House Rules are different from Bylaws in that they can be implemented and changed by the Board of Directors without the need for unit owner approval – which means that they can be changed more easily. Bylaws will very often set forth restrictions on the use of units in the condo.
A inium corporation is created when a developer registers a inium plan with Alberta's Land Titles Office.
Inium Laws in Ontario: In Ontario, iniums are governed by the inium Act, 1998. This act, however, does not specifically authorize condo corporations to fine unit owners for bylaw or rule violations.
Declaration of Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions, or “CC&Rs” The Declaration of Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions, or “CC&Rs”, is the primary and most important governing document for a inium or planned development, and is required for all iniums and planned developments.
For example, condo owners have access to common areas, can vote on matters and can sue developers or condo corporations for breaches. inium ownership also means there are certain responsibilities, such as paying their condo fees on time and following the inium bylaws and rules.
Owners can request a copy of their corporation by-laws from their condo corporation. To learn more about requesting records from a condo corporation, check out our page on requesting records and part 4 of the CAO's Best Practices Guide: Governance to learn more about by-laws.
More important, most inium documents were written by developer lawyers for the primary benefit of the developer. As a board member, you have a responsibility to ensure that owners can live with your condo documents. The declaration and bylaws of your association are your constitution.