How detailed should strata minutes be?
New secretaries write too much. Tired secretaries write too little. The law asks for something in between, and it is easier to hit than most councils think.
Last reviewed November 10, 2026, against the current Strata Property Act, Strata Property Regulation and Standard Bylaws on BC Laws.
The short answer
Strata minutes in BC must record what was decided and the result of every vote (Strata Property Act section 35 and Standard Bylaw 18). They do not need to record who said what. A good set of council minutes is usually two to four pages: attendance, each item with one or two sentences of context, the exact motion, the vote, and action items. If an owner could not tell what council decided, the minutes are too thin. If they read like a conversation, they are too long.
What the law actually requires
The Act is short on this point. Section 35 says the strata corporation must prepare minutes of annual and special general meetings and council meetings, "including the results of any votes". Standard Bylaw 18(3) repeats it for council: the results of all votes at a council meeting must be recorded in the council meeting minutes. For general meetings, Standard Bylaw 27(4) requires the outcome of each vote to be announced by the chair and recorded, with the number of votes for and against if a precise count was requested.
Nothing in the Act, the Regulation or the Standard Bylaws requires a record of the discussion. That is deliberate. Minutes exist so that owners, buyers, future councils and, if it comes to it, the Civil Resolution Tribunal can see what the strata corporation decided and that it decided properly.
What every set of minutes should include
- The name of the strata corporation and its strata plan number, the type of meeting, and the date, time and place (or that it was held electronically).
- Who attended, who sent regrets, who chaired, and confirmation of quorum.
- Approval of the previous minutes, with any corrections.
- For each item: a heading, a sentence or two of context, the exact motion, and the vote result.
- Financial information received: which statements, for which period.
- Any declared conflict of interest, and that the member left and did not vote.
- Action items: what, who, by when.
- The time the meeting ended and the date of the next one.
That list is the whole job. Our requirements guide ties each item to its section of the Act.
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.
How much discussion to keep
A useful test: write enough context that someone who was not in the room understands why the decision was made, and stop there. One to three sentences is nearly always enough.
Too thin: "Roof discussed. Motion carried."
Too long: "Bob said the roof was fine last year. Mary disagreed and said her ceiling had a stain since January. Bob said that was condensation. The manager said..."
Right: "Council reviewed two quotations for repair of the flashing above units 301 to 304 following reports of water staining. MOVED and SECONDED that council accept the quotation of Harbour Roofing Ltd. at a cost not to exceed $3,950 plus GST. CARRIED (4 in favour, 1 opposed)."
The third version takes less time to write than the second and is far more useful as a record.
When to write more
Some decisions deserve a fuller record because they are the ones most often challenged:
- Bylaw enforcement. Record that a complaint was received, that written particulars were given, that the person had an opportunity to answer or a hearing was held, and the decision. Those are the steps in section 135, and a fine can be set aside if they are missing.
- Refusing an owner's request. Record the reason. "Not approved" with no reason invites a dispute.
- Emergency spending. Record why it could not wait, since section 98 only permits it to ensure safety or prevent significant loss or damage.
- Conflicts of interest. Record the disclosure and that the member left for the discussion and the vote (section 32).
- Decisions that depart from professional advice, such as deferring a repair an engineer recommended. Record what council considered.
When to write less
Leave out personal remarks, arguments, speculation about owners, medical or financial details of individuals, and legal advice. Name strata lots rather than people in enforcement and arrears matters. Our guides to privacy in minutes and what not to put in minutes cover this in detail. Remember that minutes are available to every owner on request under section 36, and to buyers through their agents.
AGM and SGM minutes
General meeting minutes follow the same rule with more formality: every resolution is quoted in full from the notice, every vote result is recorded, and elections list who was elected. Discussion is summarised in a sentence or left out. Expect four to eight pages for a typical AGM, most of it resolution wording. See AGM minutes.
Questions councils and owners ask
Do strata minutes have to be verbatim?
No. The Act requires minutes that include the results of votes. A word-for-word record is not required and usually causes privacy and accuracy problems.
Should minutes name who moved and seconded each motion?
It is optional. Many councils write "MOVED and SECONDED" without names, which is acceptable. Some prefer to name the mover. Be consistent.
Can an owner demand that their comments be recorded in the minutes?
An owner can ask, but council decides what goes in the minutes. If an owner wants something on the record, the usual course is a letter to council, which becomes correspondence the strata must keep.
How long should council minutes be?
Two to four pages covers most monthly council meetings. Length matters less than whether each decision can be understood on its own.
Are short minutes a legal risk?
They can be. If minutes do not show that a decision was properly made, the strata may be unable to prove it later. See minutes as evidence at the CRT.
Get the level of detail right every time
StrataMinutes turns your rough notes into minutes that record every decision and vote, with discussion kept short and neutral. Most councils receive them within minutes of sending their notes.
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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
Minute-Taking Guide
What Not to Put in Minutes
Motion Wording Examples
Legal Requirements
Sample Minutes
Minutes as Evidence