Purpose
This Code of Ethics is intended to encourage and support effective, professional and mutually beneficial relationships among rental housing providers and renters, and to promote positive relations among CFAA members, (CFAA) tradespeople, the public and governments.
For the purpose of this Code of Ethics, a “member” of CFAA means a(n):
- apartment association member (acting through its board, committees, staff and volunteers) when relating to CFAA or to other CFAA member associations,
- direct landlord member of CFAA,
- member of the CFAA Suppliers Council, and
- employee, officer, contractor or volunteer working for CFAA.
The rules that apply to members of CFAA also apply to CFAA itself.
1. Members will conduct their business honestly and responsibly, so as to bring credit to themselves, to CFAA and to their industry.
2. Members will understand and comply with all other applicable laws, as well as the Articles and Bylaws of CFAA.
3. Whenever practical, members will enter into written contracts and agreements, or confirm their agreements in writing, and members shall honour the terms of their agreements.
4. Members will carry out their duties and responsibilities and act in a manner that will enhance the reputation of their industry, their association, CFAA and fellow members.
5. Members will not be party to any activity that discriminates against a person or persons on the basis of race, color, creed, gender, age, sexual orientation, family status, national origin, religion, source of income or political beliefs, and will comply with all the applicable human rights laws.
6. Members will not disclose to a third party confidential information regarding the personal or business affairs of their clients or of another member without that client’s or member’s consent, unless required to do so by law.
Members will not disclose confidential information about CFAA unless authorized to do so, or required to do so by law. Members will protect any confidential information in their possession against theft, loss, unauthorized disclosure, access, destruction or other misuse.
7. As part of the obligation to act honestly, members will deal properly with conflicts of interest.
For example, when acting as agents or employees, members will disclose to their principals any rebates or benefits which the members receive in relation to the business of the principal. This does not apply to mere token gifts, such as a book, bottle of wine or restaurant certificate given as a thank you for speaking at an event.
8. As part of the obligation to act honestly, members will recognize when an opportunity to advance their business interests has come to them in their capacity of acting for another person – a “principal” —(rather than in the member’s personal capacity), and the member will inform the principal of the opportunity, and allow the principal a reasonable chance to act on the opportunity.
This situation is often referred to as a “corporate opportunity”, but it can apply to an opportunity which is the opportunity of a sole proprietorship, partnership or joint venture, an association or CFAA, as well as a business corporation.
9. In complying with the law, members will recognize that the application of the law to a given fact situation may be open to more than one interpretation.
Therefore, a member will not necessarily obey each and every public official, particularly if the member has received information from a credible source that the law is actually different from what the official says it is. Different sources of the law may conflict and may require the member to obtain proper advice about what action the member may lawfully take.
10. Members will avoid acting in conflict with the law and conflict with this Code of Ethics.
Members will not ask others to act in conflict with the law or in conflict with this Code of Ethics.
11. Members will continually seek to improve their services, and individual members will continually improve their professional and managerial skills, through education, training and information exchange.
12. Members will respond promptly and fairly to all legitimate complaints made against them.
13. Members will manage and maintain their properties so as to provide safe, secure and healthy residences for their tenants.
14. Members will respond promptly and fairly to all legitimate complaints raised by their tenants.
15. Members will enter into written and signed residential tenancy agreements with their tenants whenever practicable or if required by law, and will conduct and record incoming and outgoing inspections of rental accommodations with their tenants whenever practicable.
16. Members will strive to establish and maintain relationships with their tenants which are based on mutual respect, as well as recognition and acceptance of the rights and responsibilities of both tenants and landlords.
17. Except as provided in paragraph 18 or as provided in their contracts, property managers will follow the instructions of the property owners for whom they manage each property.
18. Property owners will not instruct property managers to act in a manner in conflict with the law or in conflict with this Code of Ethics.
If a manager receives such instructions, the manager will explain the conflict to the owner and seek to resolve the conflict.
19. Members will not ask employees, suppliers or others to act in a manner contrary to the law or contrary to this Code of Ethics.
20. If a member is approached by a member of the news media for a comment on behalf of CFAA, the member will refer the inquiry to the person designated by CFAA, or if the proper person is not known to the member, then to CFAA’s President or Chair.
21. If a member is representing CFAA at a public or private consultation, the member will strive to express the views of CFAA, rather than their personal views.
The member shall also report on the consultation fully even when their personal interest would be better advanced by non-disclosure to CFAA.
22. Unless authorized by CFAA, members shall not use communication materials containing CFAA’s name, logo or trademark for their own communications.
23. CFAA shall receive a complaint which alleges that a member has violated this Code of Ethics, or that the member has violated CFAA’s Constitution and Bylaws.
24. CFAA will promptly investigate complaints received to determine whether the member has violated the Code of Ethics or CFAA’s Constitution and Bylaws.
In so doing CFAA will afford the person against whom the complaint is made an opportunity to answer the allegation(s) as early as practicable.
25. Members or others who violate the Code of Ethics or CFAA’s Constitution and Bylaws may be reprimanded, suspended or expelled from CFAA by resolution of the CFAA Board of Directors.
No such disciplinary action will be taken until a complete investigation has been conducted by CFAA and the member or other person has been given the opportunity to be heard by the Board and, where appropriate, to correct the violation, but has failed to do so.
26. Notwithstanding paragraph 25, CFAA may suspend a member temporarily before hearing from the member, and without prejudice, pending the conclusion of CFAA’s investigation.
27. This Code of Ethics sets out key principles of business conduct that members are required to follow, and cannot address every situation a member may encounter.
If a member encounters a situation for which this Code of Ethics does not provide specific guidance, the following questions may help him or her make the right decision:
- Is the proposed conduct fair? (If not, it may well not be ethical.)
- Is the proposed conduct contrary to the law, or close to being contrary to the law? (If so, then the conduct may well be unethical.)
- How would the proposed conduct be perceived by a colleague, another association, a client, a residential tenant, or a regulator?
- How would the proposed conduct be perceived if it were made public?
- Are my actions consistent with the overall values described in this Code of Ethics?
CFAA EQUITY, DIVERSITY & INCLUSION POLICY
GOALS for CFAA and the CFAA EDI Committee.
- To assist the rental housing industry to address the key issues in improving equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in all aspects of rental housing operations.
- To position CFAA and the rental housing industry as trusted stakeholders in relation to the federal government and CMHC, with respect to all federal equity, diversity and inclusion issues, and the effects of EDI policies on housing outcomes.
- To facilitate information exchange among Canada’s apartment associations, and rental housing providers and suppliers, to promote equity, diversity and inclusion, while preserving the ability of the rental housing industry to operate rental housing effectively and equitably, for everyone’s benefit.