A condo board of directors is a group of unit owners elected to govern the condominium corporation on behalf of all owners. The board manages the corporation's finances, oversees building maintenance, enforces rules, and ensures the corporation complies with the Condominium Act, 1998 and its own governing documents.
Boards must have at least three directors, though many Toronto high-rise buildings have five or seven. The board's size can be set in the corporation's by-laws but should be set at an odd number to avoid voting stalemates. Every registered condominium corporation must have a condo board, and its members are elected by unit owners at an annual general meeting. Directors can serve on a board for three years by default, though corporations can enact by-laws to change this timeline.
The board oversees financial management, approves budgets, ensures the building is properly maintained, enforces rules, and ensures the corporation complies with Ontario legislation and its governing documents. Board members also supervise the condominium management company and make decisions that guide the long-term direction of the community. In practical terms, this means the board is responsible for setting maintenance fee levels, commissioning reserve fund studies, hiring and evaluating the property manager, arranging building insurance, and approving major repairs or contracts.
Condo board members serve as volunteers and do not receive compensation. Unit owners elect directors to represent the interests of the community, and the role is typically considered a form of volunteer leadership. Directors must be 18 years old, not be bankrupt, not have been subject to prior litigation finding them incapable of serving, and must comply with required disclosures. There is no requirement in the Act that a member of the board be a unit owner, although many corporation by-laws add that restriction.
The Condo Act says that directors act honestly and in good faith while exercising care and diligence in carrying out their duties that any prudent person would. This standard of care is a legal obligation, not simply a guideline. Every person elected, re-elected, or appointed to an Ontario condo board after November 1, 2017, must complete the Condominium Authority of Ontario's mandatory director training within six months of taking their seat. If the director does not complete training within the six-month timeframe, the individual will immediately cease to be a director.
Condominium corporations in Ontario are legal entities governed collectively by a board of directors, not by individual members acting alone. Directors have no individual authority to make decisions or approve requests outside of properly constituted board meetings with quorum. Boards must establish a quorum for a board meeting to proceed. Quorum is achieved by more than 50 per cent of directors being present. No meeting or votes can take place without a quorum.
For condo buyers, understanding how a board operates helps explain who controls the building's budget, what authority sits behind the rules you will live under, and why reviewing a corporation's governance history matters before purchasing. The board's decisions directly affect your maintenance fees, your building's physical condition, and the enforceability of the rules that shape daily life in the building.
Related reading: What Is the Difference Between Condo By-Laws and Condo Rules in Ontario?, Can Your Condo Corporation Restrict You from Renting Out Your Unit in Ontario?, and What Are Common Elements in a Toronto Condo?.