ElectionChamp
Short answer: Ontario condo owners must use the proxy form published by the Condominium Authority of Ontario (CAO). Fill in the corporation, unit, and meeting date, then tick one of three boxes: quorum only, routine procedure only, or all matters. Add voting instructions if you want them, name a proxy and a backup, then sign, date, and deliver it the way your condo corporation asks.
Most rejected proxies fail on small details. This guide walks through the official form section by section so yours counts.
Where to Get the Official CAO Proxy Form
The CAO’s guide to owners’ meetings states that “to appoint a proxy, the owner must use the proxy form on the CAO’s website.” Skip homemade forms and old copies from a past AGM. The CAO proxy forms page offers three versions:
- Smart proxy form: asks questions based on your Notice of Meeting, then produces a completed PDF to print and sign. The CAO launched it as a pilot in July 2025.
- Fillable proxy form: opens in the browser and expands as you tick sections.
- Non-fillable PDF: for printing blank.
The same page has filled-in samples for each case, including quorum only, election of directors, and removal of directors. Open the one that matches your situation.
How to Fill Out the Ontario Condo Proxy Form, Step by Step
The CAO recommends completing the form electronically, because some fields only appear once you tick a section. Have your Notice of Meeting open so you know the agenda and the board candidates.
Step 1: Who Is Signing
At least one owner, or a person legally authorized to act for them, completes and signs the form. Tick whether you are the owner, a mortgagee, or acting for one (for example, under a power of attorney).
Step 2: Date and Time Completed
The CAO sample forms explain that if an owner appoints more than one proxy, the most recently completed form controls. This field is how the corporation tells them apart.
Step 3: Corporation, Unit, and Meeting
Write the corporation’s full legal name, the registered owner names, the full unit address, and the meeting date. Leave the boxes reserved for the corporation blank.
Step 4: Choose the Kind of Proxy
Page two has three boxes. Tick exactly one. The table below explains each.
Step 5: Voting Instructions (Optional)
With the third box, you can give instructions in up to four sections: electing directors, electing directors to owner-occupied positions, specific matters, and removing directors. Leave a section blank to let your proxy decide. For director elections, number the candidates you support #1, #2, #3. On a pre-filled form, cross out any candidate you do not support.
Step 6: Name a Proxy, Sign, and Deliver
Row A is your proxyholder. Row B is an optional substitute if the first person cannot attend. Print the form, sign or initial every section with a signature box, and deliver it as your condo corporation instructs.
Quorum Only vs Voting: The Three Boxes Explained
The box you tick sets the limit of your proxy’s authority. Under section 52(1.2) of the Condominium Act, 1998, a vote cast by proxy is subject to the instrument appointing the proxy, so the form sets what your proxy can do.
| Box | Counts toward quorum | What the proxy can vote on | Use it when |
|---|---|---|---|
| First box | Yes | Nothing | You only want to help the meeting reach quorum |
| Second box | Yes | Routine procedure only, such as motions to adjourn or move discussion | You want the meeting to run but will not delegate decisions |
| Third box | Yes | Any matter, with or without your instructions, including director elections, removing directors, and by-laws and rules | You want your vote cast on the agenda items |
The CAO’s guide notes quorum is owners of 25% of the units, and section 50(1.1) of the Act reduces it to 15% on later attempts for certain meetings. A first-box proxy helps a struggling AGM reach that line without your vote.
Who Can Be a Proxyholder in Ontario
The CAO says owners “can appoint anyone to act on their behalf.” Section 52(3) of the Act states that a proxy need not be an owner, so a relative, neighbor, or lawyer can hold your proxy. Your proxyholder has to attend the meeting to act for you.
- One vote per unit. The CAO’s voting rights page explains that one proxy counts as one vote for all owners of a unit.
- Managers stay neutral. The CMRAO describes the condo manager’s role with proxies as a neutral administrator. A June 2026 CCI Toronto article notes that section 53 of the Condominium Management Services Act, 2015 bars managers from soliciting proxies.
Ontario Condo Proxy Deadlines and Delivery
We found no province-wide deadline for handing in proxies. The CAO tells owners to deliver the form “according to their condo’s requirements.” Your by-laws and the Notice of Meeting set the cutoff, so check both.
For electronic and hybrid meetings, the CAO’s guide to virtual owners’ meetings suggests a by-law requiring proxies at least 7 days before the meeting, after the Notice of Meeting goes out. It warns that validating proxies during a virtual meeting is hard. Boards should print the deadline and delivery method on the notice.
After the meeting, proxies and ballots become corporation records under section 55(1) of the Act. The same CCI article cites O. Reg. 48/01, s. 13.2, as requiring them to be kept for at least 90 days, longer if litigation is threatened.
Common Reasons Proxies Are Rejected
Section 52(4) requires a proxy to be in writing under the hand of the appointer or their attorney. The issues below come from the CAO’s guidance and the CCI Toronto article on requisition proxies (June 2026).
| Mistake | Why it causes trouble | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Using an old or homemade form | The CAO says owners must use the form on its website | Download the current form from the CAO |
| No box ticked, or more than one | The proxy’s authority is unclear | Tick exactly one of the three boxes |
| Signature does not match the record of owners | The CAO requires the name to match the corporation’s record | Sign as the registered owner appears |
| Proxyholder not clearly named | No identifiable person to register | Print the full name in Row A, and add Row B |
| Acting for someone without proof | An attorney or mortgagee needs documents showing authority | Attach the power of attorney or proof |
| Owner 30 or more days in arrears | The CAO says those owners cannot vote until they pay | Bring common expenses current before the meeting |
| Delivered after the cutoff | The corporation may not accept it | Check the notice and deliver early |
Corporate owners should also include either the corporate seal or a statement that the signer has authority to bind the corporation. If a dispute still arises, our guide to condo association election rules and compliance covers the wider process.
How Proxies Work With Electronic Voting
Section 52(1.1) of the Act, as summarized by the CAO, allows a show of hands or a recorded vote to happen in person, by telephone, virtually, or any combination. The CAO lists online voting providers among those methods. Mail-in ballots need a by-law, and corporations with an existing voting by-law must keep following it.
The CAO guide says owners “do have the right to use proxies,” so an electronic meeting still needs a proxy plan:
- Set a proxy deadline so registration is done before voting opens.
- For each valid proxy, make sure the proxyholder can cast that unit’s vote, and record which units voted by proxy.
- Keep the proxies, results, and voting log together as corporation records.
With condo online voting in ElectionChamp, each unit gets a single-use 16-character voter key, so a unit cannot vote twice. Spare keys and printed keys can cover proxyholders and in-room voters, and the audit trail logs every administrative action. How proxy votes fit into an electronic ballot depends on your by-laws, so confirm the approach with your declaration, by-laws, and counsel. For the broader proxy picture, see our proxy voting guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the CAO proxy form mandatory in Ontario?
Yes. The Condominium Authority of Ontario states that owners must use the proxy form on its website to appoint a proxy. Download the current version from the CAO rather than reusing an old form.
Does a condo proxy have to be an owner in Ontario?
No. Section 52(3) of the Condominium Act, 1998 says a proxy need not be an owner. The CAO says owners can appoint anyone, and the proxyholder has to attend the meeting to act for you.
What is the difference between a quorum-only proxy and a voting proxy?
A quorum-only proxy (first box) counts toward quorum but cannot vote. The second box adds votes on routine procedure. The third box lets the proxy vote on any matter, with or without your instructions.
What happens if I submit two proxy forms?
The CAO sample forms explain that the most recently completed form controls. That is why the form asks for the date and time you completed it.
Planning your next vote? Read about condo online voting and audit trail, or see pricing: free up to 20 voters, US$10 up to 200, then US$0.05 per voter.
