Condominium Home Owners Association of BC

Have you ever wondered what questions to ask and what products to buy when purchasing your own personal strata insurance? What about strata deductibles? Who pays the deductible when a claim is filed on the strata corporations insurance policy? Are you a strata council member and worried about your liability? Strata insurance can be a difficult subject to understand. Let us help you navigate the complexities of strata insurance. Join CHOA Tuesday January 19th as we host our next Tuesday Lunch & Learn with CHOA webinar. There is no fee to attend this webinar however registration is required to register please visit the CHOA website at: https://www.choa.bc.ca/seminars/

CHOA HOLIDAY HOURS Kindly note all CHOA Offices will be closed on Thursday December 24th and will remain closed over the holidays, reopening on Monday January 4th. 2020 brought various changes and challenges to the many strata corporations throughout our province - we are grateful for your continued support during this past year. Wishing everyone a Happy & Healthy Holiday season from the team at CHOA.

Whether it be overdue strata fees, an unpaid special levy or an insurance deductible, collecting money that is owed to the strata is an ongoing issue for many corporations. Join us next week for our next Tuesday Lunch and Learn with CHOA webinar where we will discuss Managing Collections During COVID-19. For more information or to register please visit the CHOA website at: https://www.choa.bc.ca/seminars/

Effective as of November 19, 2020 at midnight to December 7, 2020 at midnight social gatherings of any size are prohibited in British Columbia and masks are required in all indoor public settings. For more information on how this will affect your strata corporation please visit the CHOA website at: https://www.choa.bc.ca/whats-happening/

Complications often arise when a strata corporation doesn’t follow proper procedures at the AGM. To find out what happens when the results of a vote are not announced during the meeting read this weeks Condo Smarts column https://www.choa.bc.ca//300-918-19112020-Counting-Ballots-

A couple quick reminders. Don’t forget to check out this weeks Condo Smarts column Insuring commercial strata lots. If you own or lease a commercial strata lot it is really important to remember the Strata Property Act, Schedule of Standard Bylaws and Strata Property Regulations apply. This is especially important to know if you have made any betterments or lease hold improvements - understand what is insured by the strata and what you must insure yourself in case of an eme...rgency. For more information please visit the CHOA website at: https://www.choa.bc.ca/reso/newspaper-columns/condo-smarts/ Also, next week CHOA will be hosting our next Lunch and Learn live with CHOA webinar on Tuesday October 6th. Are you prepared for the new elevator maintenance code? What about gas fireplace regulations and the regulations for gas fired boilers and make up air units? In this webinar Technical Safety BC will explain the new regulations that directly affect your strata corporation, including your repair and maintenance obligations and exploring potential risks. To register for this complimentary webinar please visit the CHOA website at: https://www.choa.bc.ca/seminars/

As demonstrated in recent news stories, human rights can greatly affect the administration and operations of your strata corporation. As Tony Gioventu writes in this weeks Condo Smarts column, when a strata receives an application for accommodation the strata must (t)ake the application and request seriously. Respond in a timely manner, seek legal advice on the appropriate actions and make your buildings accessible for everyone. To read his full column visit the CHOA websit...e at: https://www.choa.bc.ca/resources/newspaper-columns/. To further examine the relationship between the Human Rights Code and the need for accommodation in a BC strata corporation please review our extensive guide Accessibility in Strata Developments: What Does the Human Rights Code Require? posted on the CHOA website at: https://www.choa.bc.ca/hot-topics/ Also of interest, CHOA’s Fall 2020 Education program will tackle this issue, starting next week (Sept. 30th) with our session: The BC Human Rights Code and accommodating occupants for alterations to strata lots and for exemptions from bylaws. For registration information please visit the Seminars page on the CHOA website at: https://www.choa.bc.ca/seminars/

CHOA advisors are often asked: How are votes calculated at a AGM? This is such an important question, especially now that many strata corporations are conducting electronic meetings calculating a vote can become a complicated issue. To help BC’s strata corporations Tony Gioventu, CHOA Executive Director tackles this question in his weekly Condo Smarts column as he explains how a majority, , 80% and unanimous vote are calculated. To read this weeks column please visit the CHOA website at: https://www.choa.bc.ca/reso/newspaper-columns/condo-smarts/

Maintaining and repairing the common property in your strata is essential to the success of your corporation. But what happens when the strata corporation fails to maintain and repair common property? Join us as we tackle that question during next weeks Tuesday Lunch and Learn with CHOA webinar. Visit our website at https://www.choa.bc.ca/seminars/ for registration details. Wishing everyone a happy and safe long weekend.

Don’t forget to register for next week’s Tuesday Lunch & Learn Live with CHOA webinar where Tony Gioventu and Veronica Franco will be holding a sample Zoom electronic Annual General Meeting. For more information and registration details please visit the CHOA website at: https://www.choa.bc.ca/seminars/

Have you ever wondered who makes the financial decisions in your strata corporation? Or what checks and balances are in place to ensure financial accountability? This weeks Condo Smart column discusses basic financial management policies - https://www.choa.bc.ca//300-904-11082020-Financial-Control. Plus, as BC’s strata community navigates the complications caused by covid-19, we are continually providing resources designed to assist strata corporations during this pandemi...c. The following 3 new CHOA guides are posted on our website at https://www.choa.bc.ca/whats-happening/ What to do if our building has a Covid-19 outbreak (Word Document) Policy Regarding Masks while using Common Property or Facilities (Word Document) Pools, Hot Tubs, Saunas and Steam Rooms (Word Document) See more

Does your strata have an operations plan? If not, how does your strata plan for the future repair and maintenance needs for your strata corporation? Check out this week Condo Smarts column - https://www.choa.bc.ca//300-903-06082020-Operation-Plans.p - where Tony Gioventu discusses the consequences of not planning ahead and offers valuable advice for strata corporations that waiting till a component fails before you fix it is not worth the additional cost. And for more information about operation planning please review the CHOA webinar Implementing a Depreciation Report to Develop an Operations Plan for Annual Budgeting and Operations accessed from the CHOA website at: https://www.choa.bc.ca/resources/webinars/

What should a strata council do when an owner wants to alter their strata lot? What if the alteration affects common property? Check out this weeks Condo Smarts column where an owner has asked for permission to combine two strata lots into one - https://www.choa.bc.ca//300-902-30072020-Unauthorized-Alte. Plus, don’t forget to register for next week’s Tuesday Lunch & Learn Live with CHOA webinar where we will discuss Responding to alteration requests and managing access to common areas for alterations to strata lots and common property - https://www.choa.bc.ca/seminars/

How does your strata handle retroactive strata fees? Check out this weeks Condo Smarts column which offers valuable information on what to do when your strata fees increase a couple months into your strata corporations fiscal year - https://www.choa.bc.ca//300-901-23072020-Retroactive-Strat

Join CHOA next Tuesday for our weekly Tuesday Lunch & Learn Live with CHOA webinar where we will discuss planning your Depreciation Report Renewals and Implementation. To register visit the CHOA website at: https://www.choa.bc.ca/seminars/

Has your strata been hit with large insurance increases and higher deductibles? If so, you are not alone. Strata insurance in BC is definitely a concern. CHOA recognized this crisis many months ago and has been raising awareness since then. On June 17th we submitted a report, FACING THE INSURANCE RENEWAL CRISIS IN BRITISH COLUMBIA FOR STRATA CORPORATIONS IN 2020, to government. Want to read the report? Visit the CHOA website at: https://www.choa.bc.ca/hot-topics/

Don’t forget to register for this weeks Tuesday Lunch & Learn Live with CHOA webinar where we will discuss collections and the deferral of strata fees. Ever wondered if your strata corporation can defer the collection of strata fees? Or if your strata can amend its annual budget? How do you effectively manage collections for strata fees, damages, fines and penalties? To register go to: https://www.choa.bc.ca/seminars/

Condo Smarts June 11, 2020: The BC Government announced amendments to the Strata Property Regulations, specifically allowing an insurance premium to be funded from the CRF without the need for a 3/4 vote and allowing a strata corporation another two months to call their AGM, as long as there is a declaration of a state of emergency. Check out todays Condo Smarts for more details: https://www.choa.bc.ca//300-895-11062020-New-Regulations.p

Is your strata considering opening its pool, library, gym or other common facility but is concerned how to facilitate this while meeting the requirements of the BC Governments Phase 2 Covid-19 Implementation Plan? Visit the CHOA website and check out our latest webinar for tips and issues your strata needs to know - https://www.choa.bc.ca/resources/webinars/

Don’t forget to join us for next weeks Tuesday Lunch & Learn Live with CHOA webinar when Tony Gioventu will discuss how strata corporations are managing common areas, recreation facilities and access to units for maintenance and repairs under the Phase 2 Covid-19 Implementation Plan. To register for this free webinar please visit the CHOA website: https://www.choa.bc.ca/seminars/

Condo Smarts - May 21, 2020: Is your strata following proper bylaw enforcement procedures? Remember when enforcing a bylaw your strata must first give the owner or tenant the particulars of the complaint in writing and a reasonable opportunity to respond in writing, or provide the opportunity for a hearing if requested. For more information check out this Condo Smarts column: https://www.choa.bc.ca//300-892-21052020-Hearings-and-Coun

Did you miss our Tuesday Lunch & Learn Live with CHOA this week? Are you concerned about the rising cost of strata insurance? Not sure what to do if your strata cannot obtain insurance. Check out the webinar video and presentation slides that are now posted on the CHOA website at https://www.choa.bc.ca/resources/webinars/

What happens when your strata insurance premium skyrockets and the deductibles double? What if your strata cannot get insurance for full replacement value? Check out todays Condo Smarts column which discusses the many insurance pressures currently being experienced by BC’s strata industry - https://www.choa.bc.ca//300-891-14052020-Insurance-Loss-Li

Register now for CHOA’s Tuesday Lunch & Learn Live with CHOA webinar at 12:00 noon on Tuesday May 19th. What happens if your strata cannot renew your insurance? Or obtain full replacement value? What if your insurance premium has doubled (or more) and your deductibles are too high? Visit the CHOA website at https://www.choa.bc.ca/seminars/ to register.

Condo Smarts - May 7, 2020: While electronic meetings are now permitted in BC, there are potential complications. Read todays column for procedural tips and things to consider- https://www.choa.bc.ca//300-890-08052020-Electronic-Meetin

ANNOUNCING: Tuesdays Lunch & Learn Live with CHOA We are excited to announce CHOA will be hosting a series of webinars once a week, for the next few months. Join us each Tuesday as we bring together industry experts to discuss the many issues affecting BC’s strata community. These webinars will run from May 12th to August 11th at 12:00noon till 12:45pm. Our first webinar will be: Date: May 12, 2020. Topic: Managing Electronic Meetings and Restricted Proxies. How to ensur...e you meet the requirements of electronic meetings and enable fair voting procedures. Speaker: Veronica Franco, Partner. Clark Wilson LLP For a complete list of the upcoming webinar presentations, including registration details, please visit the CHOA website at: https://www.choa.bc.ca/seminars/ See more

STRATA CORPORATIONS MUST ACCOMMODATE OWNERS AND RESIDENTS WITH DISABILITIES The BC Human Rights Tribunal recently posted a decision that requires a strata corporation, with a bylaw that prohibits pets, to accommodate owners and residents who have pets that provide support for physical and/or mental health issues. Visit the CHOA website (https://www.choa.bc.ca/hot-topics/) for a copy of our Information Release and our comprehensive guide Accessibility in Strata Developments: What Does the Human Rights Code Require?

WEBINAR: COVID-19 Precautions for Multi-Unit Residential Buildings. May 1st at 12pm. Presented in collaboration with the Condominium Home Owners Association of BC (CHOA), LandlordBC, and the National Collaborating Centre for Environmental Health (NCCEH), this webinar will examine some of the evidence on COVID-19 transmission and consider how this applies to transmission risk in MURBs. The webinar will discuss current cleaning and sanitation guidance from the Public Health A...gency of Canada and other public health agencies. It will also discuss ways in which building managers can promote and provide good indoor environmental quality, now more important than ever as residents spend more time indoors throughout the pandemic response. For more information, and registration details, please click https://zoom.us//r/1115875910070/WN_CSr72mRVRu-xmrZPq5-Ykg