Category: News

It’s a somewhat common practice for strata councils to adopt a policy that requires three quotes for every project—big or small. On the surface, it sounds like good governance: more quotes mean better comparisons and could potentially lower your overall costs. But in practice, this kind of very rigid policy can create significant inefficiencies, strain vendor relationships, and even lead to worse outcomes for the strata.

Here are just a few of the reasons why we know this to be true:

continue reading →

As Strata Councils are aware, there has always been a healthy (and sometimes not-so-healthy) amount of correspondence from Owners who disagree with a Council decision. These communications often relate to bylaw enforcement, common property maintenance, or other matters where the Council is required to make decisions on behalf of all Owners. Needless to say, Owners often disagree with the decisions of their elected Council in the same way citizens disagree with decisions made by higher levels of government. 

Over the years, we’ve seen a wide range of approaches to those objections—from brief and respectful notes requesting clarification, to lengthier and more strongly worded appeals. What’s new, and increasingly common, are multi-page letters or emails citing legal cases, quoting legislation, and making seemingly persuasive arguments that, upon closer inspection, don’t hold up to scrutiny. 

continue reading →

As election season is in full swing, strata corporations in British Columbia must be aware of their responsibilities to ensure that residents can fully participate in the democratic process. Whether it’s a provincial, federal, or municipal election, legal obligations must be met to facilitate canvassing and the display of election signage. Below, we outline these responsibilities and reference the relevant sections of the applicable legislation.  As always, we are not a substitute for legal advice- but the legislation provisions are fairly clear and must be followed even if you may prefer not to have canvassers within your property, or election-related signage displayed on it.

continue reading →

Understanding Earthquake Deductibles in Strata Corporations

British Columbia is located in a seismically active region, making earthquake insurance a crucial consideration for strata corporations and individual homeowners alike. One of the most significant aspects of earthquake insurance is the deductible, which can be substantial. Understanding how these deductibles work and what obligations a strata corporation has in the event of a major seismic event is essential for strata councils and owners.

continue reading →

“May you live in interesting times”.

We certainly never thought to be writing and sharing articles about a trade war with our American neighbours, and yet here we are. America is threatening to implement a new tariff regime which would upend decades of free trade between Canada, the USA and Mexico.  The far-reaching impacts of new tariffs are difficult to predict with precision, but will almost certainly create inflationary pressures especially if (as expected) the Canadian governments follow suit and implement counter-tariffs on American goods and products being sent in to Canada.

continue reading →

Regular Review of Move Fees – A Recent Case Regarding Furnished Move Fees 

Under the Strata Property Act (SPA), section 6.9 of the Strata Property Regulation specifically permits strata corporations to impose user fees for common property, common assets, or other services provided. However, such fees must be “reasonable” and tied to the actual costs incurred by the strata. User fees, including move-in and move-out fees, play an essential role in helping strata corporations recover costs associated with specific services. 

Strata Corporations often implement move-in and move-out fees to help cover the costs associated with wear and tear on common property, as well as administrative oversight during the moving process. However, a recent decision by the BC Civil Resolution Tribunal (CRT) serves as a timely reminder of the importance of regularly reviewing these fees (and other user fees) to ensure they align with current legal standards and practices. 

continue reading →

Managing Employees in Strata Corporations: The Expanding Role of Strata Managers

As we wrote about in Part 1 of this series, the role of a strata manager has never been more complex. The role of strata managers in British Columbia has significantly evolved, especially as employment laws and workplace regulations have become increasingly stringent. Traditionally, strata managers focused on property maintenance, finances and resolving resident concerns. However, today’s regulatory landscape has transformed their responsibilities, requiring them to navigate complex human resources (HR) tasks, ensure compliance with legal requirements, and manage the growing expectations of Strata Councils, which are often composed of laypersons with limited HR expertise.

continue reading →

The Increasing Complexity of Strata Management: Navigating Climate Change Regulations

This will be the first of several blog posts on the evolving landscape of strata management in British Columbia. As the industry changes, strata corporations and management companies face new challenges that are driving up costs and reshaping the way we do business. Whether it’s the increasing complexity of the job relating to evolving regulatory frameworks, a shortage of skilled professionals, or the growing number of strata corporations, these factors are making it necessary for us—and others in the industry—to be more knowledgeable, experienced, and professional with our service offerings. This places a necessary upward pressure on pricing, which we’ve written about in the past. Strata councils themselves, often made up of volunteers, are also feeling the strain as they are asked to take on more responsibilities in this increasingly complex environment.

In this post, we’ll focus on one of the leading factors contributing to these changes: climate change-related regulatory compliance.

continue reading →

The Provincial Government has announced Order in Council 204-2024, which was deposited today (April 22, 2024).

continue reading →

We have written in the past about Court judgements reiterating the necessity for Employers to ensure their workplaces are free of harassment and bullying.  There is no question that all workplaces must be entirely free of such behaviour.  As an Employer, Stratawest has always taken our obligation to prevent abusive behaviour toward our staff very seriously and that includes those staff we work with at properties we manage. We have a zero tolerance policy for it when it occurs.  Our field is relatively challenging in this regard- as noted in our previous post on the subject we recognize that emotions will be charged when dealing with people’s homes which are almost always also their primary investment.  We try hard to be respectful of individuals who are often coming to us with a challenging issue on what may be one of their worst days, i.e. experiencing a catastrophic loss in their home.  We also try hard to ensure that appropriate limits are placed on the tone of communication directed toward us.  Unfortunately, this sometimes means taking steps such as outright prohibiting individuals from calling and/or visiting our office and demanding that all communication be in writing.We take whatever action is required to correct the situation and protect our workplace environment and we encourage all employers to do the same.

continue reading →