SGM Minutes

An SGM, or Special General Meeting, is an extraordinary meeting of strata lot owners called outside the regular annual general meeting cycle to address urgent or significant matters requiring owner approval. Under the Strata Property Act (SBC 1998, c. 43), a strata corporation may hold an SGM to deal with issues such as approving a special levy, amending bylaws, or authorizing emergency repairs. Because SGMs are triggered by significant events, their minutes are considered equally important as AGM minutes when reviewing a strata's history.

Reviewing SGM minutes for the past two to three years is a standard pre-purchase due diligence practice in British Columbia because an SGM is typically called only when something significant has occurred in the building. SGM minutes may reveal major special levies owners were required to pay, emergency structural or mechanical repairs, or contentious bylaw amendments — all of which can materially affect a buyer's obligations and the strata's financial health. This review helps buyers make an informed decision under the Strata Property Act (SBC 1998, c. 43) framework that governs strata corporations in BC.

A buyer or their licensee can request SGM minutes as part of the information package available from the strata corporation or its property manager, typically through a Form B Information Certificate request under the Strata Property Act (SBC 1998, c. 43). The Form B package generally includes minutes of strata council and general meetings from the preceding two years, which would capture any SGMs held during that period. Buyers may also request additional historical SGM minutes directly from the strata corporation if they wish to review records beyond the standard two-year window.

Under the Strata Property Act (SBC 1998, c. 43), an SGM can be called by the strata council, or by a requisition from a sufficient number of eligible voters as prescribed by the Act and the strata corporation's bylaws. The requisitioning owners must submit a written request to the strata council specifying the business to be addressed, and the council is then required to hold the meeting within the timeframe set out in the Act. Notice requirements, including the minimum notice period and the information that must accompany the notice, are also governed by the Strata Property Act and its Regulation.

Common decisions documented in BC strata SGM minutes include the approval of a special levy to fund significant repairs or replacements not covered by the contingency reserve fund, amendments to the strata corporation's bylaws or rules, and authorization of major contracts or legal actions. Emergency situations such as unexpected envelope failures, elevator replacements, or pipe system repairs may also prompt an SGM and appear in the resulting minutes. Because these decisions often have direct financial implications for strata lot owners, SGM minutes are a critical document for prospective buyers under the Strata Property Act (SBC 1998, c. 43).

BC real estate licensees licensed under the Real Estate Services Act (RSBC 2004, c. 42) and regulated by the British Columbia Financial Services Authority (BCFSA) have a duty to act in the best interests of their clients and to disclose material information. While SGM minutes are not listed as a single mandated disclosure item by name, they form part of the broader strata document review that a licensee acting for a buyer should facilitate, as they may contain material information affecting the property. Licensees should ensure buyers have the opportunity to review all available strata records, including SGM minutes, as part of fulfilling their professional obligations under RESA and BCFSA guidance.

Yes, a special levy approved at an SGM under the Strata Property Act (SBC 1998, c. 43) can create a financial obligation that affects a new buyer, depending on the timing of the levy and the terms of the purchase contract. If a special levy has been approved but not yet fully collected at the time of completion, the liability for outstanding instalments may fall to the new owner unless the purchase contract addresses this allocation between buyer and seller. Buyers should carefully review SGM minutes and the Form B Information Certificate to identify any approved or pending special levies before completing a purchase.

AGM (Annual General Meeting) minutes record the routine yearly business of a BC strata corporation, such as the election of the strata council, approval of the budget, and review of the depreciation report, as governed by the Strata Property Act (SBC 1998, c. 43). SGM minutes, by contrast, document extraordinary business that could not wait for the next AGM — typically urgent financial decisions, bylaw changes, or emergency repair authorizations. The presence of SGM minutes in a strata's recent history is generally a signal to prospective buyers that a significant event has taken place and warrants close attention.

SGM minutes can provide important context for understanding the financial position of a BC strata corporation's contingency reserve fund (CRF) and the findings of its depreciation report, both governed by the Strata Property Act (SBC 1998, c. 43) and its Regulation. For example, SGM minutes may reveal that owners approved a special levy because the CRF was insufficient to cover a major repair identified in the depreciation report, or that owners voted to defer a recommended repair. Reviewing SGM minutes alongside the depreciation report and CRF balance gives a prospective buyer a more complete picture of the strata's physical and financial condition.

Reviewing SGM minutes for the past two to three years is a widely accepted pre-purchase due diligence practice in British Columbia's strata real estate market. This practice aligns with the two-year window of general meeting minutes that a strata corporation is required to include with a Form B Information Certificate under the Strata Property Act (SBC 1998, c. 43), though buyers may request additional records directly from the strata corporation for greater historical context. The rationale is that significant building events — such as major repairs, special levies, or bylaw disputes — that occurred within this period are most likely to affect a buyer's near-term obligations and the strata's ongoing management.