Business arising from the minutes: what it means and how to use it
It sits on nearly every council agenda and half the room is unsure what belongs under it. Used properly, it is the item that stops decisions from being forgotten.
Last reviewed November 10, 2026, against the current Strata Property Act, Strata Property Regulation and Standard Bylaws on BC Laws.
The short answer
Business arising from the minutes is the agenda item where council follows up on matters from the previous meeting's minutes: action items, tabled motions and anything left unfinished. It comes right after the previous minutes are approved. It is not a place to reopen decisions already made or to raise new topics. In the Standard Bylaws' order of business for general meetings, the equivalent item is "deal with unfinished business".
What the term means
"Arising from the minutes" means arising out of the last meeting's record. When council approves the previous minutes, the chair asks whether there is any business arising from them. The question is: of the things we decided or deferred last time, what needs a report or a decision today?
Typical items:
- Action items. "The treasurer was to obtain a second quotation for the gate. Report."
- Tabled motions. A motion postponed to this meeting comes back here.
- Pending matters. A contractor's start date, an insurance renewal, a reply awaited from an owner.
- Follow-up on owner correspondence dealt with at the last meeting.
What does not belong there
- Corrections to the minutes. Those are made before the minutes are approved, under the approval item. See approving minutes.
- Reopening a decision. A decision made stands until council properly reconsiders it by a new motion, which belongs under new business with notice to council members.
- New topics. They go under new business.
- Standing reports. The financial report and the manager's report have their own headings.
Keeping the item narrow is what makes it short. A well-run council finishes business arising in ten minutes.
StrataMinutes can take this off your plate. Not sure your own minutes measure up? Upload your last set for a free report card, or send us your notes and receive finished minutes.
Where it sits on the agenda
A common council agenda runs: call to order and quorum, approval of the agenda, approval of previous minutes, business arising, reports (financial, manager, committees), correspondence, new business, next meeting, termination. Our agenda guide has a full template.
For annual and special general meetings, Standard Bylaw 28 sets the order: after approving the minutes of the last general meeting comes "deal with unfinished business". At an AGM that means matters carried over from the last general meeting, which is usually nothing, since general meetings finish their business. See the AGM order of business.
How to record it in the minutes
List each item with its status and any new decision. If nothing was decided, one line is enough.
4. BUSINESS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES
4.1 Vehicle gate repair. The treasurer reported that a second quotation was received from Apex Gates at $1,150 plus GST. MOVED and SECONDED that council accept the quotation of Apex Gates at a cost not to exceed $1,150 plus GST, from the operating fund. CARRIED (5 in favour, 0 opposed).
4.2 Insurance appraisal. The manager confirmed the appraisal is booked for June 3. No action required.
4.3 Landscaping contract. Tabled at the last meeting. Carried forward to July pending the contractor's revised proposal.
Tracking action items between meetings
The item only works if the previous minutes end with a clear list. Each action needs three things: what, who, and by when.
| Action | Who | Due | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Second quotation for gate repair | Treasurer | June meeting | Done |
| Book insurance appraisal | Manager | May 31 | Done |
| Letter to strata lot 14 re patio door conditions | Secretary | May 20 | Sent May 18 |
| Revised landscaping proposal | President | July meeting | Open |
Carry the open rows into the next agenda under business arising and the item is built before the meeting starts. Items that stay open for three meetings in a row deserve a decision: do it, assign it to someone else, or drop it by motion.
Tips for the chair
Read the action list aloud and ask each owner of an action for a one-sentence report. Take decisions by motion. Move anything that turns into a long discussion to new business so the agenda keeps its shape. For more on running the meeting, see how to chair a strata meeting.
Questions councils and owners ask
Is "business arising from the minutes" required by the Strata Property Act?
No. The Act does not set a council agenda. It is a long-standing meeting convention. For general meetings, Standard Bylaw 28 lists "deal with unfinished business".
What is the difference between business arising and old business?
They are used for the same thing: matters carried over from earlier meetings. "Unfinished business" is the term in the Standard Bylaws.
Can an owner raise something under business arising at an AGM?
Only if it is genuinely unfinished from the last general meeting. New matters need to be on the agenda, and resolutions needing a 3/4 vote must be in the notice.
Should every action item be listed even if nothing happened?
Yes, briefly. "No update, carried forward" keeps the item visible until it is done.
Can business arising be skipped?
If there is truly nothing outstanding, the chair can say so and the minutes record "None."
Action items that never go missing
StrataMinutes prepares your minutes with a clear action list at the end of every set, so the next meeting's "business arising" writes itself. Send your notes and see.
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For a 30-lot strata, that is under $1 a lot each month. Have the strata pay: free council approval kit.
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
Meeting Agenda
Approving Minutes
Minute-Taking Guide
AGM Order of Business
Motion Wording Examples
How to Chair a Meeting