The first council meeting after the AGM: agenda and checklist

Last reviewed November 10, 2026, against the current Strata Property Act, Strata Property Regulation and Standard Bylaws on BC Laws.

When to hold it

Hold it within a week or two of the AGM. Many councils meet for fifteen minutes immediately after the AGM ends to elect officers, then hold a full meeting later. That is acceptable if all council members consent to the short notice (Standard Bylaw 14), and it still needs minutes. Until officers are elected, nobody holds the offices: the old president's term on council ended with the AGM under Standard Bylaw 10 unless re-elected.

Electing officers

Standard Bylaw 13 requires council to elect, from among its members, a president, a vice president, a secretary and a treasurer.

• One person may hold more than one office, other than the offices of president and vice president.
• The vice president has the president's powers and duties while the president is absent or unwilling or unable to act, and for the rest of the term if the president ceases to hold office.
• Officers are chosen by council, not by the owners at the AGM, by a majority of the council members present.

See council roles, and if the secretary's chair stays empty, what to do when nobody will be secretary.

A complete first-meeting agenda

1. Call to order, attendance and quorum.
2. Election of officers.
3. Conflict of interest reminders: each member notes any interest in a contract or matter before council (section 32).
4. Banking: signing authorities and online access. Remove departed members.
5. Delegation: spending authority for officers or the manager under Standard Bylaw 20, with a maximum amount and purposes.
6. Privacy: name the council member responsible for privacy matters.
7. Meeting schedule for the year, and how owners will be informed.
8. Handover: outstanding action items, contracts coming up for renewal, open bylaw matters, insurance renewal date.
9. Council contact: the address or email owners use to reach council.
10. Next meeting and termination.

Banking and signing authority

Banks usually require a certified copy of the council minutes showing who the signing officers are. Decide:

• who signs, commonly any two of the president, vice president and treasurer,
• who has online access and at what level, and
• that former council members are removed immediately.

In a managed strata, the manager holds the strata's money in trust accounts. Council should still confirm who approves invoices and up to what amount.

Delegation and spending limits

Under Standard Bylaw 20, council may delegate some of its powers and duties, including spending, to council members or others. A delegation of spending authority must either be for a specific amount and purpose, or set a maximum amount and indicate the purposes or conditions. Council may not delegate the decision whether a person contravened a bylaw, whether to fine them, or whether to deny access to a recreational facility. Standard Bylaw 21 says no one may spend the strata's money without delegated authority, apart from emergency repairs. See council spending limits.

Telling the owners

After the meeting, owners should learn:

• who the council members and officers are (the list of council members is a record under section 35),
• how to contact council, and
• when council meets.

The minutes do most of this. A one-page notice in the lobby or by email does the rest.

Pick up the old council's work

Ask outgoing members for a written handover: open items, passwords, keys, files and the action list from their last minutes. See the council handover checklist and our guide for new council members.

Questions councils and owners ask

Who elects the strata president in BC?

Council does, from among its own members, at the first council meeting after each AGM.

Can one person be both secretary and treasurer?

Yes. One person may hold more than one office, except president and vice president together.

How soon after the AGM must council meet?

The bylaws do not set a number of days. The officers must be elected at the first meeting, so most councils meet within one or two weeks.

Does the first meeting need minutes?

Yes. They should record the officers, signing authorities and schedule, and go to owners within two weeks.

Can officers be changed during the year?

Yes. Council may elect a replacement if an officer resigns, or under Standard Bylaw 13 if an officer other than the president is unwilling or unable to act for two months or more.

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

Council Roles
Council Handover Checklist
New Council Member Guide
Council Elections
No Strata Secretary
Meeting Agenda