners will normally obtain from the previous owner the keys for your Unit front door and your mailbox, electronic access fobs for the external doors and your Unit's garage door opener. Shortly after you move in it is YOUR responsibility to check with the Superintendent to confirm that you have received all the building fobs and openers registered to your Unit. If you have not, the Superintendent will deactivate any others belonging to the former owner. The previous owner may also give you a key to the Bicycle Room. Additional building access fobs (up to the maximums allowed, see below) and other electronic door openers and bicycle room keys can be purchased, by owners only, from the Superintendent.

Neither the Corporation nor Canada Post hold copies of Unit mailbox keys. If you lose your mailbox key or if it no longer works you need to ask the Canada Post mail carrier to leave your box open. You can then have a locksmith come here to install a new lock or can do so yourself.  (So that a Mailbox key is always available, a few owners have given the Corporation a key to their Mailbox - these keys are stored with the appropriate Unit keys.)

If you require new or replacement keys for your Unit front door or for your mailbox it is your responsibility to obtain them.

It is the obligation of owners to leave a copy of their Unit entry door key(s) with the Corporation, in care of the Superintendent. The Unit entry door is an exclusive use common element. Please see additional information below -  UNIT ACCESS.

If there is an emergency that requires entry to your Unit (or a locked area inside your Unit) and we do not have a key, the Corporation may, depending on the nature of the emergency, have to remove the lock and/or chains or break the door; any costs associated with either procedure and any additional costs incurred because of delay, will be the sole responsibility of the owner. If you change the front door lock(s) of your Unit, please make sure that you provide the Superintendent with a copy of the new key(s) immediately.

Please be assured that (except in case of emergency - flood, fire, power failure, loss of heat or other threats to life or the security of the Corporation or other residents) we will not enter your Unit without proper notification, giving at least 24-hours' notice. If the Superintendent has a copy of your key(s) for use in an emergency situation, major damage to your unit and surrounding units may be prevented or reduced.

A Unit (whether owner-occupied or leased) may have up to five electronic access fobs and one electronic garage opener. (Because of the requirements of our security system, personal in-car garage door openers cannot be programed to open the garage door - it opens only with a fob, or an electronic garage door opener issued by the Corporation.) If a resident rents out their Unit's assigned parking space to another resident this rental should normally include the garage door opener issued to that Unit. 

Fobs and remote openers (up to the maximum noted below) may be obtained by giving a cheque for the appropriate amount (payable to MTCC 573) to the Superintendent: 

• $30.00 for a key to the bicycle storage room

• $30.00 for an electronic access fob (maximum of five per Unit)

• $60.00 for an electronic garage door opener (maximum of one per Unit)

• $90.00 for an electronic front-door opener (maximum of one per Unit)

IF AN ELECTRONIC ACCESS FOB OR ELECTRONIC GARAGE DOOR OPENER IS LOST, THE SUPERINTENDENT MUST BE INFORMED AT ONCE. HE WILL DISABLE IT SO THAT IT CANNOT BE MISUSED.  (The Unit owner remains responsible for its use until this is done.)  

The Corporation has a policy on Lock Boxes - see Useful Documents page. As they are a security risk, we strongly discourage the use of lock-boxes but, if an Owner, a Unit contractor or realtor uses a lock box and attaches it to the railings on the loading dock or other Corporation property they MUST inform the Superintendent - if this is not done the box will be removed. Lock boxes used for an Owner's fob or keys are that Owner's responsibility.  Boxes should be closely monitored and removed if no longer needed as they can be stolen and the fob and/or Unit key used to enter the Building or the Unit.  In most circumstances it is best to only grant access to the building via the Intercom and lock-boxes with a Unit key can be placed in the Fire Stairs. (Again, the Superintendent must be informed and unneeded boxes must be removed.) 

Cloning official building fobs or garage remotes is absolutely forbidden. Though it is impossible for the Corporation to prevent fobs being cloned, we will disable any that come to our attention.  We restrict the number of fobs for security reasons and thus do not approve of these ‘counterfeit’ fobs. It should be noted that cloned fobs can fail and thus ‘reveal themselves’ in our system. 

If we find an unofficial (cloned) fob being used, we will cancel that fob and any others with the same serial numbers and carefully monitor fob usage for all fobs owned by that Unit. We sell fobs to owners for $30 (up to five per Unit), which covers our costs, most fob-duplicators charge between $40 and $75 so having your ‘legal’ fobs cloned is not a cost-saving activity but is a potentially serious security breach!  

Owners are reminded that THEY remain responsible for ALL use of fobs and remote openers (and any clones of them) that belong to their Unit. This includes fobs or remotes a leasing owner has given to their tenants.

LAUNDRY ROOM See also DRYERS

There is a laundry room with coin-operated machines on the 2nd floor; it is available from 6.00am to 11.00pm.  The cost is $2 per load in either a washer or a dryer. These machines should not be used to wash 'items too dirty for my own machine' and, if you use these machines, CLEAN THEM AFTER USE!

LEAKS

All residents are reminded that if water goes from your Unit into an adjacent Unit you, or your insurance company, may have to compensate your neighbour or the Corporation if damage is caused to common areas. The most common causes of water leaks from a Unit are broken laundry machines, dishwashers or toilet hoses or deteriorated caulking or grout in bathrooms and kitchens. You are strongly advised to have hoses checked from time to time and to maintain both caulking and grout. In general Unit owners are responsible for all water supply plumbing on the Unit-side of the in-Unit main shut-off valves. The Corporation is responsible for the supply plumbing up to, and including, these shut-off valves.

All Units are served by several plumbing 'risers' and access to them, and their shut-off valves is normally through access panels located inside the walls of Unit bathrooms, laundry rooms and kitchens. These access panels must not be blocked, and owners are reminded that plumbers may need to do work inside them - cabinets etc should not be installed if they will block full access. If the Corporation plumbers need to break walls or damage cabinets to get access to pipes and valves because of Unit renovations or alterations the Corporation will not make repairs and any repairs made will only be to the level of a Standard Unit as defined in the Corporation's Standard unit By-Law.

The Corporation's policy and procedures regarding leaks can be found on the Useful Documents page of this website. ("Water Damage Procedure".)

LEASING YOUR UNIT  See RENTING YOUR UNIT

LIBRARY

There is a small ‘library” in the Lounge; it consists of books donated by other residents and is looked after by a few volunteers.  Residents are welcome to take books that are there and leave others they no longer want but are asked to remember that the books should be of interest to other residents and be in fair condition. The ‘library’ is weeded from time to time to keep it to a reasonable size and ensure that the books there are appropriate.

LOADING DOCK and other external parking

The use of the loading dock, the parking at the top of the garage ramp and on the east walkway is controlled by the Superintendent. The primarily purpose of the loading dock is for garbage and recycling collection and the short-term loading and use by the Corporation's contractors and for moving-in or out. On garbage/recycling pick-up days space on the loading dock is very limited.  If the Superintendent allows vehicles to park at the top of the garage ramp they must not obstruct regular access or egress. The east walkway is not suitable for all vehicles and, as it is not plowed, is not always available during winter.

There are four loading dock (and other temporary parking area) priorities:

Priority 1. Collection of garbage, recycling and organic waste - loading dock only..

Priority 2. Residents moving in or moving out - loading dock only.

Priority 3. Corporation contractors. - loading dock, at top of garage ramp and on east walkway.

Priority 4. Contractors or deliveries for residents and tenants. If vehicles cannot fit into the garage, the Superintendent may grant permission to park on the loading dock, at the top of garage ramp or on the east walkway. However, if permission is given for this and there are subsequent problems (e.g. failure to move if needed), all costs will be charged-back to the Unit owner responsible. 

LOCK BOXES

We have a policy lock-boxes (for fobs or keys) and strongly discourage their use outside the building. Details on the Useful Documents  page of this website. 

LOUNGE

There is a lounge, with a TV (with, basic, Bell Fibe) and billiard table, on the 2nd floor that residents may reserve for private functions. The Lounge also has free wi-fi - the network name and the password are posted behind the bar.

Residents under sixteen (16) years of age may not reserve the Lounge. 

ALL Lounge reservations should be made on the calendar outside the Lounge - 'first-come, first served".

• Unofficial reservations (for 10 or fewer people) need to be made ONLY on the calendar outside the lounge. No official booking is required. If there is damage, if Rules are broken and if additional cleaning is required the Property Manager will determine what charges should be imposed.

• If 11 or more guests will be present an Official Lounge Reservation is ALSO required. For further details see: Lounge Licence Reservation and Agreement form.  Completed forms should be given to the Superintendent. If there is damage, if Rules are broken and if additional cleaning is required the Property Manager will determine what charges should be imposed.

The lounge is available from 6am daily and must be vacated by 11.00pm from Sundays to Thursdays and by 1.00am on Saturdays and Sundays. The adjacent deck must never be used after 11.00pm as other residents live above it. Please note that the fob entry to the lounge and amenity area is set to permit access only during permitted hours.

People leaving the lounge should be reminded that it shares a floor with residential Units and that noise should be kept to a minimum.

There is a gas barbecue on the deck adjacent to the lounge. It can be reserved using the calendar posted outside the lounge. See BARBECUE, above.

Guests may use the lounge and the recreation facilities only if accompanied by a resident.

If your cell phone is linked to the intercom, you can, obviously, admit visitors to the building when you are in the Lounge or on the deck but you will need to open the door to the amenity area itself.

In addition to the Rules concerning the Lounge, the board has approved the following Guidelines:

• As the lounge is for the use of all Residents, no Unit may reserve the lounge for more than one period per week without the prior permission of the Board.

• The Lounge can be used by groups of 10 or less, without a reservation, if no bookings are entered in the calendar for the current date and time.

• If a Resident has booked the Lounge and is not present at that time, their booking is cancelled, and other Residents can use it on a ‘first-come, first-served’ basis.

• If plans change, Residents are urged to cross out unwanted Lounge bookings, so others are not inconvenienced.

MAIL

Each Unit has a locked mailbox in the mailroom adjacent to the front lobby; the external door fob opens the mailroom door.

As these mailboxes are used by Canada Post they are accessible only to the Canada Post mail carrier and the owner. The Corporation does not have keys to the mailboxes. If you lose your mailbox key or if it no longer works you need to ask the Canada Post mail carrier to leave your box open - they can do so by using their master key. You can then have a locksmith install a new lock or can do so yourself. As getting a new lock is time-consuming and expensive you are strongly advised to have more than one mail box key. A few owners have deposited a copy of their mail box key with the Corporation so that one is always available.

The Corporation has also provided a few lockable boxes for parcels delivered by Canada Post, instructions on using these boxes are posted in the mailroom.

Courier companies cannot access the mailroom and the Superintendent cannot accept courier deliveries. Many courier companies will gain access to the Building and leave deliveries at a Unit front door - the Corporation accepts no responsibility for these and may remove them if they are seen to be a hazard.

MAINTENANCE FEES See also:  RESERVE FUND

As part of the annual budget process, the Board establishes the monthly maintenance fees necessary to operate the Corporation each fiscal year. The budget year of MTCC 573 begins on March 1 each year.

The monthly maintenance fees are composed of two parts, operating expenses and contributions to the Reserve Fund.

Operating expenses cover such items as: 

• Building insurance

• Electricity and gas charges for the Common Elements

• Garbage and water charges from the City of Toronto

• Improvements to the Common Elements

• Management, legal and accounting expenses

• Maintenance and repair of the Common Elements

• Staff wages and benefits 

• Internet - including FibeTV  (See details above)

Under the Condominium Act all condominium corporations are obliged to maintain Reserve Funds and to ensure they will be sufficient to fund all major renovations and repairs to the common elements over the next 30 years. Appropriate professionals must carry out "Reserve Fund Studies" at least every 3 years. Reserve Funds are not like a savings account that can be used to cover unexpected operating expenses and they cannot be used to make ‘improvements” to the common elements. The amounts necessary to contribute to the Reserve Fund (See Reserve Fund below) are collected with the monthly maintenance fees and are, of course, based on the normal percentage contribution rates.

 MONTHLY MAINTENANCE FEES ARE DUE ON THE FIRST DAY OF EVERY MONTH.

Fees are payable to MTCC 573 by post-dated cheques or by pre-authorized payments and are paid to us c/o our Property Management Company. A copy of the pre-authorised payment form is available on the Useful Forms page of this website. This form, plus either a blank cheque or a copy of your bank's pre-authorised payments form should be sent to the Corporation at the offices of Royale Grande Property Management. (See Contact information page.)

Under the Condominium Act, the Corporation is permitted to place a lien on your Unit if maintenance fees are not paid when due. The legal cost of such lien - which can be quite significant - is the responsibility of the Unit owner. 

The Corporation imposes a late payment fee of $25 if a monthly payment is received after the 8th day of the month and interest at the annual rate of 24% is charged on all accounts overdue more than 30 days. There is a charge of at least $25 for an NSF cheque. (Ref: Board Resolution of 2 April, 2013.) For several years, all Unit owners pay their monthly fees by pre-authorised payment, and this is strongly recommended.

MOVING

When you are moving in or out of The New Town of York you need to reserve an elevator. This should be done by completing an Elevator Reservation Form, giving it to and discussing the reservation with the Superintendent. (See: Elevators above.) The document "Moving in or out" (on the Useful Documents page of this website) may prove useful.

We do not have a separate freight elevator and elevators can only be booked between 9am and 5pm from Monday to Sunday (no bookings on Public Holidays); there is a 4-hour maximum and only one of our two elevators can be reserved. There is additional information about booking hours on the Elevator Reservation Form, available on the Useful Forms page of this website. 

If your use of the elevator exceeds the booked hours, you will be charged for all staff overtime. (Rounded-up to the hour.) Bookings are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis and on some days, is very difficult as access to the loading dock is restricted due to garbage and recycling collection. You are strongly advised to discuss your moving plans and days with the Superintendent.  

As the front door of the building must not be left open and unlocked, YOU must arrange for a licenced security guard to watch the door for all moves - the Superintendent can advise on appropriate licenced companies; the current charge is approximately $25 per hour, plus HST. If there is no security guard present, the move and elevator reservation will be cancelled by the Superintendent or his deputy. 

When moving out of or into the Building you need to either cancel or order:

Hydro service from Toronto Hydro. Each Unit has its own Hydro meter and account.

Internet and FibeTV service from Bell Canada. Unlimited, high speed internet plus a modem is supplied to all residential Units as part of the monthly fees. Though the contract price is paid to Bell by the Corporation, a resident of each Unit must be a Bell customer - even if no charges are made. If you move out, you must contact Bell and return the modem and other equipment to them. New owners or tenants should contact Bell to register as a customer and obtain a new modem and TV box(es). (See INTERNET above.)

NOISE

Though the building is reasonably soundproof, please keep stereos, televisions and conversation at a reasonable volume so as not to disturb others, particularly late at night.  Please do not make loud noises in the hallways.

Residents making renovations or repairs to their Units are required to ensure that work is done only between 9:00 am and 6:00 pm Monday to Saturday. Renovation work is not permitted on Sundays and public holidays. You are reminded that owners must receive written approval from the Board of Directors prior to the commencement of any renovation work within their Unit. (See: Renovations, below.)

NOTICES

The Corporation's official notice boards are located in the mailroom, on both basement levels near the doors to the parking garage and in the west stair well between the main and second floors. The Board and the Property Manager post important announcements on these boards, so it is recommended that you check them on a regular basis to keep abreast of activities within the building. Residents may use these notice boards only to post information concerning resident activities or other resident information. If we have your email address(es) we will also email important notices to you. The notice boards should not be used for posting 'commercial notices'.

The Corporation normally only communicates with owners and residents by email. 

OCCUPANCY STANDARDS

Under the Declaration, each Unit shall be occupied and used only as a private single-family residence and for no other purpose. Under the Ontario Building Code and our By-laws, the maximum number of adult residents allowed in a two-bedroom Unit is four and in the one-bedroom Units it is two.

PARKING

Under Schedule F of the Declaration of MTCC 573, each residential Unit is assigned an exclusive use common element parking Unit. These Parking Units are for the exclusive use of the owner and shall be occupied and used only as a private parking space for a passenger automobile, station wagon or motorcycle by a Unit Owner, Tenant or Registered Resident of the Unit. Guests may also use a Unit's assigned parking, or they can park in Visitor Parking.

If an owner does not require his/her assigned parking Unit they may attempt to rent it to another owner, tenant or Registered Resident. Assigned parking must not be rented or lent to non-residents.  Owners may not make any additions, alteration, improvements or renovations in or to their assigned parking Unit.   If a resident rents out their assigned parking space to another resident this rental should normally include the remote garage door opener owned by that Unit. (Each Unit owner is allowed to purchase one remote garage opener.)

Under our Rules, no commercial vehicle, camper, van, recreation vehicle (RV), all-terrain vehicle, trailer, boat, snowmobile, mechanical toboggan, machinery or equipment of any kind other than a private passenger vehicle or motor cycle shall be parked on any part of the common elements, including the visitors’ parking area or in any underground parking Unit, nor shall any repairs be made to any motor vehicle on any part of the common elements, including the visitors’ parking area or in any underground parking Unit.

The Corporation has the garage power-washed annually, but all owners should maintain their assigned parking Units in a clean and tidy condition including eliminating oil or grease spills. If this is not done in a timely manner, the Corporation may have the space cleaned at the owner's expense, collecting any amount owing in the same manner as contributions towards common expenses.

Vehicle headlights should be turned on whenever moving through the parking garage. 

The speed limit in the parking garage is 10 km/hr.

There are seven (7) marked visitor parking spaces on level B1. From 9:00am to 5:00pm on Monday to Friday, two of the visitor spaces are clearly marked for contractor use and, whenever possible, visitors should be asked to avoid use of these spaces during these hours. So that some spaces are left for other visitors, contractors may not use the remaining visitor parking spaces. Drivers of delivery and trade vehicles are only permitted to use the designated contractor parking areas or the Unit owner’s own assigned space while performing their duties.

Residents may not park in Visitors Parking.

If a Resident is having visitors or guests staying with them often and/or for extended periods (and thus frequently requires additional parking for them), the resident is urged to try to borrow or rent a space from another resident as the number of Visitor Parking spaces is quite limited. If a Unit is repeatedly having many visitors using visitor parking and inconveniencing other residents they may have their Unit's use of visitor parking restricted by the Board.

For safety and security, if overnight visitors are parking in the visitors parking area between 2.00am and 7.00am a parking permit must be displayed. Parking permits can be obtained from the bulletin boards located adjacent to the entrances to the parking garage on either the B1 or B2 levels. If a valid visitors parking permit is not displayed on the front dashboard of the visitor’s vehicle, a parking ticket may be issued. If a Unit makes frequent use of Visitor Parking for overnight visitors or guests, the Board may restrict that Unit's use of Visitor Parking to avoid inconveniencing other residents.

The garage doors are programmed to open and close automatically after being activated by a remote control, an access fob or by pushing the button located inside the garage on the wall at the base of the ramp. Should the garage door fail to open or close, immediately report the problem to the Superintendent. Please ensure that other vehicles or pedestrians do not follow you into the garage and we urge you to stop after entering or exiting the garage to allow the doors to close.

The Superintendent will sell garage door remote controls to residents only. The cost is $60, payable by cheque to MTCC 573. For security reasons, only one remote will be sold to each Unit. If you rent a parking space from another Resident, they should include their Unit's remote in the rental.

According to Fire Regulations, storage of any items other than bicycles or other metal items such as small bundle buggies used for carrying groceries is strictly prohibited in the parking garage.

Should your vehicle or that of your guest stall or fail to start in the garage or garage entrance, ensure that the vehicle is not obstructing other traffic and immediately call your service station or the CAA for assistance. If appropriate, please advise the Superintendent of your problem. The Corporation does have a battery charger, which can be borrowed from the Superintendent, during his normal working hours. The Superintendent is not able to assist Residents with use of the charger.

Washing vehicles is not permitted in the parking garage. Maintaining, servicing and repairing vehicles (not including emergency boosting and towing) are prohibited by fire regulations anywhere on the property.

As it is sometimes necessary to have cars moved to carry out maintenance or to deal with emergencies all residents are strongly advised that if they are going away and leaving their car parked in the garage that a trusted neighbour or friend has access to a car key. If the Corporation needs to have a parked car moved, the cost of this will be charged-back to you.

Owners interested in installing an Electric Vehicle Charging Station in their assigned parking should read the section above on this topic.

PEST CONTROL

The Corporation arranges for regular visits from a pest control company. They treat the common areas as necessary and will, on request to the Superintendent, treat residential Units. Pests can easily spread from Unit to Unit so if you notice any activity, please inform the Superintendent at once.

PETS

According to the Declaration, pets are allowed to be kept in any Residential Unit, but it should be noted "No pet that is deemed by the board or Manager, in its absolute discretion, to be a nuisance shall be kept by any owner in any residential dwelling unit. Such owner shall, within two (2) weeks of receipt of a written notice from the board or the Manager requesting the removal of such pet, permanently remove such pet from the property."

All pets must be kept on a leash or in a cage or carrying case when outside of the owner’s Unit.  No exotic, nuisance or dangerous animals, as determined by the Board in its absolute discretion, shall be permitted within any unit. 

Pets are not allowed in the 2nd floor lounge, on the deck, or in any of the recreation areas and when traversing the common elements must be on a leash or be carried.

Visitors and guests may not bring pets into the building.

PLUMBING  

Units at New Town of York are supplied through several plumbing risers (usually 3 or 4 per Unit). The in-wall shut-off valves for these risers are maintained by the Corporation and are the demarcation point between 'Unit plumbing' and "Building plumbing". Access to the shut-offs is mostly through access panels (often below sinks) and these must not be blocked or obstructed.  If the Superintendent or the Corporation's plumbers require access to them and the access is blocked or obstructed, they will break the wall or remove the obstruction and the cost of doing this may be charged-back to the Unit owner.  In any case, any damage done to a Unit by the Corporation, or its agents will only be repaired up to, at most, the level described in the Corporation's Standard Unit By-Law. See also LEAKS

POWER FAILURES   See:   EMERGENCY GENERATOR

PROPERTY MANAGER

To manage the day-to-day operations of the Corporation, the Board has a contract with a licenced Property Management Company - since 2010, Royale Grande. They have assigned a part-time licenced Property Manager to our building and Maria Veriniotis has been our Property Manager since 2010; she visits the building as necessary but does not have an office in the building;  it is best to contact her through email.

The Property Management Company provides accounting and administrative services including, but not limited to, the collection of the monthly maintenance fees, the approval and payment of invoices, the preparation of monthly financial statements, and annual budget projections. The Property Manager is present and reports to the Board at its regular meetings and is generally responsible for the smooth operation of our building. Additional responsibilities of the Property Manager include advising the Board on the laws and regulations we must follow, ensuring the Corporation meets all the necessary Codes and standards  for condominium corporations in Ontario and she deals with the hiring and supervision of the Superintendent and relief staff.

The duties of the Property Manager (or the Superintendent) do not extend to repair services for individual Units but rather cover the common elements portion of the building.

Complaints concerning the building maintenance or other common services covered by the monthly maintenance fees should, in the first instance, be made to the Superintendent.  If satisfaction is not obtained residents should contact the Property Manager. Suggestions for additional services should be made to either the Property Manager or to any Board member.

PROPERTY TAX

The Municipal Property Assessment Corporation is responsible for assessing the value of all property and City of Toronto property taxes are payable by each Unit. Disputes about property assessments or the taxes assessed on your Unit and the payment of these taxes are the owner’s responsibility.

RECORD REQUESTS SEE:  Requests for Records

RECREATION FACILITIES

The recreation facilities include a unisex sauna, a squash court, an exercise room and a billiard table in the lounge. Most facilities are on the 2nd floor and the hours of operation of all recreation facilities are 6:00am to 11:00pm.  There are specific RULES about using the recreation facilities. 

The squash court (which also has a basketball hoop) is on the ground floor and is normally not locked; it can be accessed from the fire stairs at the east end of the building. Appropriate, non-marking, footwear and safety equipment must be worn in the squash court.

 Recreation facilities are primarily for the use of RESIDENTS.  

If you have guests or visitors, they may use the recreation facilities only if they are accompanied

by a Registered Resident.

No person under sixteen (16) years of age shall be permitted within the recreation facilities or amenities unless accompanied at all times by a parent or the parent’s agent who shall be not less than sixteen (16) years of age.  

There is some additional information under BARBECUE and LOUNGE above.

RECYCLING - See: GARBAGE & RECYCLING and additional information on the Useful Documents page of this website.

RENOVATIONS

 PRIOR TO COMMENCING RENOVATIONS OR MAKING ALTERATIONS WITHIN THEIR UNITS, OWNERS ARE REQUIRED TO OBTAIN WRITTEN APPROVAL FROM THE CORPORATION.

APPROPRIATE MUNICIPAL PERMITS MAY ALSO BE REQUIRED

It is important that all alteration and major renovation and repair projects are approved by the Board IN ADVANCE and that the necessary municipal permits have been obtained. Details on how to get Board approval are on the Alteration - Renovation Form and Renovation Guidelines available on this website. You should also note that there are Building Plans available, also on the website.  Completed applications should be given to the Superintendent or directly to any Board member or the Property Manager.

If an owner proceeds with renovations or alterations that have not been approved or are illegal or if the alterations result in loss of enjoyment of their Units by other Unit owners, these alterations will have to be modified or reversed. The Corporation is obliged to seek legal redress if such situations arise and an owner fails to comply with the Corporation’s demand to reverse or modify the change.

It should be stressed that the Board normally meets every 4-6 weeks and before the Board can approve a renovation agreement it may be necessary for them to seek professional advice. It is to your advantage to inform the Property Manager and the Board of any alteration or renovation project as early in the process as possible and allow sufficient time to receive WRITTEN approval before you would like to start the project. The Superintendent, Manager and all Directors are happy to offer advice on renovations, we have seen many!

To get permission from the Board you should complete an Alteration/Renovation Agreement – copies are on this website. It is suggested you may get useful suggestions on proposed renovations from the Property Manager, Superintendent or any Board member – we are happy to help.

As repairs often turn into renovations there are always going to be some ‘grey areas’ as to when it is necessary to complete this Agreement and get permission; if you are in doubt it is suggested that you talk to the Property Manager. In general, the Board does not require an Agreement to paint, replace carpeting or install a replacement heat pump or sink. You do require an approved Agreement if you are knocking down interior walls, re-tiling walls, installing a tiled or wooden floor, replacing windows or window glass or doing any work that involves the common elements of the Building, including the plumbing or areas behind the drywall of the outer walls of your Unit.

If you are doing renovations or alterations you are STRONGLY advised to make an elevator reservation and ask the Superintendent to pad it if you are using it to move any construction material, furniture or heavy tools; if you or your contractors cause damage to the elevators the full cost of the repair will be charged back to you. It is essential that the Superintendent be given at least 24 hours advance notice of an elevator reservation so that it can be padded and put “on service’. Elevator reservation forms are available on this website.

Only one elevator can be reserved and put ‘on service’ and the possible hours are from 9am to 5pm from Monday to Saturday, there is a four-hour maximum. Renovation work must be limited to the hours of 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday to Saturday. Renovations may not be done on Sundays or public holidays.

To bring the various requirements together, the Board has created some Renovation Guidelines and they are available on the Useful Documents page of this website.  In general, the responsibility for repairing a Unit rests with the owner while the Corporation is responsible for repairing the common elements. There are, however, some shared responsibilities and the Condominium Act (1998) and the legal documents of MTCC 573 (our Declaration, By-Laws and Rules) contain vital information on this subject.

The following sections of our Declaration are of particular relevance to determining maintenance and repair responsibilities. 

Indemnification    See:     Declaration Section XI

Insurance        See:     Declaration Section X

Maintenance and Repair    See:     Declaration Section VII

Structural Changes or Alterations  See:     Declaration Section IV

Unit Boundaries    See:     Declaration, Schedule "C"

We have also prepared a document/chart that attempts to explain where responsibilities lie (Corporation or Owner) but in case of conflict, the Declaration, By-Laws and Rules take precedence. It should be noted that if damage to any area of the building is the result of owner negligence, the owner is responsible: see “Indemnification” (Declaration Section XI.)  

RENTING/LEASING YOUR UNIT

Owners may lease or rent their Units; however, with limited exceptions, all initial lease terms must be for a minimum of 12 months. (Expired leases may be renewed on a month-to-month basis.) Units may not be leased or licensed for transient or hotel use.

Under Ontario law, all residential leases must be in writing and must use the standard Ontario Residential Tenancy Agreement, available at: https://tinyurl.com/s476573k

Leasing owners must provide tenants with a copy of the Corporation’s Declaration, By-laws, and Rules, or inform them that they can access these documents on other pages of this website.

Once a lease has been signed, the Unit owners must complete a ‘Rental of Unit’ Form, and the tenant(s) must complete a ‘Tenant Information Form’ –  both available on the Useful Forms page of this website. (These Forms should be sent to the Property Manager with a copy of the lease attached. Under the Condominium Act (s 83) this must be done within 10 days.) Until both these Forms and a copy of the lease are received it will not be possible for the tenants to reserve an elevator for moving into the building or be listed in the building directory.

All persons listed on a lease are 'registered residents'; if other adults also live in the Unit they should be added as registered residents. To ensure that the Owner is aware of any changes in occupancy, these notifications must be sent to the Property Manager by the Unit Owner. Under our Declaration (Section IV) and By-Law 9 (Article 10) there are specific occupancy standards for the residential Units that must not be exceeded (in general, not more than two persons per official 'sleeping room') and "each unit shall be occupied and used only as a private single-family residence and for no other purpose..." Under the Corporation’s Rules, only registered residents may use the building’s amenities unaccompanied or be listed in the building directory.

The Unit owner is responsible for supplying tenants with Unit keys, fobs, garage remote openers and mailbox keys. Though the Corporation will sell replacement fobs or remote openers to tenants, we will not sell new or additional keys or fobs to tenants so that the Owner, who is ultimately responsible for them, has more control of their number. Leasing owners are reminded that THEY remain responsible for the security of all fobs, openers and keys that have been sold to their Unit. Lost or missing fobs and openers should be reported to the Superintendent as soon as possible so that that can be cancelled.

Residential Unit leases normally include the Unit's assigned parking space. If the tenant does not require a parking space, they (or the owner) may rent or lend it to another resident. (Parking spaces may never be rented or lent to non-residents.) If a parking space is rented to another resident, this should include the garage remote opener owned by that Unit. (Each Unit owner is allowed to purchase one remote garage opener.) Under our Rules, a leasing owner may not use the Unit's assigned parking space; if they come to the building, they should use Visitor Parking.

Leasing owners are strongly advised to discuss their insurance requirements with their insurance broker and, as Owners are responsible for the actions of their tenants, it is suggested that insisting on, at least, liability insurance coverage in the lease is probably a good idea.

Though domestic animals (with certain restrictions) and smoking inside Units are allowed in the building, leasing owners may, and often do, forbid both in their leases. Any such prohibitions cannot be enforced by the Corporation and enforcement is an owner responsibility.

The Corporation will continue to deal with the Unit owner regarding monthly maintenance fees, charge-backs and official Corporation business. As the owner is ultimately responsible for the conduct of their tenant(s), it is strongly recommended that leasing owners work with an experienced rental agent to ensure any prospective tenants are carefully vetted prior to a lease being signed.

Units at MTCC 573 are separately metered, and residential leases here normally do not include hydro (this is strongly recommended as it discourages energy wastage). The tenant needs to register and become the customer with Toronto Hydro and details on this are in our 'Moving in, Moving out' document. The building has a bulk contract for internet and Fibe TV with Bell Canada, and the tenant should also register directly with Bell Canada to be connected to these services. Even though the monthly Bell fees are paid by the Corporation and form part of the monthly maintenance fees paid by all Owners (and are thus part of the monthly rent), the 'registered resident' is the 'Bell customer'. Once they are registered with Bell, the tenant can deal directly with them concerning any technical issues and ensures that they will be charged directly (and confidentially) for any additional channels they want or pay-per-view programs that they order. (See the ’Moving in, Moving Out’ document.)

REPAIRS  See also: RENOVATIONS

Unit owners are responsible for repairing their own Units, but it should be noted that the Corporation is, under the Act, required to make any repairs for which a Unit owner is responsible and which the owner has not performed within a reasonable time; the full cost will be charged back to the owner. This obligation is in place to protect all owners and it is the duty of the Corporation to act. (Examples of occasions when the Corporation might act to protect other owners or the Corporation itself would include repairing leaking taps, appliances or unsafe fireplaces or heat pumps.)  See also Renovations.

REQUESTS FOR RECORDS

Under the Condominium Act, owners may make requests for "records of the Corporation". These requests must be made using the appropriate Form, available on the website of the Condominium Authority of Ontario and must be responded to within fixed deadlines. For that reason, all Record Requests should be sent to records@royalegrande.com Put 'Record Request - MTCC 573' in the subject line. 

Though Owners may, of course, submit official Requests for Records, it is often faster and certainly less bureaucratic, to simply e-mail a Director or the Property Manager and many of our records are freely available on this website.

RESERVE FUND  See also: MAINTENANCE FEES

Under the Condominium Act, all corporations must have a Reserve Fund: this may be used only for major repairs and replacements and cannot be used for improvements. At least every three years, the adequacy of the Fund must be reviewed through a Reserve Fund Study (RFS) – these Studies currently look 30 years into the future and are conducted by licenced professionals – usually engineers. It is important to remember that Studies provide estimates (based on standards, observations and local repair and maintenance records) of when a major repair or replacement will probably be required and then they provide estimates of the cost. 

Though Boards are certainly not obligated to schedule a  major repair or replacement just because the RFS predicted that it may necessary, under the Act, Boards cannot amend Studies. When they are presented to the Board they must be ‘received’ and, within 120 days, the Board must adopt a “Plan for Future Funding” (PFF). This PFF, using the estimated timing and costs noted in the Study, tries to ensure that when items need repair or replacement there is money available, from both contributions and interest, to pay for this work without the need for a Special Assessment. The preparation of the PFF is normally assigned to the RFS consultant - sometimes with input from the Corporation’s auditors. Often, if there is a major funding shortfall, a Board will be offered alternatives (e.g. having identical percentage increases to contributions for several years or maybe a larger ‘catch-up’ increase in Year 1 followed by smaller increases in subsequent years.) 

Our most recent Study (2023, revised 2024) is available on this website, on the Useful Documents page. 

Though the RFS and the PFF are separate, the suggested timing of ‘optional’ projects in the RFS (such as a re-decoration project or buying new gym equipment) may be adjusted during the Study so that the anticipated expenditure during a year matches the anticipated funds available. If a Board does not adopt the recommended PFF and creates their own, they must inform Owners, the Corporation’s Auditor and all future purchasers of this decision and must explain their reasoning; for obvious reasons, Boards seldom do this! The Condominium Authority of Ontario has published a useful guide to Reserve Fund Studies.

RESIDENTS

Residents are described in our Rules as: “Resident” means anyone who resides in any residential unit of the Corporation for any length of time and whose name has been submitted in writing to the Property Manager, and includes, but is not limited to, an Owner or Tenant residing in a unit. 

If the names of the Residents in your Unit change you must inform the Corporation, in writing - by completing a revised Owner or Tenant Form. (See Useful Forms page of this website.)  

See also OCCUPANCY STANDARDS above.

RULES

Under Section 58 of the Condominium Act, "the Board may make, amend or repeal rules respecting the use of common elements and Units to promote the safety, security or welfare of the owners and of the property and assets of the Corporation or prevent unreasonable interference with the use and enjoyment of the common elements, the Units or the assets of the Corporation."

Rules support the Act, the Declaration and the By-Laws and cannot override these documents. They are detailed and describe expectations of the Corporation and owners. Rules are proposed and prepared by the Board of Directors.

Under the Act, a rule becomes effective thirty days after notice of the rule has been given to each owner. If at least fifteen percent of owners (8 in the case of MTCC 573) requisition a meeting of owners, the revised rule does not become effective until it is approved at that meeting. (The quorum for a meeting is 25%, 13 owners in the case of MTCC 573). Owners may, at any time after a rule becomes effective, amend or repeal it at a meeting of owners duly called for that purpose.

MTCC 573 has a number of rules to make living at 135 George Street South a pleasant experience for all residents and owners; you are urged to make yourself aware of all of them. Though all our rules are important, some, which are most often invoked, are highlighted in this A-Z listing.  The Corporation’s first set of Rules was replaced by a new set in 1996 and these were amended from time to time until December 2015 when the current set was adopted by the Board; they came into effect on 5th December 2015. They have been slightly amended several times since and the current version is available on this website.

Though all Rules are important, and enforcement will, as far as possible, be equitable, it should be stressed that Rules will be enforced with flexibility and common sense. For example: Rules about security and safety apply equally 24/7, while Rules about noise will be evaluated based on time and volume; noise at 4pm is not the same as an identical noise at 4am.

SAUNA

We have a unisex sauna in the amenity area on the 2nd floor.  It can be reserved by using the white board outside the door. We have specific Rules about using the sauna - see RULES on our website.

SCREENS  -  See WINDOW SCREENS

SECURITY

Building security is the responsibility of everyone.

Do not allow anybody you do not recognize as a current resident or who cannot produce suitable identification into the building.

When entering the garage, if a car or person you do not recognize tailgates you, please stop just inside the door to allow the door to close immediately behind you. Similarly, when exiting please wait until the door closes. If an unauthorised entry is made to the building due to your inattention, it is possible that you will be charged-back for any damage caused.

Be careful if you give anyone (cleaners, friends, children etc.) any of the access fobs or remote controls that have been issued/sold to you. Owners are responsible for misuse of the access fobs and remote controls issued or sold to them. 

IF ONE OF YOUR ACCESS FOBS OR YOUR GARAGE OPENER IS LOST OR MISLAID, PLEASE REPORT THIS TO THE SUPERINTENDENT IMMEDIATELY SO THAT IT CAN BE DEACTIVATED. 

You remain responsible for its use until this is done.

Emergency telephones, which are monitored 24-hours a day by off-site security personnel, are located in both elevators and on both levels of the garage - immediately to the left of the exit doors leading to the elevators.

To use these elevator telephones press the button, wait for a response and state your problem. They are monitored by an off-site security company.

 If you feel that you are in immediate danger, please call 911.

Areas of the building, including the entrances, the lobby and the interior of the parking garage are under recorded video surveillance.

If you are going to be absent for an extended period, you are strongly advised to inform the Superintendent so that he can react appropriately to problems. If you have arranged for a friend to enter your Unit while you are away, to collect mail etc., it is suggested that you also inform the Superintendent of this.

If you are going to be absent for an extended period and are leaving your car parked in the garage, you are strongly advised to leave the key with another resident or a friend or leave it in some obvious place in your Unit and ensure the Superintendent knows that you have done so. From time to time the garage needs to be empty for an emergency or pre-planned cleaning or repair. If we do not have access to a key your car may need to be towed, at your expense.

Immediately inform the Superintendent or Property Manager if you see anybody suspicious wandering in or around the building or the underground parking areas.

ST. LAWRENCE NEIGHBOURHOOD ASSOCIATION

New Town of York is a member of the St Lawrence Neighbourhood Association - details of their activities can be found at the SLNA website: http://www.slna.ca

SMOKE (and CO) DETECTORS  

Under the Ontario Fire Code, every Unit must be equipped with a smoke detector and a fire alarm and, in some cases, a carbon monoxide (CO) detector. These belong to the Corporation and it is illegal to attempt to disconnect them. Owners have a responsibility to ensure that the smoke and CO detectors in their Unit are working but, for the security of the building and all its residents, the Corporation arranges for their annual inspection and, if necessary, repair or replacement. If an in-Unit smoke detector or fire alarm requires repair or replacement due to misuse or tampering the cost of this will be charged to the Unit owner. Detectors that cease to work because they have reached their pre-programed "end of life" - normally 10 years - will be replaced by the Corporation. Owners should, as necessary, replace back-up batteries!

These smoke and CO detectors (which are hard-wired) ring ONLY inside your Unit; they are NOT connected to the building's automatic fire alarm system. If your Unit smoke detector starts to "cheep" it probably needs a new back-up battery (or may have reached its 'end of life").   Batteries can easily be replaced and are to ensure the alarm will still work in the event of a power failure. If you need help changing a battery or if this does not solve the beeping problem, please contact the Superintendent.

Some residents have purchased their own (additional plug-in) smoke and CO detectors - these are an owner responsibility.

Residents are reminded that if they cause smoke in their Unit (e.g. burnt toast), you should NOT try to clear the air by opening the Unit front door; this will probably set off the building's smoke detectors, the fire bells will ring and the Toronto Fire Service will be called. You should turn on your Unit's extractor fans and open your windows.  If TFS are called, and if they charge us for a 'false alarm', the cost ($1730 in 2025) will be charged back to the Unit owner. Of course, if smoke is coming INTO your unit or there is a fire, call 911 or pull on of the fire alarms in the hallways.

SMOKING

Under our Rules, smoking - including of e-cigarettes - is not permitted in any part of the common areas. (e.g.  lobbies, stairwells, recreation facilities, the garage and the outdoor decks.) Smoking in all common areas of condominium buildings is also now prohibited under the Smoke-Free Ontario Act and this can also be enforced (with fines) through that Act.

SQUASH COURT See: RECREATION FACILITIES

STATUS CERTIFICATES

When a condominium Unit is being sold, the potential purchaser will typically request a Status Certificate. The purpose of this document is to provide comprehensive information about the Unit, as well as the financial, physical, and legal status of the Condominium Corporation.

A Status Certificate is a legal document prepared under Section 76 of the Condominium Act. It provides essential information regarding the Corporation’s financial health and any legal proceedings involving the Corporation. In this regard, it is similar to the information provided to all Owners in Periodic Information Certificates.

However, unlike Information Certificates, a Status Certificate also includes some Unit-specific details. It informs prospective purchasers about:

The Unit's current monthly maintenance fees and any arrears or liens
Any exclusive-use common elements specific to the Unit (at MTCC 573 normally only the assigned parking space)
Any planned maintenance fee increases
Any special assessments or service changes being contemplated by the Board
Any agreements related to the Unit, including those under Section 98 of the Act or any electric vehicle charging system agreements
Although the Corporation does not inspect Units prior to issuing a Status Certificate, it must also list any known defects or problems.

As required by the Condominium Act, the Status Certificate 'package' also includes: a copy of the Corporation's Declaration, By-laws, and Rules,  the most recent audit report and information on the most recent Reserve Fund Study

Status Certificates can be obtained from Royale Grande Property Management at a standard cost of approximately $100. Alternatively, they can be ordered online through Conduit (for a slightly higher fee) at https://www.statuscertificate.com/. Under the Act, Status Certificates must be supplied within 10 days.

STORAGE

All Units at New Town of York were built with storage rooms and until about 2020 there was also a small storage room on the B2 level which residents and the Corporation shared. This room, which can be damp and issubject to flooding, is now primarily used by the Corporation for the storage of building supplies and equipment because, due to Fire Code changes, the Corporation can now use only this area for building storage.  Except for some limited 'legacy items' and short-term use during renovations etc., no resident material can be accepted and nobody may store large items such as winter/summer tires or furniture there.

The room is kept locked and access must be obtained through pre-arrangement with the Superintendent during his normal working hours. The Corporation accepts no responsibility for the loss of (or damage to)  items left  in this room and reserves the right to limit the amount of material that may be stored  there by any Unit. 

SUPERINTENDENT

MTCC 573 employs a full-time resident Superintendent; he is on-duty during the day (8-5) on weekdays and alternate Saturdays and Sundays for 4-hours each day. He will respond to emergencies at any time if he is in the building.

A Relief Superintendent is employed (on contract) to give more limited coverage when the Superintendent is on vacation and on the weekends on which he is not on duty. 

Among other things, the Superintendent is responsible for:

• Overseeing the operation and maintenance of all the building’s mechanical devices such as boilers, pumps, elevators, garbage chutes, etc.

• Overseeing building security and ensuring that our Rules are enforced.

• Supervising the operation and maintenance of the recreational facilities, the lounge, the garage, etc.

• Cleaning of common areas, elevators, lobby, lounge, garage, corridors etc.

• Disposing of garbage and recycling from the common areas and monitoring City pick-ups

The Superintendent is not responsible for:

• Any repairs or maintenance within individual Units

• Any maintenance or cleaning of "exclusive use" common areas such as assigned parking spots.   The Corporation has the whole garage power-washed at least once a year.

The Superintendent, who is supervised by the Property Manager, lives on-site (in Unit 205) and can be by phone (416-833-3604) during his on-duty hours or 24/7  IF IT IS AN EMERGENCY.  

You can email him 24/7 at mtcc573@hotmail.ca  

If you call for an emergency and get voice mail ALWAYS leave a message. 

(Additional details on the Contact Information page of this website.)

TELEPHONES

Telephones in Units are, of course, an owner responsibility. Residents can obtain phone service from the vendor of their choice. As we all have two Bell services (internet and FibeTV), a small discount can be obtained if you also have a Bell fiber home phone.

Residents should note that work on Unit telephones and internet equipment often requires access to the Building's telephone closets and rooms.  This access is provided by the Superintendent so any visits by Bell, Rogers or other telephone providers should be arranged during the Superintendent's normal on-duty hours. If after-hours access is required and can be arranged (in advance) you may be billed for overtime.

TENANTS, GUESTS and VISITORS

Owners are reminded that under our Rules you may only rent out your Unit – furnished or unfurnished - if there is a written lease and if the initial lease is for at least one-year. (See: RENTING YOUR UNIT (above) and our Rules).

Once a Unit is rented, the owner must give their tenants copies of our Rules and other documents concerning our building and must complete a Rental of Unit Form. The tenants must complete a Tenant Information Form and, once these two forms and a copy of the lease are received by the Superintendent, the tenant(s) are added to our various email lists for material sent to all residents, to the building directory and to the lists we maintain of all residents for use by the emergency services.

All residents whose names have been reported to the Property Manager IN WRITING on an updated Owner or Tenant Information Form ("Registered Residents") may have full use of all our facilities such as the lounge, exercise room, deck and BBQ.

Though a Unit may be rented, the Unit owner remains fully responsible for paying the monthly maintenance fees to the Corporation and, should a tenant or their guests etc. cause damage to the common elements, any repair charges will be sent to the Unit owner for payment. Owners should ensure that they continue to be covered by their own insurance policy (landlord insurance) and tenants should be advised that they probably need their own insurance.

Under our Rules and our insurance policies, guests and visitors may only use the lounge, deck, BBQ and recreation facilities if accompanied by a (registered) resident. If you intend to allow friends to use your Unit for short periods while you are away it is very important that you inform the Superintendent so that he and, if necessary, the emergency services are aware of who is living in the building. The owner remains fully responsible for ensuring that their visitors and guests know and obey our Rules and procedures. If a visitor or guest breaks our Rules or does not follow our procedures for things such as garbage and recycling the Corporation can take action against the Unit owner and the cost of repairs of any damage caused to the common elements by a guest or visitor will be charged to the Unit owner.  

UNIT ACCESS

Under Rule E.2.  "No one may change or re-key the lock on their unit entry door or add a lock or locks to such door without forthwith providing to the superintendent a key to each new or re-keyed lock."

Under s 19 of the Act, "... on giving reasonable notice to an owner, the corporation or a person authorized by the corporation may, at any reasonable time, enter a unit of the owner in the corporation or a part of the common elements of which the owner has exclusive use to perform the objects and duties of the corporation or to exercise the powers of the corporation." 

If Unit access is required in an emergency and the Corporation does not have a copy of the Unit front door key or if an area inside the Unit is locked and the Corporation does not have a key, the Corporation may need to break the door or the lock and the cost of repairs (plus any damage caused by any delay) will be charged to the Unit owner.

Except in a case of emergency (e.g. flood, fire etc.) we will always give 'reasonable notice" of at least 24-hours before entering a Unit.

If a registered Owner, Tenant or Resident is locked out of their Unit they can ask the Superintendent to open the Unit, but he will only do this during his normal working hours; at other hours or if the Superintendent is off-duty or is off-site a locksmith must be called. For security reasons, the Corporation will not open Unit doors for Guests, Visitors, Unit contractors or others.

Our Unit Access Policy is available from the Useful Documents page of this website.

VISITORS PARKING See:  PARKING

WATER SHUT-OFFS See also:  LEAKS

In most Units, water shut-off valves can be found, within the walls, under the kitchen sink, beneath the bathroom vanities and in the laundry room. Should these valves leak, immediately contact the Superintendent or the Property Manager; the maintenance of these in-wall valves is the Corporation’s responsibility. If you are doing renovations it is important to ensure that any access panels to the common-element shut-offs within your Unit are not blocked. All plumbing problems on the "Unit side" of these shut-off valves are the responsibility of the Unit owner.

As a further protection, each faucet and toilet tank normally has a separate shut-off valve. The maintenance of these valves (which are on the Unit side of the Unit shut-off valves), including the replacement of defective washers, cartridges etc. is the responsibility of the Unit owners. Please repair any leaking appliances or faucets promptly to avoid wasting water or annoying your neighbours with "singing" pipes.

As plumbing is inter-connected, the Superintendent should be contacted prior to any plumbing work being done.  Only licenced plumbers may be used.

WEBSITE

The New Town of York has a website which is hosted on the free Google Sites service.  As these Google Sites URLs are complicated we have our own (easier to remember) URL www.mtcc573.ca  

WHEELCHAIR & WALKER

Thanks to donations from former residents, the Corporation has a wheelchair and a walker. Both can be borrowed (from the Superintendent), for short-term use only.

WINDOW CLEANING

The Corporation arranges to have the exterior of all inaccessible windows cleaned twice a year. Advance notice is given to residents so that they can remove window screens.

There are 'stops' on all windows to prevent the windows from being fully opened. These devices are in accordance with the municipal regulations and should not be removed. These stops limit the opening of the windows and are installed to prevent children from falling through an open window.

WINDOW REPLACEMENT

From 1982, when our Corporation was formed, until 2022 the repair and replacement of Unit windows (which are common elements, i.e. owned by the Corporation) was the responsibility of Owners.

In late 2021 the Declaration was amended to remove this unusual provision BUT it will continue to apply until the Board decides that window frame replacement is necessary - as noted below this is possibly not going to occur until the mid 2030s. Until then, Owners must continue to repair their windows, both glass and frame. These amendments to our Declaration were registered at the LRO in early 2022.

Though it will certainly be approved, if you want to replace the glass in your Unit's windows you must complete an Alteration - Renovation Agreement and you will need to reserve the elevator (to prevent damage.) It is also important to ensure that you and your contractor are fully covered by insurance should glass fall onto the decks or onto the streets. If work is occurring over the 2nd floor deck or over the exclusive use common elements deck outside Unit 303 signs must be posted and/or the owners warned and any debris that falls on these decks must be picked up.

All Units at MTCC 573 have a mixture of fixed sealed-pane windows ('double-glazed') and ‘sliders’. The seals in the sealed-pane windows will, eventually, fail and – often when it is very hot or very cold - you will start to see condensation building up between the two panes of glass. When the seal is broken the insulation value of the sealed-pane is compromised and it is normally a good idea to have the sealed-pane replaced. This can be done from inside your Unit. Newer sealed-pane windows probably have a higher insulation value than older ones, but we doubt that it is worthwhile replacing older ones that are still intact, unless you are already replacing other windows - when it may be cost-effective to replace all of them at one time.

We also all have ‘sliders’ – these are single panes of glass in frames, three of which in each window can be removed for cleaning, one is fixed. The problem with these is that over time the weather-stripping around each slider will deteriorate and will not be effective – you will get drafts.

The wheels can also fail and make it hard to actually slide the windows. It is possible to have the weather-stripping and wheels replaced but, apparently, the style of weather-stripping used in our original sliders is no longer available and some window companies recommend replacing the whole of the slider (both glass and frame). Both procedures are very simple and comparatively cheap things to do, also from inside your Unit. Owners who have done this report considerable savings in hydro costs. A couple of owners have replaced the single glass in the sliders with sealed panes, this probably increases the thermal efficiency but is more expensive.

Many owners at New Town of York have changed both sealed panes and sliders. The Corporation had the caulking between the frames and the external brickwork replaced a few years ago. The frames are described as "aluminum windows with steel reinforcement and vinyl stops' and, to date, nobody has tried to replace them. 

Clearly, until the Corporation replaces the frames and then takes over responsibility for the repair and replacement of both frames and glass, each owner will have to decide for themselves if they are going to replace 'compromised' glass in their Unit's windows and/or deal with repairing/replacing weather-stripping etc. Though each case will be different, it would seem appropriate for an owner to repair and replace Unit windows for several more years as the complete window (glass and frame) replacement by the Corporation is (under the 2023 Reserve Fund Study) scheduled for the mid-2030s. This date will be refined in subsequent Reserve Fund Studies based on further engineering inspections, currently planned for 2026 and 2029.

WINDOW SCREENS

The openable Unit windows (the 'sliders') all have (or had) removeable screens. Repair and replacement of these is an owner responsibility - and can be arranged with a reputable window company. Residents must remove screens prior to window-cleaning and many also remove them during winter.