Heat Pumps and Air Conditioners in BC Stratas: Getting Approval

Heat pumps and air conditioners are now one of the most common alteration requests BC strata councils see. The questions are almost always the same: who approves it, does it go to a vote, and can council say no? The answers turn on two things — what the strata plan shows, and what the strata's own registered bylaws say.

Start with what is actually being altered

An owner's property ends at the strata lot boundary shown on the strata plan. Under the Strata Property Act, that boundary sits midway through the structural portion of the wall, floor or ceiling unless the plan says otherwise (s. 68). A ductless mini-split almost always crosses that line:

• the outdoor condenser usually sits on a balcony, patio, roof or exterior wall — common property or limited common property;
• the line set is drilled through the building envelope;
• the electrical supply may draw on common property wiring or a shared service;
• a window or wall-mounted AC affects a door, window or the exterior of a building.

Limited common property is still common property. Exclusive use of a balcony is not ownership of it, so "it's my balcony" does not remove the approval requirement.

The approval is written — it is not an owners' vote

Under the Schedule of Standard Bylaws, an owner must obtain the written approval of the strata corporation before altering common property, limited common property or common assets (Standard Bylaw 6(1)), and before altering a strata lot in the listed ways — the structure or exterior of a building; chimneys, stairs, balconies or other things attached to the exterior; exterior or common-property-facing doors, windows and skylights; fences or railings enclosing a patio, balcony or yard; common property inside the strata lot; and the parts of the strata lot the corporation must insure under s. 149 (Standard Bylaw 5(1)).

In practice that written approval comes from council exercising the corporation's powers. A simple majority vote of owners is never the threshold for an alteration request, and most heat pump requests never go to a general meeting at all. Note also that Standard Bylaw 5(2) says approval "must not be unreasonably withheld" for strata lot alterations — Standard Bylaw 6 contains no equivalent wording for common property. Many stratas have replaced or supplemented these bylaws, so read your own registered bylaws before relying on the Standard version; our guide to strata bylaws vs rules explains which document governs what.

When owners do vote

A 3/4 vote at a general meeting is required in addition to written approval only where the work is a significant change in the use or appearance of common property or land that is a common asset (s. 71). Visible condensers on a uniform building face, or a first installation that sets the pattern for the whole elevation, is the classic example. Two carve-outs matter: a change related to installing EV charging infrastructure or managing its electricity needs only a majority vote, and no vote is needed where there are reasonable grounds to believe an immediate change is necessary to ensure safety or prevent significant loss or damage.

A "3/4 vote" means at least 3/4 of the votes cast by eligible voters present in person or by proxy, excluding abstentions (s. 1) — not 3/4 of all owners. Record the resolution as worded; see how to prepare AGM minutes in BC.

Questions councils get asked

Do I need approval for a portable AC unit? It depends on the installation. A free-standing unit that vents through an open window may not alter anything, but cutting or fitting a panel into an exterior or common-property-facing window engages Standard Bylaw 5. Separately, bylaws on noise, nuisance and the appearance of balconies and windows may still apply. Rules made under section 125 (Part 4) govern the use, safety and condition of common property and common assets, so a restriction aimed at what sits inside a strata lot generally belongs in a bylaw, not a rule.

Can council attach conditions? Yes. Standard Bylaws 5(2) and 6(2) authorise requiring the owner to agree in writing to take responsibility for the expenses relating to the alteration — commonly future maintenance, repair and replacement, and costs the strata incurs because of it. That is an assumption-of-responsibility agreement, not a blanket liability waiver, and it does not transfer the corporation's statutory repair, maintenance or insurance obligations.

What if council refuses? There is no right to appeal a council decision at a general meeting. An owner or tenant may request a hearing at a council meeting by written application stating the reason; council must hold it within 4 weeks and, where a decision is sought, give a written decision within one week (s. 34.1). Beyond that the routes are the Civil Resolution Tribunal or the courts, including a significantly unfair claim under s. 164 (Part 10).

Building a policy before the requests pile up

Many stratas adopt a heat pump bylaw setting locations, equipment standards, noise limits, contractor insurance and electrical review. Bylaw amendments need a 3/4 vote and have no effect until filed in the Land Title Office (s. 128); owners and tenants must be informed as soon as feasible after approval. Electrical capacity is the usual constraint — the electrical planning report required of stratas with 5 or more lots (by December 31, 2026 in Metro Vancouver, the Fraser Valley and the Capital Regional District, or December 31, 2028 elsewhere) often surfaces the same answers. There is a specific statutory request process for EV charging alterations (s. 90.1); there is no equivalent for heat pumps.

Past approvals are the real decider in disputes, so searching your minutes matters — tools like SearchStrata use AI to analyse strata documents and surface earlier decisions. And whether you self-manage or work with a manager, ManageStrata exists on the premise that the management company can change but the strata's knowledge shouldn't: the alteration files, minutes and votes belong to the corporation.

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.