Running your first annual general meeting as a new council member can feel overwhelming. Between notice periods, quorum requirements, financial reports, and parliamentary procedure, there are dozens of details that need to come together. This guide walks you through the entire process step by step.
60 Days Before: Preparation
Start by confirming your fiscal year-end date and working backward. Under BC strata law, you must hold your AGM within two months of your fiscal year-end. Begin assembling your financial statements, proposed budget, and any special resolutions you plan to present.
This is also the time to confirm your building's roster is up-to-date. Check the contact details for everyone entitled to receive meeting notice before preparing the notice package.
Before the Meeting: Notice Requirements
The Strata Property Act generally requires at least two weeks’ written notice of an AGM. A meeting that will consider a winding up resolution requires at least four weeks’ written notice. Allow for delivery and deemed receipt when calculating when to send notice. Include the meeting details, matters to be voted on, required resolution wording, proposed budget, and financial statement in the AGM notice. Include electronic attendance instructions if that option is offered.
Upload your meeting documents and publish a notice for the intended recipients. Where acknowledgement is requested, you can review acknowledgement status.
Day Of: Running the Meeting
Confirm quorum before starting any business. Subject to the bylaws, quorum generally requires eligible voters holding one third of the strata corporation’s votes, present in person or by proxy. If there are fewer than four strata lots or four owners, the threshold is two thirds. Electronic attendees count as present in person when attendance meets section 49’s requirements. Unless the bylaws provide otherwise, a meeting without quorum after 30 minutes is adjourned to the same day the following week, at the same time and, if applicable, place. If quorum is still absent after 30 minutes at that meeting, the eligible voters present in person or by proxy constitute quorum.
Work through your agenda items in order. For each vote, clearly state the motion, allow discussion, and record the result. StrataStation provides real-time vote tracking so you can see quorum status and results as they come in.
After the Meeting
Prepare AGM minutes, including the results of votes, and retain them with the strata corporation’s records. Check the bylaws for any additional distribution requirements. Include all motions presented, voting results, and any decisions made. Use the voting records to help prepare your meeting minutes, then upload the finished minutes to the Library.