Strata Council for Triplexes & Fourplexes
In a BC triplex or fourplex, there is no board meeting in a tower lobby. You are the board. Every owner sits on council automatically under Section 25 of the Strata Property Act, strata fees for a new 4-unit building average $300–$450/month, and one missed AGM can expose the corporation to legal liability. This is the complete guide to governing a small strata properly.
Key Topics
Every Owner Is Automatically on Council
Section 25 of the Strata Property Act says that in stratas with fewer than 4 lots, all owners are council members by default. No nominations, no elections. A triplex council is three people. A fourplex technically elects council at the AGM, but in practice all four owners serve. Two people agreeing in a triplex is already a binding majority.
AGMs Are Legally Required Every Year
The strata must hold an Annual General Meeting within 2 months of the fiscal year end. The AGM is where the budget gets approved, officers are elected (in 4+ lot stratas), and any special resolutions are voted on. Missing an AGM is not just sloppy governance — it is a breach of the SPA that any owner can enforce through the CRT.
Voting Rules Are Precise and Enforceable
Ordinary resolutions pass with a majority (50%+1) of votes at a properly convened meeting. Three-quarter resolutions need 75% approval. Unanimous resolutions need every eligible voter. Owners can vote in person, by proxy, or by written ballot. Proxy forms must name the proxy holder and can be limited or general.
Meeting Minutes Must Be Kept for 6 Years
The SPA requires that minutes be prepared for every council meeting, AGM, and SGM, and distributed to owners within 14 days. Minutes must be stored for at least 6 years. They are legal records — discoverable in CRT and court proceedings. Missing minutes are the single most common governance failure in small stratas.
Financial Obligations Run Year-Round
Council must prepare an annual budget, collect strata fees, maintain the contingency reserve fund (minimum 10% of operating budget), produce year-end financial statements, and file with the CRA. Stratas are tax-exempt but must file a T2 corporate return annually. Missing CRA filings can result in fines and loss of tax-exempt status.
Section 174: Duty of Honesty and Good Faith
Every council member must act honestly and in good faith, with a view to the best interests of the strata corporation. This is not a suggestion — it is a statutory duty under Section 174 of the SPA. Council members who act in self-interest, withhold information, or make decisions without proper authority can be held personally liable.
Council Officer Roles & Responsibilities
Every strata council must elect officers from among its members. In a small building, one person often wears multiple hats — but the responsibilities remain distinct and legally defined.
| Role | Key Responsibilities | Can Combine With | Time Commitment |
|---|---|---|---|
| President | Chair meetings, signing authority, represent strata in legal matters, oversee council business | Secretary or Treasurer | 3-5 hrs/month |
| Vice-President | Act as president when president unavailable, support council coordination | Secretary or Treasurer | 1-2 hrs/month |
| Secretary | Prepare and distribute meeting notices, record minutes, handle correspondence, maintain records | Vice-President | 3-5 hrs/month |
| Treasurer | Collect fees, manage bank account, prepare budget and financial statements, CRA filing | Vice-President | 4-6 hrs/month |
Source: BC Strata Property Act, Sections 25-26. Time estimates based on self-managed small stratas (2-4 units).
AGM Agenda Checklist
A properly structured AGM agenda protects the strata from legal challenges. Use this as your starting template — every item is required or strongly recommended under the SPA.
Before the Meeting
- ☐Set date within 2 months of fiscal year end
- ☐Send written notice at least 14 days before meeting
- ☐Include full agenda with all resolutions to be voted on
- ☐Attach proposed budget and financial statements
- ☐Collect any owner-submitted resolutions for the agenda
- ☐Prepare proxy forms and mail ballot forms
During the Meeting
- Call to order and confirm quorum (1/3 of eligible voters)
- Approve minutes of last AGM
- President's report on year in review
- Treasurer's financial report and year-end statements
- Present and approve annual budget (majority vote)
- Review depreciation report status and CRF adequacy
- Review insurance coverage and deductible amounts
- Election of council members (4+ lot stratas)
- Vote on any special or 3/4 resolutions
- New business from the floor
- Set date for next AGM (optional but recommended)
- Adjournment
Source: SPA Sections 40-50. Notice requirements per Section 45. Quorum per Section 48.
Self-Managed vs Professionally Managed
Most small stratas self-manage to save costs. But the trade-offs in time, liability exposure, and conflict management are real. Here is an honest comparison.
| Factor | Self-Managed | Professionally Managed |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Cost | $0 (volunteer time) | $1,500-$3,000/year |
| Cost Per Unit (Fourplex) | $0 | $375-$750/year |
| Time Commitment | 5-10 hrs/month across owners | 1-2 hrs/month (oversight only) |
| Meeting Notices & Minutes | Owners prepare and distribute | Manager handles all documentation |
| Financial Statements | Treasurer prepares (or hires accountant) | Included in management fee |
| CRA Filing | Owners responsible (easy to miss) | Manager files annually |
| Insurance Renewals | Owners shop and renew | Manager coordinates quotes |
| Bylaw Enforcement | Owners enforce against neighbours | Manager sends notices objectively |
| Dispute Buffering | None — direct confrontation | Manager mediates between owners |
| Legal Compliance Risk | Higher — easy to miss SPA deadlines | Lower — manager tracks all deadlines |
| Record Keeping | Variable — often incomplete | Systematic — 6-year retention standard |
Cost estimates based on Metro Vancouver strata management firms servicing buildings with 2-4 units, as of Q1 2026.
Year-One Governance Checklist
Bought into a new multiplex strata? The first year sets the governance tone for years to come. Complete these items to establish proper operations from day one.
Within First 3 Months
- ☐Attend (or demand) the first AGM — must happen within 6 months of first unit sale
- ☐Elect council officers (president, secretary, treasurer)
- ☐Open a dedicated strata bank account — never use personal accounts
- ☐Review and challenge the developer-set budget if it appears low
- ☐Obtain copies of the strata plan, bylaws, and all developer contracts
Within First 12 Months
- ☐Verify master insurance policy is adequate and review the deductible
- ☐Each owner obtains individual unit insurance
- ☐File T2 corporate tax return with CRA (even though tax-exempt)
- ☐Establish a records storage system (physical or digital) for 6-year retention
- ☐Begin planning for the depreciation report (due within 2 years of strata creation)
- ☐Document all warranty items and submit deficiency claims to the developer
- ☐Decide whether to hire professional management or self-manage
The Risks of Operating Informally Without Proper Meeting Records
Small stratas are especially prone to informal governance. Owners text each other decisions, skip AGMs, never write minutes, and handle finances through personal accounts. It feels efficient until it is not.
What goes wrong without documentation:
- •CRT challenges succeed — any owner can challenge a strata decision at the Civil Resolution Tribunal if proper notice was not given or minutes were not recorded. Without documentation, the strata cannot prove the decision was valid.
- •Special levies get overturned — a $15,000 special levy per unit can be voided if the meeting that approved it did not have proper 14-day notice, a written agenda, or quorum documentation.
- •Insurance claims are denied — insurers may deny claims if the strata cannot demonstrate it maintained the building per its obligations. Minutes documenting maintenance decisions are key evidence.
- •Resale complications — buyers and their lawyers request Form B information certificates, which must include minutes of the last 2 years of meetings. Missing minutes are a red flag that can kill a sale or reduce the price.
- •Personal liability — council members who fail to maintain records may be found to have breached their s.174 duty, exposing them to personal liability for damages caused by undocumented decisions.
The fix is straightforward: hold proper meetings, vote on record, write minutes, and distribute them within 14 days. In a triplex, this can be a 30-minute meeting once a quarter. The paperwork takes another hour. That small investment protects every owner in the building.
Voting Thresholds for Common Decisions
Different decisions require different levels of approval. In a small strata, the practical impact of each threshold is amplified because every vote carries enormous weight.
Majority
- ■Approve annual budget
- ■Approve general expenditures
- ■Elect council members (4+ lots)
- ■Approve meeting minutes
Triplex: 2 of 3 owners
Fourplex: 3 of 4 owners (at quorum)
3/4 Vote
- ■Amend bylaws
- ■Approve special levies
- ■Significant changes to common property
- ■Approve litigation
Triplex: 3 of 3 owners (unanimous in practice)
Fourplex: 3 of 4 owners
Unanimous
- ■Dissolve the strata corporation
- ■Amend the strata plan
- ■Cancel the strata
- ■Change unit entitlement
Triplex: All 3 owners
Fourplex: All 4 owners
Source: SPA Sections 1, 50, 51, 99, 261, 269. Quorum must be met before any vote is valid.
Related strata guides for multiplex buyers
General information only. This page provides a plain-language overview of strata council governance under BC's Strata Property Act. Governance rules vary based on your strata's specific bylaws; where bylaws conflict with this general overview, the filed bylaws prevail. For disputes involving council decisions or significant financial matters, consult a BC real estate lawyer or the Condominium Home Owners Association of BC at choa.bc.ca.
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Key Takeaways
- In stratas under 4 lots (SPA s.25), all owners sit on council automatically. No elections, no opting out.
- AGMs must happen annually within 2 months of fiscal year end. Missing one is a breach of the SPA.
- All meetings require 14 days written notice with a full agenda. No surprise resolutions.
- Quorum is 1/3 of eligible voters. If not met, the rescheduled meeting drops to 50% of that.
- Meeting minutes must be distributed within 14 days and stored for 6 years. They are legal records.
- Council members owe a duty of honesty and good faith under Section 174 — not a guideline, a statutory obligation.
- Professional management runs $1,500-$3,000/year. Worth it if there is any history of conflict.
- The biggest pitfall in small stratas is informal governance — text-message decisions with no minutes and no paper trail.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does strata council work in a triplex or fourplex?
In stratas with fewer than 4 lots, all owners automatically sit on council under SPA s.25. No elections needed. For fourplexes (4 lots), council is elected at the AGM, but typically all owners serve. The council makes day-to-day decisions, approves expenditures, and enforces bylaws.
The council must elect officers from among its members: president, vice-president, secretary, and treasurer. One person can hold multiple positions — in a duplex, one owner might be president-treasurer while the other is vice-president-secretary. The president chairs meetings and has signing authority for strata documents. The secretary handles correspondence and meeting minutes. The treasurer manages the budget, collects fees, and prepares financial statements. Council decisions are made by majority vote at properly convened council meetings. In a triplex, any two owners agreeing constitutes a majority. This means a single owner can be consistently outvoted, which is why the duty of good faith under s.174 matters so much in small buildings.
What happens at an Annual General Meeting?
The AGM is where the strata approves the annual budget, reviews financial statements, elects council (in 4+ lot stratas), and votes on any special resolutions. It must happen within 2 months of the fiscal year end. Owners must receive at least 14 days written notice including the agenda.
The AGM notice must include the date, time, location, and a full agenda listing every resolution to be voted on. Any owner can submit a resolution for the agenda by providing it in writing before the notice is sent. The meeting needs quorum — 1/3 of eligible voters present in person or by proxy. If quorum is not reached, the meeting is adjourned and rescheduled. At the rescheduled meeting, the quorum requirement drops to 50% of the original quorum (effectively 1/6 of eligible voters). In a fourplex, initial quorum is 2 owners; if that fails, the rescheduled meeting needs just 1 owner present. The AGM must also include the presentation of the strata corporation's financial statements and any depreciation report updates.
When can a Special General Meeting be called?
An SGM can be called by the council at any time, or by owners holding at least 20% of the strata's votes. SGMs are used for urgent matters that cannot wait for the next AGM — emergency repairs, special levies, bylaw amendments, or removal of a council member. The same 14-day notice requirement applies.
If owners representing 20% of votes demand an SGM, the council must convene it within 4 weeks. If the council refuses, the requesting owners can convene it themselves. The notice must include the specific resolutions to be voted on — you cannot surprise people with motions at the meeting. Quorum rules are the same as an AGM: 1/3 of eligible voters, with the reduced quorum on adjournment. In a fourplex, a single owner holds 25% of votes (assuming equal unit entitlement), which means any one owner can force an SGM. This is an important check on council power in small stratas.
How do proxy votes work in a small strata?
An owner who cannot attend a meeting can appoint a proxy to vote on their behalf. The proxy form must be in writing, name the proxy holder, and be delivered to the strata before the meeting. A proxy holder cannot hold more than one proxy unless the strata has fewer than 5 lots.
In a fourplex, the proxy limitation is relaxed — one person can hold multiple proxies since there are fewer than 5 lots. This means a single owner could theoretically attend a meeting with three proxies and cast all four votes. For this reason, proxy forms can be specific (directing the proxy to vote a certain way on each resolution) or general (giving the proxy discretion). Owners should use specific proxies whenever possible to maintain control over their vote. Proxies can be revoked at any time before the vote by the owner attending in person or delivering a written revocation. Written mail ballots are also permitted for any resolution — the ballot must be received by the strata before the meeting.
What is the developer control period?
For the first 1-2 years after a strata is created, the developer typically controls the council. The developer holds all the votes as the sole owner of unsold units. The first AGM must happen within 6 months of the first sale, at which point control begins transferring to buyers.
During the developer control period, the developer sets the initial budget, hires the first property manager (if any), and establishes the operating framework. Watch for budgets that are set artificially low to make the project more attractive to buyers — these create a shock when the first owner-run budget reveals the real costs. The developer must also fund the contingency reserve fund from the start. At the first AGM, buyers can vote to replace the developer's chosen council members and begin governing themselves. The transition is often messy in small stratas because the developer may still own one or two units and sit on council alongside new owners, creating conflicts of interest around warranty claims, deficiency repairs, and budget adequacy.
Should a small strata hire a professional manager?
Professional strata management costs $1,500-$3,000 per year for a small building. The manager handles meeting notices, minutes, financial statements, insurance renewals, CRA filings, and bylaw enforcement. Most small stratas self-manage to save money, but the time commitment is real — 5-10 hours per month.
The decision depends on the owners' appetite for administrative work and their ability to get along. A professional manager brings objectivity to disputes, ensures legal compliance with SPA deadlines, and maintains proper records. Self-managed stratas save money but risk governance failures: missed AGM deadlines, incomplete minutes, CRA filing penalties, and informal decision-making that does not hold up under challenge. If your building has any history of conflict between owners, professional management is worth every dollar. The manager also acts as a buffer — owners direct complaints to the manager instead of confronting each other. For a fourplex paying $2,000/year, that is $500 per unit annually, or about $42/month per owner.
What are the most common governance pitfalls in small stratas?
Informal decision-making without proper votes or minutes is the biggest risk. Other pitfalls include missing AGMs, failing to file CRA returns, not maintaining a contingency reserve fund, personality conflicts becoming governance deadlocks, and one owner dominating all decisions without proper authority.
Small stratas develop a false sense of informality because the owners know each other. Decisions get made over text messages or backyard conversations without proper motions, votes, or minutes. This works until someone disagrees — at which point there is no documentation of what was decided, who voted, or whether proper notice was given. The CRT sees this pattern constantly. Other common failures: treasurers who mix personal and strata funds, councils that spend above their approved budget without a 3/4 vote, owners who refuse to pay special levies because they did not attend the meeting where it was approved (attendance is not required for a levy to be binding), and stratas that operate for years without a depreciation report.
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