How to call a special general meeting (SGM)

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

When council calls it

Section 42 lets the strata corporation hold a special general meeting at any time after giving notice under section 45. Typical reasons:

• a special levy for an urgent repair,
• spending from the contingency reserve fund,
• a bylaw amendment that should not wait,
• a new budget after one failed at the AGM,
• replacing council members, or
• authorizing a lawsuit or settlement.

Council decides to call the meeting by motion, settles the agenda and the wording of resolutions, and sends the notice.

When owners demand it

Under section 43, persons holding at least 20% of the strata corporation's votes may, by written demand, require the strata to hold an SGM to consider a resolution or other matter specified in the demand.

1. Write the demand. State exactly what the meeting is to consider. If it is a resolution, write the resolution out in full, especially if it needs a 3/4 vote.
2. Collect signatures. The demand must be signed by each person making it. Count votes, not people: one vote per strata lot unless a Schedule of Voting Rights says otherwise. Add each signer's strata lot number.
3. Deliver it to the strata corporation. Give it to council or the strata manager in a way that can be proven, and keep a copy.
4. Wait four weeks. The strata must hold the meeting within four weeks after the demand is given. The president may call it without holding a council meeting first.

At the meeting, the matter in the demand is the first item on the agenda and must be dealt with before anything else.

If a strata has a bylaw suspending the votes of lots in arrears, those lots are not counted toward the 20% (section 53).

If council does not hold the meeting

If the SGM is not held within four weeks, the persons who made the demand may themselves hold a special general meeting by complying with the Act, the Regulation and the bylaws on calling and holding meetings (section 43(6)). That means the owners send the notice to everyone entitled, arrange the place or electronic platform, and run the meeting. To give notice they need the owner list, which owners are entitled to request as a strata record under section 36.

For a winding-up resolution, the period is eight weeks, not four.

Notice requirements

Whoever calls it, the notice must:

• be in writing and given at least two weeks before the meeting,
• go to every owner, to mortgagees who have asked for notice, and to tenants who have been assigned the right to vote,
• state the date, time and place, with instructions for electronic attendance if it is allowed, and
• describe the matters to be voted on, including the proposed wording of any resolution requiring a 3/4, 80% or unanimous vote.

Allow for delivery time: notices are deemed received four days after being mailed, left at the door or emailed. See notice requirements and the deadline calculators.

Adding items without a separate meeting

If the matter can wait for the next general meeting, section 46 offers a lighter tool. Persons holding at least 20% of the votes may, by written demand, propose a resolution or raise a matter, and it must be included in the notice and on the agenda of the next annual or special general meeting.

At the meeting

The order of business in Standard Bylaw 28 applies, without the AGM-only items. Quorum is eligible voters holding one third of the votes, in person or by proxy, unless the bylaws say otherwise. If quorum is not present within half an hour, then unless the bylaws provide otherwise the meeting stands adjourned to the same day in the next week, and those present at the adjourned meeting form a quorum (section 48). Many stratas have amended that rule, so check your bylaws before the day. Minutes are required as for any general meeting. See SGM minutes.

Skipping the meeting altogether

A special general meeting is not needed if all eligible voters waive it in writing and consent in writing to the resolution (section 44). That only works in small stratas. See waiving meetings.

Questions councils and owners ask

How many owners are needed to call a special general meeting?

Persons holding at least 20% of the strata corporation's votes, by signed written demand.

How quickly must the strata hold a demanded SGM?

Within four weeks after the demand is given, or eight weeks for a winding-up resolution.

Can council refuse an owners' demand?

No. If the meeting is not held in time, the owners who made the demand may hold it themselves.

How much notice is needed for an SGM?

At least two weeks' written notice, or four weeks if a winding-up resolution will be considered.

Can owners remove council at an SGM?

Yes. Under Standard Bylaw 11, council members may be removed by majority vote at a general meeting, with replacements elected at the same meeting.

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

SGM Minutes
Meeting Notice
Quorum Rules
The 3/4 Vote
When Council Does Not Respond
Removing Members