Could A Florida Condo Collapse Happen In Ontario?

Following the horrific collapse of the 12-storey Champlain Towers South condominium in Surfside, Florida, people have been speculating whether such a disaster could happen in Canada.

While we don't know exactly what caused the collapse, we know the following: in 2018, the board of directors received an engineering report finding “major structural damage” to the building, which would require timely and expensive repairs. The report did not warn of imminent collapse, but stated that the repairs would be directed at “maintaining the structural integrity” of the building. At the time of the collapse, these repairs had not yet been completed.

How would this scenario unfold in Ontario? Leaving aside the construction process itself, there are vast differences between Ontario and Florida condominium laws that would have given the Champlain Towers significant added protections following registration.