Strata corporation vs strata council: what is the difference?
People say "the strata" to mean the building, the council, the manager or the neighbours as a group. In law the words mean different things, and knowing which is which tells you who can make a decision.
Last reviewed November 10, 2026, against the current Strata Property Act, Strata Property Regulation and Standard Bylaws on BC Laws.
The short answer
The strata corporation is the legal entity made up of all the owners of the strata lots (Strata Property Act, section 2). It owns nothing itself, but it manages the common property for the owners and can sue, be sued and sign contracts. The strata council is the small group of owners elected at each AGM to exercise the corporation's powers and perform its duties (sections 4 and 26). Owners decide the big things by vote. Council handles the rest. A strata manager, if there is one, works for the corporation under contract.
The strata corporation
A strata corporation comes into existence automatically when a strata plan is deposited at the Land Title Office. Its legal name is "The Owners, Strata Plan [registration number]". The owners of the strata lots are its members. Under section 3, it is responsible for managing and maintaining the common property and common assets for the benefit of the owners.
It has the powers of a legal person: it can enter contracts, hire and fire, open bank accounts, sue and be sued, and own common assets. A judgment against it is a judgment against all the owners in proportion to their unit entitlement (section 166). It is not a company under the Business Corporations Act, and it has no shareholders or directors.
The strata council
Section 4 says the powers and duties of the strata corporation must be exercised and performed by a council, unless the Act, the regulations or the bylaws provide otherwise. Section 26 adds that council must do so subject to the Act, regulations and bylaws, and that this includes enforcing the bylaws and rules.
Council is elected by the owners at each AGM (section 25). Under the Standard Bylaws it has three to seven members, who elect a president, vice president, secretary and treasurer from among themselves. Council acts as a body, by majority vote at meetings. A single council member has no authority alone unless council has delegated it.
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Who decides what
| Decision | Decided by | Vote |
|---|---|---|
| Day-to-day operations, repairs within budget, contracts within budget | Council | Majority of council |
| Enforcing bylaws, fines, hearings | Council | Majority of council |
| Annual budget and strata fees | Owners at the AGM | Majority |
| Electing and removing council members | Owners | Majority |
| Special levies | Owners | 3/4 |
| Bylaw amendments | Owners | 3/4 |
| Most contingency reserve fund spending | Owners | 3/4, or majority for listed items |
| Significant change to common property | Owners | 3/4 |
| Changing unit entitlement or the fee formula | Owners | Unanimous |
| Winding up the strata | Owners | 80% |
Can owners overrule council?
Yes, within limits. Under section 27, the strata corporation may direct or restrict the council in its exercise of powers and performance of duties by a resolution passed by a majority vote at a general meeting. The direction cannot be contrary to the Act, regulations or bylaws, and cannot interfere with council's discretion to decide, on the facts of a particular case, whether a person contravened a bylaw, whether to fine them and how much, whether to deny access to a recreational facility, or whether to require payment of the costs of remedying a contravention.
Owners can also remove and replace council members by majority vote (Standard Bylaw 11), and owners holding 20% of the votes can demand a special general meeting (section 43).
Where the strata manager fits
A strata manager or management company is a contractor hired by the strata corporation. Managers must be licensed by the BC Financial Services Authority. They carry out council's instructions, hold the strata's money in trust, prepare financial statements and often take minutes. A manager advises. Council decides. The management contract can be cancelled by the strata on two months' notice if approved by a 3/4 vote (section 39), or under its own terms. See strata manager duties.
A self-managed strata has no manager, and council or volunteers do that work. See self-managed stratas.
Sections and committees
Some stratas have sections, which are legal sub-entities for different types of lots (for example residential and commercial), each with its own executive, budget and bylaws on matters relating only to that section. See sections and types. Committees are different: they are groups council appoints to do specific work, such as landscaping or a bylaw review, and they report to council. Council may delegate powers to them under Standard Bylaw 20, but not decisions on bylaw contraventions and fines.
Using the right words
- Letters, contracts and legal documents name the strata corporation: "The Owners, Strata Plan VIS 1234".
- "Council decided" is right for council meeting decisions. "The owners approved" is right for general meeting resolutions.
- Minutes of council meetings and minutes of general meetings are separate records. Both are required by section 35.
Questions councils and owners ask
Is the strata council the same as the strata corporation?
No. The corporation is all the owners as a legal entity. The council is the elected group that exercises its powers and performs its duties.
Who owns the common property?
The owners own it as tenants in common, in shares based on unit entitlement. The strata corporation manages it.
Can owners overrule a council decision?
Owners may direct or restrict council by majority vote at a general meeting, except on matters the Act reserves to council's discretion, such as individual bylaw enforcement decisions.
Does the strata manager make decisions?
No. The manager carries out council's instructions under the management contract.
What is the legal name of a strata corporation?
"The Owners, Strata Plan" followed by the strata plan's registration number.
Whoever decides, the decision must be recorded
Council meetings and general meetings both need minutes. StrataMinutes prepares either from your notes or recording.
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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
Council Roles
Strata Manager Duties
Strata vs Condo
Strata Owner Rights
The Strata Property Act Explained
Self-Managed Stratas