Unit entitlement: how a BC strata divides fees and levies
Two neighbours compare strata fees and find one pays forty dollars more. The reason is a number assigned to each unit before anyone moved in, and it governs almost every dollar the strata collects.
Last reviewed November 10, 2026, against the current Strata Property Act, Strata Property Regulation and Standard Bylaws on BC Laws.
The short answer
Unit entitlement is the number assigned to each strata lot that determines its share of common expenses: strata fees, special levies and judgments (Strata Property Act, sections 99 and 108). A lot's share is its unit entitlement divided by the total for all lots. It is set by the developer in the Schedule of Unit Entitlement filed with the strata plan, usually based on habitable area, and can be changed only by a unanimous vote.
What unit entitlement is
The Act defines unit entitlement as the number indicated in the Schedule of Unit Entitlement that is used in calculations to determine the strata lot's share of the common property and common assets, and of the common expenses and liabilities of the strata corporation. It does three jobs:
- Ownership. Each owner owns the common property as a tenant in common in a share equal to their lot's unit entitlement over the total (section 66).
- Expenses. Strata fees and most special levies are divided by it.
- Liabilities. A lot's share of a judgment against the strata is calculated the same way (section 166).
It does not determine votes. Each strata lot has one vote unless a separate Schedule of Voting Rights applies (section 53).
The formula
For the operating fund and the contingency reserve fund (section 99):
Strata lot's share = (unit entitlement of the strata lot ÷ total unit entitlement of all strata lots) × total contribution
| Strata lot | Unit entitlement | Share | Monthly fee if the strata budget is $120,000 a year |
|---|---|---|---|
| A, one bedroom | 62 | 62 ÷ 2,480 = 2.5% | $250 |
| B, two bedroom | 93 | 93 ÷ 2,480 = 3.75% | $375 |
| C, penthouse | 155 | 155 ÷ 2,480 = 6.25% | $625 |
The budget must show each strata lot's monthly contribution to each fund (Regulation 6.6), so you can check the arithmetic.
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How it is set
The person depositing the strata plan, normally the developer, sets it under section 246. For a residential strata lot, the unit entitlement must be one of:
- the habitable area in square metres, as determined by a BC land surveyor, rounded to the nearest whole number,
- a whole number that is the same for all residential lots, or
- a number approved by the Superintendent of Real Estate as allocating a fair portion of the common expenses.
Non-residential lots use total area or the same alternatives. In a bare land strata, it is the same whole number for every lot or an approved number. Older strata plans filed under earlier legislation may have been set on a different basis.
Where to find yours
- The Schedule of Unit Entitlement (Form V), filed at the Land Title Office with the strata plan. Order the strata plan and its schedules through the Land Title and Survey Authority.
- The strata's owner list, which must show unit entitlements (section 35).
- The budget, which shows each lot's contribution.
- An Information Certificate (Form B) shows the monthly fees for the lot.
When expenses are not split by unit entitlement
The Regulation adjusts the formula in a few cases (Regulations 6.4 and 6.5):
- Limited common property. An operating expense that relates to and benefits only limited common property is shared only by the lots entitled to use it.
- Types of strata lots. If the bylaws identify different types of lots, such as apartments and townhouses, an operating expense that relates to and benefits only one type is shared only among that type.
- Sections. A section's own expenses are shared within the section.
These adjustments apply to the operating fund. Contingency reserve contributions and special levies generally remain by unit entitlement across all lots, subject to the Regulation's rules for sections. See sections and types.
The owners can also agree to a different formula altogether, but only by unanimous vote, and the resolution has no effect until filed at the Land Title Office (section 100). A single special levy may be divided another fair way by unanimous vote (section 108).
Changing unit entitlement
Amending the Schedule of Unit Entitlement requires a unanimous vote and filing at the Land Title Office (section 261), with limited exceptions. Every eligible voter in the strata must vote in favour, in person or by proxy. In stratas of ten or more lots, if all but one lot (or lots holding under 5% of the votes) agree, the strata may ask the Supreme Court to let the resolution pass (section 52). The court can also order changes in limited circumstances set out in the Act. Because someone always pays more when another pays less, changes are rare. See unanimous votes.
"My fees seem unfair"
Higher unit entitlement usually just reflects a larger unit. It does not account for floor level, view, use of the elevator or how many people live there. That can feel unfair, and the Act accepts it for the sake of certainty. Before buying, compare the unit entitlement with the floor area on the strata plan. See how to read a strata plan.
Questions councils and owners ask
What is unit entitlement in a BC strata?
The number assigned to each strata lot that sets its share of common expenses, common property and liabilities.
Is unit entitlement the same as square footage?
Often it is the habitable area in square metres, but the developer may instead use an equal number for every lot or a number approved by the Superintendent.
Does unit entitlement affect my vote?
No. Each strata lot has one vote unless a Schedule of Voting Rights says otherwise.
Can unit entitlement be changed?
Only by a unanimous vote and filing at the Land Title Office, or by court order in limited cases.
Are special levies split by unit entitlement?
Yes, unless the owners approve another fair method by unanimous vote.
Levy and fee resolutions, recorded exactly
StrataMinutes prepares general meeting minutes that set out each resolution's method of division and the vote, so the record matches the schedule owners were sent.
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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
Strata Fees
Special Levies
Unanimous and 80% Votes
Strata Fee Increases
Reading a Strata Plan
Sections and Types