Dealing with disruptive owners at strata meetings
Nearly every strata has one meeting it would rather forget. The law gives a chair more tools than most realize, and the first of them is simply knowing who has a right to speak.
Last reviewed November 10, 2026, against the current Strata Property Act, Strata Property Regulation and Standard Bylaws on BC Laws.
The short answer
At council meetings, owners attend as observers under Standard Bylaw 17. Observers have no right to speak, and a council can ask a disruptive observer to stop or leave. At general meetings, owners do have the right to speak and vote, so the chair's tools are the agenda, speaking limits and adjournment, not removal. In every case, stay calm, apply the same rules to everyone, and record what happened neutrally in the minutes.
At council meetings
Standard Bylaw 17(3) says owners may attend council meetings as observers. The word matters. An observer watches. The Standard Bylaws give observers no right to speak, ask questions or take part in decisions. Many councils offer a short owners' forum as a courtesy, and that courtesy can be structured:
- Set the forum at the start or end, with a fixed length, such as fifteen minutes.
- Limit each speaker to two or three minutes.
- Take questions in writing in advance where possible.
- Remind observers at the opening that they are welcome to listen and that council will not debate from the floor.
If an observer interrupts repeatedly, the chair can warn once, then ask the person to leave. If they refuse, the chair can recess or end the meeting and reconvene, including by electronic means, which Standard Bylaw 17 permits at council's option.
At annual and special general meetings
Owners and proxy holders are participants at a general meeting, so the approach changes.
- Follow the agenda approved at the start. A speaker who strays is out of order.
- Adopt meeting rules at the outset by majority vote: each person speaks once per resolution for up to two minutes until all who wish have spoken.
- Speak through the chair. No cross-talk.
- Call the vote when discussion is repeating itself.
- Recess for ten minutes if tempers rise.
- Adjourn by majority vote if order cannot be restored.
People who are not eligible to vote, including tenants and occupants, must leave if requested by a resolution passed by a majority vote (Standard Bylaw 26). That does not apply to owners. Physically removing anyone is a matter for police, not volunteers, and only where there are threats or safety concerns.
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What the chair can say
| Situation | Words that work |
|---|---|
| Interrupting | "You will have a turn. Please let the speaker finish." |
| Off topic | "We are on resolution 2. That point can be raised under new business." |
| Personal attack | "Comments are to be about the resolution, not about individuals." |
| Repeating | "Thank you, that point has been made. Does anyone have a different point?" |
| Refusing to yield | "I am going to call a five-minute recess." |
The tone is as important as the words. A chair who is brief, even and consistent rarely needs the stronger tools.
Bylaws and enforcement
Standard Bylaw 3 prohibits using common property in a way that causes a nuisance or unreasonably interferes with the rights of others to use and enjoy it. Some stratas also adopt a specific bylaw on conduct at meetings or on abusive communication with council, the manager and contractors. If a bylaw has been contravened, enforcement follows the ordinary process in section 135: a complaint, written particulars, an opportunity to answer including a hearing if requested, then a decision. A fine cannot be imposed on the spot at the meeting. See bylaw enforcement.
Harassment and safety
Council members are volunteers and are entitled to be safe. If conduct includes threats, call the police. If an owner's communications are abusive, council can set reasonable limits, such as requiring correspondence in writing to a single address and replying once to each issue. Keep a file of dates and what was said. The strata corporation still owes that owner its statutory duties: notice, records, hearings on request and a vote.
Recording a disrupted meeting
Minutes are not the place to settle scores. Record facts that explain the course of the meeting, in neutral words, and leave out names where you can.
Good: "The chair called a recess at 7:48 p.m. to restore order. The meeting resumed at 7:58 p.m."
Good: "An observer was asked to refrain from interrupting. The observer left the meeting at 8:10 p.m."
Avoid: "Mr. X screamed at the president and behaved like a child, as usual."
Statements about an identifiable person in minutes can create defamation and privacy problems. See what not to put in minutes.
Preventing the next one
Most disruption comes from owners who feel unheard. Prompt minutes, replies to letters, a regular owners' forum and a hearing when requested under section 34.1 remove much of the fuel. So does a short code of conduct for council itself.
Questions councils and owners ask
Can council ask an owner to leave a council meeting?
Owners attend council meetings as observers and have no right to participate. A disruptive observer can be asked to leave, and council can recess or reconvene if they refuse.
Can an owner be removed from an AGM?
Owners are entitled to attend and vote. The chair's tools are the agenda, speaking limits, recess and adjournment. Safety threats are a police matter.
Can the strata fine an owner for behaviour at a meeting?
Only if a bylaw was contravened and the section 135 process is followed afterward.
Should the minutes name a disruptive owner?
Generally no. Record what affected the meeting in neutral terms.
Can council hold meetings online to avoid disruption?
Council meetings may be held by electronic means at council's option under Standard Bylaw 17. Owners may still observe.
A neutral record protects council
After a heated meeting, the minutes matter more than ever. StrataMinutes prepares them in neutral language: decisions and votes, with conduct noted only where it affected the meeting.
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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
How to Chair a Meeting
Observers
Council Code of Conduct
In Camera Council Meetings
What Not to Put in Minutes
Bylaw Enforcement