Condo status certificate: capped price and deadlines, province by province

The document, its price cap and its deadline — by province

Province	Document name	Price cap	Legal deadline
British Columbia	Form B (Information Certificate)	$35 + $0.25/page for copies	7 days
Ontario	Status certificate	$100, taxes and documents included	10 days
Alberta	Estoppel certificate	$200 (+ max $100 if required in ≤ 3 days)	10 days
Quebec	Syndicate attestation on the state of the co-ownership (Bill 16)	No regulated cap	15 days
Manitoba	Status certificate	"Reasonable fees" — no dollar cap	Per the Act
Saskatchewan, NS, NB	Estoppel certificate	No cap found in the regulations	Per provincial law

Caps and deadlines verified at source on 2026-08-12: Ontario (Condominium Act, 1998 — $100 all-in cap, Condominium Authority of Ontario), Alberta (Condominium Property Regulation), BC (Strata Property Act and its regulation — Form B), Quebec (Bill 16 measures, quebec.ca), Manitoba (Condominium Act, "reasonable fees"). Unregulated rush fees — the "rush" some Ontario managers bill, for example — are added OUTSIDE the cap: get the breakdown in writing.

What this document reveals — and why you never sign without it

Under its four names, it is the co-ownership's financial and legal X-ray: the state of the reserve fund, the seller's arrears in common charges — which follow the unit, not the person —, special assessments passed or contemplated, lawsuits against the corporation, the budget, financial statements, declaration and rules. An anaemic reserve fund with an end-of-life roof means a special assessment is waiting for you — the certificate is the only document that tells you BEFORE you sign.

In Quebec, Bill 16 added a piece: the syndicate's attestation on the state of the co-ownership must state the reserve-fund balance and what the fund study recommends, three years of common charges, major repairs planned over ten years and pending litigation. A prospective buyer can also request information from the syndicate directly — two distinct mechanisms that do not substitute for each other.

Three provinces cap the price; the others do not

The contrast is sharp — and almost never documented in one place. BC has the country's lowest cap: $35 plus $0.25 per page for Form B and its attachments. Ontario caps at $100 all-in — taxes and documents included — since the 1998 Act. Alberta allows up to $200, plus at most $100 if you require it within three days. Elsewhere, nothing: in Quebec and Manitoba, the law imposes the document and the deadline but not the price — managers charge what the market bears, and the bill can exceed the neighbouring provinces' caps.

The real trap is the unregulated "rush": in Ontario, the $100 certificate delivered in 10 days routinely becomes a several-hundred-dollar "48-hour rush" package — perfectly legal, since the cap only covers the standard timeline. If your offer is conditional on reviewing the certificate, calibrate the condition period on the LEGAL delivery deadline, not on the manager's verbal promise. The full cost of a purchase, certificate included, is quantified in our closing costs by province.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a condo status certificate cost?

Before buying a condo, one document from the corporation tells you whether the building is healthy: the status certificate in Ontario — capped by law at $100 including taxes, delivered in 10 days —, the estoppel certificate in Alberta — capped at $200, plus at most $100 for 3-day delivery —, Form B in British Columbia — capped at $35 plus $0.25 per page, delivered in 7 days — and, in Quebec, the syndicate's attestation on the state of the co-ownership, due within 15 days but with NO regulated price cap. Only three provinces cap the price. This document reveals the reserve fund, arrears, lawsuits and upcoming special assessments: never sign without a review condition for your lawyer or notary.

Who pays for the certificate: the buyer or the seller?

It is negotiated in the offer. In Ontario, the buyer usually orders and pays ($100); in Alberta and Nova Scotia, custom has the seller provide the estoppel at their expense; in Quebec, the attestation is requested by the selling co-owner, and the prospective buyer can request their own information from the syndicate. One line in the offer settles the question — write it.

What must the syndicate attestation contain in Quebec?

Since Bill 16: the reserve-fund balance and the amount the fund study recommends, common charges demanded and paid over three years, available liquidity, surpluses or deficits of the last three fiscal years, major repairs planned over ten years with estimated dates and costs, pending litigation and amendments to the declaration over three years. The syndicate has 15 days to deliver it.

Does the certificate guarantee there will be no special assessment?

No — it freezes a snapshot at its issue date and binds the corporation on the facts it states (that is the meaning of "estoppel": the corporation can no longer claim otherwise). An assessment passed AFTER issuance remains possible. That is why the reading matters more than the paper: a starved reserve fund and a loaded repair schedule announce the assessment the certificate does not yet name — have your lawyer or notary read it before you waive the condition.

How long does the corporation have to deliver the document?

British Columbia: 7 days (Form B). Ontario and Alberta: 10 days. Quebec: 15 days for the attestation. These deadlines are set by law — a manager promising "a few weeks" is already out of time. Set the review condition in your offer accordingly.

Sources

A condo purchase to verify?

Payotte names a single verified lawyer or notary per sector — selected on public data, never on payment. They are the one who must read the certificate before you waive your condition.

Find a verified lawyer or notary

Buying a condo: the certificate that protects you, and its price — province by province