Special General Meeting (SGM)

Under the Strata Property Act, SBC 1998, c. 43, a Special General Meeting is any general meeting of strata owners held outside the Annual General Meeting (AGM). SGMs are typically called to vote on urgent or specific matters such as special levies, major expenditures, bylaw amendments, or other business that cannot wait until the next AGM. The procedures and notice requirements for SGMs are set out in the Strata Property Act and the corporation's bylaws. Verify the details of your strata's specific rules with a BC lawyer or notary before acting.

Under section 45 of the Strata Property Act, SBC 1998, c. 43, written notice of a general meeting (including an SGM) must be given to all owners and tenants at least two weeks (14 days) before the meeting date (as of 2026-07-27 — verify current). The notice must include the date, time, place, and a description of the purpose of the meeting. If notice is not given properly, decisions made at the SGM may be invalid. Verify current notice requirements and your strata's bylaws with a BC lawyer or notary.

Under section 43 of the Strata Property Act, SBC 1998, c. 43, the strata council may call an SGM at any time. Additionally, owners holding at least 20% of the strata corporation's votes may requisition (demand) that the council call an SGM by delivering a written demand stating the purpose (as of 2026-07-27 — verify current). If the council does not comply within four weeks, the requisitioning owners may call the meeting themselves. Verify the process and any bylaw variations with a BC lawyer or notary before acting.

Under the Strata Property Act, SBC 1998, c. 43, SGMs are commonly held to approve special levies, authorize expenditures outside the approved budget, amend bylaws or rules, approve significant alterations to common property, elect council members outside the AGM, or wind up the strata corporation. Some decisions require a 3/4 vote (e.g., special levies, bylaw amendments), while others require a simple majority or unanimous vote depending on the matter (as of 2026-07-27 — verify current). Verify the voting threshold for your specific decision with a BC lawyer or notary before the meeting.

Under section 48 of the Strata Property Act, SBC 1998, c. 43, quorum for any general meeting (including an SGM) is eligible voters holding at least 1/3 of the strata corporation's total votes (as of 2026-07-27 — verify current). Strata bylaws may set a higher quorum requirement but cannot set a lower one. If quorum is not achieved, the meeting must be adjourned and rescheduled. Verify your strata's specific quorum requirement in its bylaws with a BC lawyer or notary.

Under section 56.1 of the Strata Property Act, SBC 1998, c. 43, a strata corporation may hold a general meeting (including an SGM) electronically or by telephone if the corporation's bylaws permit it and all participants can hear or communicate with each other (as of 2026-07-27 — verify current). The bylaws must authorize electronic meetings; otherwise, they are not permitted. During the COVID-19 pandemic, temporary orders allowed electronic meetings more broadly, but those orders have expired. Verify your strata's current bylaws and the legal status of electronic meetings with a BC lawyer or notary before scheduling.

Under section 108 of the Strata Property Act, SBC 1998, c. 43, a resolution to approve a special levy requires a 3/4 vote at a general meeting (as of 2026-07-27 — verify current). This means eligible voters holding at least 3/4 of the total strata corporation votes must vote in favour. Special levies are commonly approved at SGMs when urgent funding is needed beyond the approved annual budget. Verify the voting requirements and any bylaw variations with a BC lawyer or notary before the meeting.

Under section 56 of the Strata Property Act, SBC 1998, c. 43, and the Standard Bylaws, an owner may vote by proxy at any general meeting (including an SGM) unless the strata's bylaws prohibit it (as of 2026-07-27 — verify current). The proxy must be in writing, signed by the owner, and given to the person authorized to vote on the owner's behalf. Proxies are valid only for the specific meeting named in the document. Verify your strata's bylaws regarding proxy voting with a BC lawyer or notary before the SGM.

Under section 43(3) of the Strata Property Act, SBC 1998, c. 43, if the strata council does not call a requisitioned SGM within four weeks of receiving a proper written demand from owners holding at least 20% of votes, the requisitioning owners may call the meeting themselves (as of 2026-07-27 — verify current). The owners must follow the same notice and procedure rules as if the council had called it. The corporation must reimburse the owners for reasonable costs of calling the meeting. Verify the requisition process and your rights with a BC lawyer or notary before acting.

Yes. Under section 35 of the Strata Property Act, SBC 1998, c. 43, the strata corporation must prepare and retain minutes of all general meetings, including SGMs. The minutes must record all votes and decisions made and must be made available to owners upon request (as of 2026-07-27 — verify current). Minutes are part of the strata corporation's records and may be inspected by owners, purchasers, and certain other authorized persons. Verify record-keeping obligations and access rights with a BC lawyer or notary.