Communicating With Owners: A Strata Council Guide

Most strata disputes that end up at the Civil Resolution Tribunal have a communication problem somewhere in their history — a notice that went to the wrong address, a meeting package sent too late, or a decision the owners learned about second-hand. The Strata Property Act is prescriptive about how certain records must be delivered, and silent about most day-to-day communication. Knowing which is which is the core skill of a self-managed council.

The Act Controls Delivery, Not Tone

When the Act, the bylaws or the rules require the strata corporation to give a notice or record to a person, section 61 sets out the permitted methods. If the person has given the strata an address outside the strata plan, notice goes by leaving it with them or mailing it to that address. If they have not, the options include leaving it with the person or an adult occupant, putting it under the door of the strata lot, mailing it to the strata lot, using their mail slot or mailbox, faxing it to a fax number they provided, or emailing it to an email address the person provided for the purpose of receiving notices.

That last point matters. An email address you happen to have from a maintenance request is not automatically a notice address. Keep a deliberate register of which owners have provided an address, a fax number or an email address for notices — and which have not.

The Four-Day Rule Nobody Budgets For

Under section 61(3), a notice that is mailed, emailed, faxed, put under the door, put in a mailbox or left with an adult occupant is conclusively deemed to have been given four days later. Only notice handed directly to the person counts on the day it is delivered.

Combine that with section 45, which requires at least 2 weeks' written notice of an annual or special general meeting:

• Hand-delivered notice: count the two weeks from delivery.
• Emailed or mailed notice: add the four deemed-receipt days, so the package should go out roughly 18 days before the meeting.
• A winding-up resolution: section 45(1.1) requires at least 4 weeks' notice, and the right to that notice cannot be waived.

Section 45(3) also dictates content: a description of the matters to be voted on, including the proposed wording of any resolution requiring a 3/4 vote, 80% vote or unanimous vote, the date, time and place, and instructions for attending electronically if that is permitted. For an AGM, the budget and financial statement must be included. Our companion post on BC Strata AGM notice and quorum requirements walks through the package in detail.

Since November 24, 2022, all BC strata corporations may hold electronic or hybrid general meetings and accept electronic votes without passing a bylaw (Province of BC) — so include clear connection instructions rather than assuming owners know. See also electronic voting at BC strata meetings.

Who Else Is On Your Notice List

Section 45(1) requires notice to every owner, plus:

• Every mortgagee who has filed a Mortgagee's Request for Notification under section 60.
• Every tenant who has been assigned a landlord's right to vote, where the strata has received notice of the assignment. Under section 147, that assignment is not effective until the landlord gives the strata written notice naming the tenant, the powers and duties assigned, and the time period.

Questions Councils Actually Ask

Does an email to owners satisfy a notice requirement?
Only to owners who provided an email address for the purpose of receiving notices, and only counting four days for deemed receipt (s.61). For everyone else, use one of the other section 61 methods.

How much notice do council meetings need?
Under Standard Bylaw 14, any council member may call a council meeting on at least one week's notice to the other council members, specifying the reason — and the notice does not have to be in writing. Shorter notice is allowed if all members consent in advance, or for an emergency where members consent or are unavailable after reasonable attempts to reach them. The council must inform owners about a council meeting as soon as feasible after it has been called. If your strata has amended or replaced bylaw 14, your registered bylaws govern.

How do owners send notice to the strata?
Section 63 lets an owner leave it with a council member, mail it to the strata's most recent land title office address, fax or email it to the strata's number or address (or one a council member provided for that purpose), or use the strata's mail slot or mailbox. Everything but hand-delivery to a council member is deemed given four days later.

Are minutes and financials available on request?
Yes — under section 36 the strata must make section 35 records available and provide copies within 2 weeks, except a request for the bylaws or rules, which must be met within one week. A copying fee capped by the Regulation may be charged.

Collections Notices Are Not Ordinary Correspondence

Before suing, beginning arbitration, or a CRT initiating notice to collect money, section 112 requires at least 2 weeks' written notice demanding payment and indicating action may be taken. The same 2-week demand applies before registering a Certificate of Lien under section 116 — and note that a lien is not available for a fine or the costs of remedying a contravention.

Practical Habits That Prevent Disputes

• Maintain a notice register: address, email or fax, and whether it was provided for notices.
• Work backwards from the meeting date and log the send date and method for every package.
• Publish council meeting dates as soon as meetings are called, per your bylaws.
• Keep general communication (newsletters, reminders) separate from statutory notices, so the record of formal delivery stays clean.

Councils tracking notice deadlines, owner contact records and meeting packages in one place will find tools like ManageStrata reduce the manual counting. For making sense of a stack of minutes, bylaws and disclosure documents, SearchStrata offers AI analysis of strata documents. And if your council is weighing outside help, see how to choose a strata management company in BC.

This article is general information about BC strata law, not legal advice; verify against the current Strata Property Act and Regulation or consult a BC strata lawyer.