Council Meeting Minutes

Yes. Under the Strata Property Act, SBC 1998, c. 43, section 35, the strata council must prepare and retain minutes of each council meeting. The minutes must record council decisions and must be available for owner inspection. Verify current requirements under the Strata Property Act and Strata Property Regulation with a BC lawyer or notary before relying on this information.

Yes. Under the Strata Property Act, SBC 1998, c. 43, section 36, an owner or a person authorized in writing by an owner or purchaser may inspect strata records, including council meeting minutes, and may request copies at the strata's expense schedule. A Form B Information Certificate, required under section 59 of the Strata Property Act, does not automatically include council minutes, so purchasers typically request them separately. Verify the current procedure and any fees with the strata corporation or a BC lawyer or notary.

Under section 35(2)(c) of the Strata Property Act, SBC 1998, c. 43, and section 4.1 of the Strata Property Regulation, a strata corporation must retain council meeting minutes for at least six years (as of 2026-07-27 — verify current). Some strata corporations retain minutes longer as a best practice. Verify current retention requirements under the Strata Property Regulation with a BC lawyer or notary before acting.

Section 35(1) of the Strata Property Act, SBC 1998, c. 43, requires that council meeting minutes be prepared and that they record council decisions. The Act does not prescribe a specific format, but best practice includes the date, attendees, decisions made, and action items. Verify current best practices and compliance requirements with a BC lawyer, notary, or strata management professional.

Generally, no. Under section 36 of the Strata Property Act, SBC 1998, c. 43, owners and authorized persons (including prospective purchasers) have the right to inspect most strata records, including council minutes. However, section 36(3) permits a strata corporation to refuse access to portions of records that disclose personal information about an identifiable individual who is not the person requesting the record, subject to certain exceptions. Verify the scope of access and privacy protections under the Strata Property Act and the Personal Information Protection Act, SBC 2003, c. 63, with a BC lawyer or notary.

There is no statutory minimum for purchaser due diligence, but best practice in BC is to request at least the last two years of council meeting minutes to identify recurring issues, deferred maintenance, bylaw complaints, or neighbour disputes. This review helps assess the strata corporation's governance and potential future liabilities. Verify the scope of your pre-purchase due diligence with a BC lawyer or notary.

The Strata Property Act, SBC 1998, c. 43, does not expressly authorize 'in camera' sessions or exempt minutes from inspection, but section 36(3) allows a strata to refuse access to portions that disclose personal information about an identifiable individual, subject to exceptions. Councils may redact or withhold sensitive personal information, but general business decisions must be recorded and accessible. Verify the lawful scope of redaction under the Strata Property Act and the Personal Information Protection Act, SBC 2003, c. 63, with a BC lawyer or notary before acting.

Purchasers should review minutes for recurring complaints about the same issue (e.g., water ingress, noise, parking disputes), evidence of deferred or inadequate maintenance, bylaw enforcement patterns, insurance claims, and special levy discussions. Recurring problems often signal systemic issues the strata corporation has not resolved. Verify the significance of any findings with a BC lawyer, notary, or qualified home inspector before making a purchase decision.

Under section 35 of the Strata Property Act, SBC 1998, c. 43, the council has a duty to prepare and retain minutes. An owner may request the strata comply, and if the strata refuses or fails to maintain proper records, the owner may apply to the Civil Resolution Tribunal (CRT) for an order requiring compliance or other relief. Verify current dispute resolution options under the Strata Property Act and the Civil Resolution Tribunal Act, SBC 2012, c. 25, with a BC lawyer or notary.

The Strata Property Act, SBC 1998, c. 43, requires that council minutes be prepared and accessible under section 36, but it does not specify whether draft minutes must be provided before approval. Best practice is for strata corporations to make approved minutes available; draft minutes may contain errors or incomplete information. Verify your strata corporation's policy and your rights under the Strata Property Act with a BC lawyer or notary.