Can a strata raise fees? How strata fee increases work in BC
Strata fees are not set by council and they are not capped by law. They are the result of a budget the owners themselves vote on once a year, which gives owners more say than most realize.
Last reviewed November 10, 2026, against the current Strata Property Act, Strata Property Regulation and Standard Bylaws on BC Laws.
The short answer
Strata fees in BC change when the owners approve a new budget by majority vote at the annual general meeting (Strata Property Act, section 103). There is no legal limit on the size of an increase. Council proposes the budget but cannot raise fees on its own. The budget must include a contingency reserve contribution of at least 10% of the operating budget, and owners must be told their new fees within two weeks of the meeting.
How fees are set
- Council prepares a proposed budget for the coming fiscal year.
- It is sent to owners with the AGM notice, at least two weeks ahead, with a financial statement.
- At the AGM, owners may amend it by majority vote, then approve it by majority vote.
- The total contributions to the operating fund and the contingency reserve fund are divided among the lots by unit entitlement (section 99).
- Within two weeks, the strata informs owners of any change to their fees (section 106).
Fees are due on the first of each month under Standard Bylaw 1. See the strata budget.
Is there a cap?
No. Rent increases in BC are capped by residential tenancy law. Strata fees are not. The fees must cover what the building actually costs to run, plus the reserve contribution. If insurance rises 30%, the budget has to absorb it. The only control is the owners' vote.
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Why fees go up
- Insurance premiums and deductibles.
- Utilities: gas, electricity, water, sewer and waste.
- Contracts: management, landscaping, elevator, cleaning.
- Repairs and maintenance in an ageing building.
- Reserve contributions. Since November 2023 the minimum annual contribution to the contingency reserve fund is 10% of the operating fund contribution, however large the fund already is (Regulation 6.1), and the contribution must be determined after considering the most recent depreciation report.
- Catching up. Years of artificially low fees end in a large increase or a special levy.
A depreciation report often shows that fees have been too low to fund future repairs. See the contingency reserve fund.
Can fees change mid-year?
Not by council decision. Fees follow the approved budget. To change them during the year, the strata would need the owners' approval at a special general meeting. When money is needed for a specific cost, a special levy approved by a 3/4 vote is the usual tool. See special levies.
If the fiscal year ends before a new budget passes, owners keep paying the old fees until one does (section 104). If the budget is approved after the new fiscal year has begun, the new fees commonly apply from the start of that fiscal year, and owners pay a catch-up amount for the months already billed at the old rate. The notice of fee changes should explain it.
What owners can do about a large increase
- Read the budget before the meeting and compare each line with last year's actual spending.
- Ask questions in writing before the AGM so council can bring answers.
- Move an amendment at the meeting to change a specific line. It passes by majority.
- Vote against the budget. If it fails, fees stay at the old level and a new budget must go to a special general meeting within 30 days. See when the budget is not approved.
- Stand for council or join a finance committee.
An amendment cannot reduce the reserve contribution below the legal minimum, and cutting maintenance to hold fees down usually costs more later.
Advice for councils
- Explain it. A one-page covering note listing the three or four biggest changes and their causes does more than any speech.
- Show per-lot impact in dollars, not only percentages.
- Plan several years ahead using the depreciation report, so increases are steady.
- Do not hide a deficit. A deficit must be eliminated in the next fiscal year (section 105).
- Record the vote with any amendments.
Sample notice wording: At the annual general meeting on February 24, 2026, the owners approved the budget for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2026. Effective January 1, 2026, the monthly strata fee for your strata lot is $412.30 (previously $378.90). A one-time adjustment of $66.80 for January and February will be collected with your April payment.
Fees and rental units
A landlord cannot pass a strata fee increase to a tenant during a tenancy outside the rent increase rules of residential tenancy law. Strata fees are the owner's obligation to the strata.
Questions councils and owners ask
Can a strata council raise fees without a vote?
No. Fees follow the budget, which must be approved by the owners by majority vote at a general meeting.
Is there a maximum strata fee increase in BC?
No. The Act sets no cap.
How much notice do owners get of a fee increase?
The proposed budget comes with the AGM notice at least two weeks before the meeting, and owners must be told of their new fees within two weeks after it passes.
What vote is needed to increase strata fees?
A majority vote approving the budget.
Can owners refuse a fee increase?
They can amend or defeat the budget. Fees then stay at the previous level until a new budget is approved.
The budget vote deserves a precise record
StrataMinutes prepares AGM minutes showing any amendments to the budget, the final vote and the count, which is what owners and buyers look for.
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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
Strata Fees
Annual Budget
Budget Not Approved
Unit Entitlement
Reserve Fund (CRF)
Owner's Guide to the AGM