What not to put in strata minutes
Minutes go to every owner, to buyers and their agents, and sometimes to a tribunal. Anything written in them should be something council is content to see read aloud.
Last reviewed November 10, 2026, against the current Strata Property Act, Strata Property Regulation and Standard Bylaws on BC Laws.
The short answer
Keep these out of BC strata minutes: legal advice, personal health or financial details, names in bylaw complaints and arrears, opinions about people, word-for-word arguments, and anything about a lawsuit involving an owner. Record the decision and the vote instead. Minutes are records owners may inspect under section 36 of the Strata Property Act, and the Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA) applies to what a strata corporation discloses about individuals.
Why this matters
Three things make careless minutes risky. First, any owner can ask for copies of minutes and the strata must provide them within two weeks (section 36). Second, minutes follow a building for years: buyers, lenders and lawyers read them. Third, council members who write unfair or untrue statements about an identifiable person can face a defamation complaint, and "it was in the minutes" is not a defence on its own. None of this is a reason to hide decisions. It is a reason to record decisions, not commentary.
Ten things to leave out
- Legal advice. Record that council "received and considered legal advice" and the decision that followed. Minutes travel well beyond the owners, to buyers, agents and lenders, and repeating advice there can put privilege at risk. Legal opinions are kept as their own record under section 35.
- Health and disability details. "Council approved the request of the owner of strata lot 8 for an accommodation" is enough. Never record a diagnosis.
- Personal financial circumstances. Record that a payment arrangement was approved for a strata lot, not why the owner fell behind.
- Names in bylaw complaints. Use the strata lot number. Do not name the person who complained.
- Names in arrears lists. Most councils record the number of lots in arrears and the total, with lot numbers only where a lien is being authorised.
- Opinions about people. "The owner was rude and is always causing problems" has no place in a record. Record conduct only where it is the reason for a decision, in neutral words.
- Who said what. Attribute decisions to council, not remarks to individuals.
- Employee and contractor performance discussions that identify a person. Record the decision: renew, terminate, or review.
- Security details. Door codes, camera locations, alarm arrangements and key holders.
- Details of litigation with an owner. An owner who is suing or being sued by the strata has no right to information about the suit (section 169), so those discussions belong in a separate, restricted record.
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Safer wording, side by side
| Instead of | Write |
|---|---|
| "Mrs. Lee in 302 complained again about Mr. Park's dog barking all night." | "Council received a complaint regarding noise from strata lot 14. A letter setting out the particulars will be sent to the owner." |
| "Our lawyer said we would probably lose if the owner sues." | "Council received and considered legal advice regarding the matter and resolved to offer the owner a hearing." |
| "The owner of 105 lost his job and cannot pay." | "MOVED and SECONDED that council accept a payment arrangement for strata lot 5 as presented. CARRIED (4-0)." |
| "The caretaker has been lazy lately." | "Council directed the president to meet with the caretaker to review duties." |
| "Tom thinks the roofer is a crook." | "Council declined the quotation and will seek two further quotations." |
Hearings and private items
Standard Bylaw 17 excludes observers from the parts of council meetings that deal with bylaw contravention hearings and with any matter where observers would, in council's opinion, unreasonably interfere with an individual's privacy. Closing the door does not remove the duty to keep minutes. The decision and the vote are still recorded, in privacy-safe wording. Many councils put these items under a heading such as "In camera" with the lot number and the outcome only. See in camera council meetings.
A note on defamation
A statement is defamatory if it would lower a person's reputation in the eyes of a reasonable reader, refers to them, and is communicated to others. Minutes are communicated to every owner who asks. Truth is a defence, and statements made honestly in the course of council's duties may be protected, but that protection can be lost through malice or by saying more than the occasion requires. The practical rule is simple: record facts and decisions, and leave out adjectives about people. If council believes something in past minutes may be defamatory, get legal advice before correcting or republishing it.
What must still go in
Leaving things out is not the same as hiding decisions. Every decision, every vote result, every expenditure approved, every fine imposed (by lot number) and every conflict declared must be there. If a matter was discussed and no decision was made, say so in one line. See how detailed minutes should be.
Questions councils and owners ask
Can strata minutes name an owner who broke a bylaw?
They can, but it is rarely necessary and it raises privacy concerns under PIPA. Use the strata lot number. The owner concerned receives the full particulars directly by letter.
Should legal advice be recorded in strata minutes?
Record that advice was received and what council decided. Keep the advice itself out of the minutes, which circulate far more widely than the opinion should.
Can an owner see in camera minutes?
Owners are entitled to the minutes of council meetings. The record of an in camera item should therefore be written so it can be released: lot numbers, decision, vote, no personal details.
What if someone insists their remarks be recorded?
Council decides the content of minutes. A written submission from the person can be noted as "correspondence received" and kept on file.
Can we remove something from minutes after they are distributed?
Changes are made openly by a correction approved at the next meeting. See correcting minutes. For privacy breaches, get advice promptly.
Minutes that say enough, and nothing they should not
StrataMinutes prepares your minutes from rough notes with neutral wording, strata lot numbers in place of names where privacy calls for it, and every decision and vote recorded.
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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
Minutes and Privacy
How Detailed Minutes Should Be
In Camera Council Meetings
Privacy and PIPA
Common Minutes Mistakes
Council Hearings