Absent strata council members: regrets, quorum and replacements

Last reviewed November 5, 2026, against the current Strata Property Act, Strata Property Regulation and Standard Bylaws on BC Laws.

Recording absences in the minutes

The attendance section of every set of minutes should show who was present, how (in person or electronically), and who was absent. Two labels are common:

• Regrets: council members who let the others know in advance that they could not attend.
• Absent: council members who did not attend and gave no notice.

Owners attending as observers, the strata manager and invited guests are listed separately, since they are not part of quorum. The distinction between regrets and absences matters later: if the strata ever relies on the two-month rule below, the minutes are the evidence of how long a member has been "unwilling or unable to act."

Quorum when members are missing

Council can only make decisions when a quorum is present. Under Standard Bylaw 16, quorum depends on the size of the council:

Council members must be present to count, but a member attending a council meeting held electronically is deemed present in person (Standard Bylaw 17). Decisions are then made by a majority of the members present (Standard Bylaw 18). So on a six-member council where only two people show up, there is no quorum: the two can talk, but they cannot pass motions, and the minutes should say "no quorum; no decisions made." Our quorum guide covers general meetings as well.

The two-month rule

Standard Bylaw 12 deals with vacancies. In plain terms:

• If a council member resigns, or is unwilling or unable to act for a period of 2 or more months, the remaining council members may appoint a replacement for the remainder of the term.
• The replacement can be any person eligible to sit on council, usually an owner (section 28).
• Council may make the appointment even if the absence has left it without a quorum, which is the only decision council can make without one.
• If all council members resign or are unwilling or unable to act for 2 months or more, owners holding at least 25% of the votes may hold a special general meeting to elect a new council.

The bylaw does not define "unwilling or unable to act." A member who is travelling and has sent regrets for one meeting is not there. A member who has not attended, replied to messages or taken part in decisions for two months or more, or who has said they will no longer participate, plausibly is. Because the decision affects someone's seat, council should be able to point to the record: dated attendance, unanswered messages, and a final written request to confirm whether the member intends to continue.

Replacing an absent member, step by step

1. Check your bylaws. Confirm your strata still uses Standard Bylaw 12, or find the bylaw that replaced it.
2. Document the absence. Pull the attendance from at least two months of minutes and keep copies of messages sent.
3. Write to the member. Ask, in writing, whether they intend to continue on council, and give a reasonable date to reply. Many members simply resign at this point.
4. Decide at a council meeting. Pass a motion finding that the member has been unwilling or unable to act for two months or more and appointing the replacement, and record the vote.
5. Tell the owners. The minutes go out within two weeks under Standard Bylaw 19, and the list of council members must be updated (section 35).

When the absent member is an officer

Officers are elected by council from among its members at the first council meeting after each AGM (Standard Bylaw 13). If the president is absent or unable to act, the vice president has the president's powers and duties, and takes over for the rest of the term if the president stops holding office. If any other officer (secretary or treasurer) is unwilling or unable to act for 2 months or more, council may appoint a replacement officer from among its members for the rest of the term (Standard Bylaw 13(4)). One person may hold more than one office, except president and vice president together. See the duties of the president, treasurer and secretary.

Resignations

A resignation is simplest when it is in writing and dated, even by email. Record it in the next minutes ("Council received the resignation of P. Novak effective May 1, with thanks for her service"), update the council list, and decide whether to appoint a replacement under Standard Bylaw 12 or leave the seat empty until the AGM. Under Standard Bylaw 9 a council must have at least three and no more than seven members, so a council that drops below three should appoint promptly.

Removal by the owners

Owners can always remove one or more council members by a resolution passed by a majority vote at an annual or special general meeting, and must elect a replacement at the same meeting (Standard Bylaw 11). Owners holding 20% of the votes can demand a special general meeting for this purpose (section 43). Removal is the right tool when the problem is conduct rather than absence; our guide to removing a council member walks through it.

Writing an attendance bylaw

Some stratas adopt a bylaw saying that a council member who misses a set number of consecutive meetings without leave of council ceases to hold office. That is a bylaw amendment, so it needs a 3/4 vote at a general meeting and must be filed at the Land Title Office before it takes effect (section 128). Write it precisely: count consecutive meetings, say whether regrets count as absences, and say who decides. If you do not have such a bylaw, the two-month rule in Standard Bylaw 12 is the tool to use.

Questions councils and owners ask

What happens if a strata council member misses meetings?

Nothing automatic, unless your bylaws say so. If the member is unwilling or unable to act for two months or more, the remaining council members may appoint a replacement under Standard Bylaw 12. Owners can remove a council member by majority vote at a general meeting under Standard Bylaw 11.

Who is usually listed as regrets in strata meeting minutes?

Council members who told the others in advance that they could not attend. Members who did not attend and gave no notice are listed as absent. Observers and the strata manager are listed separately.

If only two council members show up, is the meeting illegal?

It depends on the size of the council. Under Standard Bylaw 16, a council of 2 to 4 members has a quorum of 2, but a council of 5 or 6 needs 3. Without quorum the members present cannot make decisions, and the minutes should say so.

Can a strata council run with only one or two members?

Standard Bylaw 9 requires at least three council members unless the strata has fewer than four lots or owners. If resignations or absences leave fewer, council should appoint replacements under Standard Bylaw 12, which it can do even without a quorum.

A council member resigned. Do we have to hold an SGM to replace them?

No. Under Standard Bylaw 12 the remaining council members may appoint a replacement for the rest of the term at a council meeting. Owners only need a special general meeting if every council member has resigned or stopped acting.

This page is general information for BC strata corporations, not legal advice. Your strata's own filed bylaws may differ from the Standard Bylaws. See the current text of the Strata Property Act and the Strata Property Regulation on BC Laws.

Related guides

Removing a Council Member
Quorum Rules
Council Roles
Who Can Attend Council Meetings
Strata President Duties
How to Take Strata Meeting Minutes