Security cameras in a strata: what BC privacy law requires
Cameras feel like an easy answer to break-ins and bylaw problems. They also record every resident coming and going, and BC's privacy law expects a strata to justify that before the first one is installed.
Last reviewed November 10, 2026, against the current Strata Property Act, Strata Property Regulation and Standard Bylaws on BC Laws.
The short answer
A BC strata may use video surveillance, but because it collects personal information, it must comply with the ***Personal Information Protection Act* (PIPA). That means a reasonable purpose such as security, notice by signage, limited access to footage, short retention, and use only for the stated purpose. The BC privacy commissioner's guidance is that surveillance should be authorized by a bylaw** and governed by a written policy. Cameras should not look into strata lots.
The law that applies
The Strata Property Act says nothing about cameras. PIPA does the work. A strata corporation is an organization under PIPA, and an image of an identifiable person is personal information. An organization may collect, use and disclose personal information only for purposes that a reasonable person would consider appropriate in the circumstances, and generally with notice or consent. The Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner for BC (OIPC) has published guidance for strata corporations and has issued decisions on strata video surveillance and fob systems. Council should read the current guidance before deciding.
Step 1: justify it
Before installing, ask and record the answers:
- What problem are we solving? Break-ins, vandalism, theft from the parkade, dumping.
- Is it real and significant? Incidents with dates.
- Have less intrusive measures been tried? Better locks, lighting, fob control, repairs to the gate.
- Where is surveillance actually needed? Entrances, exits, parkade gates and mailrooms are easier to justify than hallways, and amenity areas such as pools and gyms are harder.
- Will it work?
Surveillance adopted "just in case" or for general bylaw monitoring is difficult to justify.
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Step 2: authorize it properly
The OIPC's guidance for stratas is that video surveillance should be authorized by a bylaw, so that owners have considered and approved the collection of their information. A bylaw needs a 3/4 vote and filing at the Land Title Office. It should state:
- the purposes of the system,
- the locations of cameras,
- that footage is not monitored live, or when it is,
- who may view footage and in what circumstances,
- how long footage is kept, and
- when footage may be disclosed.
Installing cameras is also a cost and may be a significant change in the use or appearance of common property, which needs a 3/4 vote under section 71. One general meeting can deal with all of it.
Sample bylaw wording (have a lawyer review before adopting): The strata corporation operates video surveillance at the building entrances, parkade gates and mailroom for the purposes of protecting the safety of residents and the security of property. Recorded images are retained for up to 30 days, are viewed only by persons authorized by council when investigating an incident affecting safety or security, and are disclosed only to law enforcement, the strata corporation's insurer, or as required or permitted by law.
Step 3: operate it properly
- Signage at each entrance stating that the area is under video surveillance, the purpose, and who to contact.
- Camera placement that avoids strata lot doors, windows, balconies and patios where possible, and never washrooms or change rooms.
- No audio, unless specifically justified.
- Access control. A named person or two, a password, and a log of each time footage is viewed, by whom and why.
- Retention. Automatic overwriting after a short period, commonly two to four weeks, unless footage is needed for an investigation.
- Security of the recorder and any cloud account.
- A privacy policy and a designated privacy officer. See privacy and PIPA.
What footage can be used for
Use footage for the purposes in the bylaw. If the stated purpose is safety and security, using cameras to catch residents leaving recycling in the wrong bin, or to track who visits whom, goes beyond it. If the strata wants to use footage for bylaw enforcement, the bylaw should say so, and the use should be limited to significant matters where other evidence is not available. Footage used in a bylaw complaint becomes part of the evidence the person is entitled to answer.
Requests for footage
- An individual may ask for access to their own personal information under PIPA. The strata must respond within the statutory time and may need to protect other people's images, for example by blurring or by allowing viewing only.
- Another owner who wants footage of a neighbour has no automatic right to it. Video is not a record listed in section 35 of the Strata Property Act.
- Police requests should be documented. Disclosure to law enforcement for an investigation is permitted in defined circumstances.
- Insurers and lawyers acting for the strata may receive footage relevant to a claim.
Keep a log of every disclosure.
Owners' own cameras and video doorbells
A camera or video doorbell mounted on a door frame, hallway wall or balcony is usually attached to common property or the building exterior, so the owner needs the strata's written approval under Standard Bylaws 5 and 6. A device that records the hallway or neighbours' doors also captures other residents' personal information and may amount to a nuisance or unreasonable interference under Standard Bylaw 3. Council can refuse, approve with conditions such as a limited field of view, or adopt a bylaw setting a uniform standard. A camera wholly inside a strata lot, recording only that lot, is the owner's business.
Fob and access records
Electronic fob systems record who entered where and when. That is personal information too. The same principles apply: a stated purpose, limited access, limited retention, and no routine monitoring of residents' movements.
Questions councils and owners ask
Can a strata install security cameras in BC?
Yes, if it complies with PIPA: a reasonable purpose, notice, limited access and retention, and, following the privacy commissioner's guidance, authorization by bylaw.
Does a strata need a bylaw for cameras?
The privacy commissioner's guidance for strata corporations is that video surveillance should be authorized by a bylaw.
Can I see footage of myself?
You may request access to your own personal information under PIPA.
Can the strata use camera footage to fine me?
Only if that use fits the purposes the owners authorized, and you are entitled to see the evidence relied on.
Can I install a video doorbell?
If it attaches to common property or the building exterior, you need the strata's written approval, and it must not unreasonably intrude on neighbours.
Record the decision, the purpose and the policy
When owners approve cameras, the minutes are the proof of what was authorized. StrataMinutes prepares them accurately.
Free for 30 days, then $29 a month. Cancel anytime.
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
Privacy and PIPA
Amending Bylaws
Renovation Approval
Minutes and Privacy
Bylaw Enforcement
Parking and Storage Rules