Why Are Condo Energy and Utility Costs Rising in Ontario and Who Pays?

How higher energy costs reach you, whether through your monthly condo fees or in some other way, depends on how your building is set up and what its documents say. Bulk metering, sub-metering and individual metering all exist in condos, and your building's documents and budget show how costs are split. A lawyer can confirm how yours works.

Condo fees, also called common expenses, pay for maintaining the common elements, cleaning, building maintenance, condo management and reserve fund contributions. The declaration sets each unit's share as a percentage, which may vary with unit size. For example, a 5% share of a $1,000 monthly budget is $50. So if the corporation's costs go up, your share of the increase follows the same percentage.

A board can levy a special assessment through common expense fees without owner approval, although the governing documents may have provisions about special assessments. Each owner's share uses the same percentage as their common expense fees. An unpaid special assessment gives the corporation a lien on the unit. Fees vary from building to building, so compare your own budget rather than averages.