Self-managed and doing it properly
No manager does not mean fewer obligations. It means council carries all of them. Vancouver Island is full of small stratas that do this well; here is how.
A large share of BC's strata corporations, especially smaller buildings and bare-land stratas outside the big cities, manage themselves. The Strata Property Act does not soften for them: every duty a management company would carry stays with council. Self-management works, and saves real money, when the council treats it as a system rather than a favour someone does until they move.
The duties that never go away
- Meetings held and minuted: council meetings, the AGM within two months of fiscal year end, minutes to owners within two weeks
- The section 35 records kept and producible within two weeks of a request
- A budget to the owners every year, fees collected, a contingency reserve fund maintained
- Form B certificates within one week and Form F certificates within one week, every time a lot sells
- Insurance placed at full replacement value and reviewed annually
- A depreciation report on the five-year cycle (stratas with four or fewer lots are exempt)
- Bylaw enforcement done by the section 135 procedure, not by temper
The annual calendar, on one line each
| When | What |
|---|---|
| Fiscal year end | Close the books; draft budget and financial statements |
| Within 2 months of year end | AGM: notice 2 weeks ahead with budget; elect council; approve budget |
| After the AGM | First council meeting: elect officers, set meeting schedule |
| Insurance renewal date | Review coverage and deductibles; report to owners |
| Every 5 years | Depreciation report renewed |
| Monthly or as bylaws require | Council meets; minutes out within 2 weeks |
Systems that make it durable
Two signatures on money. Always, with no exceptions for small amounts. It protects the treasurer as much as the funds.
One shared records home. A cloud folder the whole council can reach, plus one paper binder for originals. Records that live in a volunteer's basement leave with the volunteer; see the records guide.
Buy help by the slice. Self-managed does not mean unassisted. A bookkeeper for the ledger, an engineer for the depreciation report, a lawyer for the odd opinion, and a minute service for the paperwork each cost a fraction of full management and remove the tasks volunteers actually quit over.
Succession on purpose. Recruit the next treasurer and secretary before the current ones are exhausted, and keep the handover binder current. The strata outlives every council; its systems should too.
Let us handle the minutes themselves
StrataMinutes turns your council's rough notes into complete, professionally formatted minutes that meet the requirements of the Strata Property Act, usually within minutes. Every document comes with a compliance checklist.
No payment details needed for your first council meeting.
This page is general information for BC strata councils, not legal advice. See the current text of the Strata Property Act and the Strata Property Regulation on BC Laws.
Related guides
Secretary Duties
Council Roles
Annual Budget
Strata Insurance