COVID-19 Bulletins & Information For Strata Corporations

Valuable links:

• COVID-19 information for strata housing – Province of British Columbia (gov.bc.ca)
• COVID-19 links for strata housing – Province of British Columbia (gov.bc.ca)
• Changes to strata legislation – Province of British Columbia (gov.bc.ca)
• Government of BC Housing and Tenancy website
• “BC’s Restart: A plan to bring us back together” website

September 3, 2021

• Condo Smarts (Sept. 9, 2021): 300-958 Masks and vaccine cards
• Provincial Health Order: Face Covering (COVID-19) – September 2, 2021

August 27, 2021

• Condo Smarts (Sept. 2, 2021): 300-957 Do we have to impose masks?

July 6, 2021

• NEW: CHOA Bulletin 400-513: BC’s Restart Plan – Step 3, effective July 1, 2021

June 23, 2021

• If your strata corporation intends to hold an outdoor, in-person general meeting you will have to develop a Covid Safety Plan. To assist with that process please see CHOA bulletin 400-512: BC Restart Congregation Safety Plan‐ Outdoor Meetings Safety Plan

June 17, 2021

• Condo Smarts (June 17, 2021): 300-946 What is a Safety Plan for Covid Operations?

June 9, 2021

• Clark Wilson LLP recently posted the following article: Mark Your Calendars! What Strata Corporations Need to Know About the Expiring Electronic Meetings Legislation. This article discusses the extension given to strata corporations for holding electronic meetings from July 10, 2021 to December 31, 2021, the challenges with holding an in-person meeting, the need to have a COVID-19 Safety Plan and what that Safety Plan should include. 

June 8, 2021

• June 8th CHOA hosted a complimentary webinar: Covid-19 Update: Navigating BC’s Restart Plan for Strata Corporations in BC.A copy of the presentation and slides can be accessed using the following links: On June 8th
  • Archived VIDEO RECORDING of the webinar 
  • Presentation SLIDES

June 3, 2021

• For more information on government resources please visit the following websites:
  • Government of BC’s Response to Covid-19 website 
  • Housing and tenancy

June 1, 2021

• Join CHOA on June 8th as we host our next “Lunch & Learn Live with CHOA” webianr where we will discuss the following topic: Covid-19 Update: Navigating “BC’s Restart Plan” for Strata Corporations in BC. Information for Strata Councils, understanding general meeting options and facility management. What will be permitted? What protocols are we required to follow? What other regulations will apply? To register for this complimentary webinar please visit our seminars page
• Clark Wilson LLP recently released a new guide, written to assist strata corporations further understand the use of proxies when conducting an electronic meeting: Clarity Through the Fog; Navigating Proxies in Electronic Meetings

April 15, 2021

• CHOA Bulletin 400-511: SAMPLE Participant Instructions for Zoom Meetings (PDF Document), SAMPLE: Participant Instructions for Zoom Meetings (Word Document)  

April 9, 2021

• Condo Smarts (April 15, 2021): 300-937 Condo COVID updates revisited
• Ministry of Health / BC Centre for Disease Control: Indoor Individual Exercise Requirements March 31,2021
• BC Housing: Maintenance Matters 19 – Make-Up Air Units and Corridor Pressurization
• National Collaborating Centre for Environmental Health: Contextualizing the risks of indirect COVID-19 transmission in multi-unit residential buildings
• WorksafeBC: COVIS-19 Information page
• Occupiers Liability Act
• Public Health Act: Pool Regulation

April 6, 2021

• SAMPLE: Electronic Meeting Bylaw

February 16, 2021

• In April 2020, the Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General issued an order under the Emergency Program Act to allow all strata corporations in British Columbia to conduct remote meetings during the COVID-19 state of emergency. The order applies to all strata corporations whether or not they currently have a bylaw that permits remote meetings.

  On February 16, 2021, a regulation under the COVID-19 Related Measures Act confirmed that strata corporations may continue to conduct remote meetings until July 10, 2021, regardless of when the state of emergency declared under the Emergency Program Act ends.

  Accordingly, if strata corporations wish to continue to conduct remote meetings after July 10, 2021, they may wish to pass bylaws to permit electronic meetings.

November 26, 2020

• Condo Smarts: 300-919 Managing your property during COVID‐19 restrictions

November 20, 2020
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.

• CHOA Information Release (November 20, 2020): How do the new health orders affect the 32,000 strata corporation in BC?
• 600-014 Managing Coronavirus Risks & Strata Corporation General Meetings
• 600-015 Electronic Attendance at a Strata Corporation General Meeting
• For more information visit the Government of BC COVID-19 website
  • Mask requirements
  • Social and Event Gatherings

October 22, 2020

• Condo Smarts: 300-914 Restricted proxy meeting deemed invalid!

August 27, 2020

• Condo Smarts: 300-906 What’s your COVID policy

August 12, 2020

• 3 New CHOA Guides:
  • 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)

July 8, 2020

• Clark Wilson LLP, a Vancouver based law firm has posted an informative COVID-10 bulletin for strata corporations: Re-Opening Strata Corporation Amenities: Guidelines and Considerations

June 24, 2020

• CHOA Bulletin 400-510: A Harder Case for Hardship: A Strata Owner’s Guide to Ministerial Order M195 June 25, 2020
• Ministerial Order M195

June 17, 2020

• Condo Smarts: 300-896 Rental Violations during COVID-19

June 4, 2020

• Condo Smarts: 300-894 Return your strata to a safe work place & operating facility (June 4, 2020)

June 2, 2020

• Is your strata considering wondering how it will manage common areas, recreation facilities & access to strata lots under the Phase 2 Covid-19 Implementation Plan? Check our CHOA’s webinar and review the below resources and links

BC Regional Health Authorities:

• Northern Health
• Vancouver Coastal Health
• Fraser Health
• Interior Health
  • COVID-19 Guidance for Gyms and Fitness Centres
  • COVID-19 Guidance for Gyms and Fitness Centres – Risk Mitigation Plan
• Vancouver Island Health Authority
  • COVID-19 Guidance  for  Gyms  and  Fitness  Centres  in  Island Health’s Region
  • COVID-19 Guidance for Gyms and Fitness Centres Appendix 1: Risk Mitigation Plan

WorksafeBC:

• Gyms and fitness centres: Protocols for returning to operation
• COVID-19 and returning to safe operation – Phase 2

Real Estate Council of BC (RECBC) and BC Real Estate Association (BCREA)
Safe Practices During BC’s Second Wave: A Checklist for Managing Brokers

Legislation

• Public Health Act: Pool Regulation

BC Recreation and Parks Association

• THE RECREATION & PARKS SECTOR: GUIDELINE FOR RESTARTING OPERATIONS – COVID-19: Recovery Through Recreation & Parks

May 29, 2020

• Order in Council (OIC 270 2020) May 29, 2020 –  The BC Government announced amendments to the Strata Property Regulations, specifically allowing an insurance premium to be funded from the contingency reserve fund without a 3/4 vote and allowing a strata corporation another two months to call their annual general meeting as long as there is a declaration of a state of emergency or if a declaration of a state of local emergency is in effect in the region your strata is located.

May 21, 2020

• Condo Smarts bulletin: 300-892 Hearings & Council Meetings (May 21, 2020)

May 19, 2020

• BIV – Business in Vancouver: Strata corporations urged to be cautious in facilities reopening

May 15, 2020

• CHOA AGM 2020. As a result of the delays associated with the Covid-19 restrictions, the CHOA AGM scheduled for May 2, 2020 has been rescheduled for June 17, 2020. For more information please CLICK HERE

May 13, 2020

• Webinar: Managing Electronic Meetings and Restricted Proxies.  To view the archived presentation and resources CLICK HERE

April 29, 2020

• UPDATE re: the delayed CHOA AGM. We will be convening an electronic AGM shortly – please continue to watch this website for announcements as we will be posting a new date and time next week.
• Condo Smarts bulletin: 300-889 Do we continue to pay strata fees? (April 30, 2020)

April 27, 2020

• WEBINAR: COVID-19 Precautions for Multi-Unit Residential Buildings – May 1, 2020 at 12:00PM. For more information please CLICK HERE

April 22, 2020

• Office of the Superintendent of Real Estate policy statement: Temporary 3-month extension of early marketing period for developments marketed prior to obtaining building permits and financing commitments
• Condo Smarts bulletin: 300-888 Electronic Meetings (April 23, 2020)

April 20, 2020

• Clark Wilson LLP, a Vancouver based law firm has posted another informative COVID-10 bulletin for strata corporations: No bylaw required! The COVID-19 Pandemic – Strata Corporations and Electronic Meetings

April 17, 2020

• The BC provincial government has announced a legislative amendment, allowing strata corporations to conduct electronic general meetings.
  • To view the Government of BC website please CLICK HERE
  • To view the Ministerial Order No. M114 ELECTRONIC ATTENDANCE AT STRATA PROPERTY MEETINGS (COVID-19) ORDER CLICK HERE
  • To see the CHOA information release please CLICK HERE
  • For more information about electronic meetings please take a look at CHOA’s new information bulletin “600-015 Electronic Attendance at a Strata Corporation General Meeting“

April 16, 2020

• Condo Smarts: Bulletin 300-887 “Notice requirements” (April 16, 2020)

April 8, 2020

• Condo Smarts: Bulletin 300-886 How do electronic meetings work? (April 9, 2020)

April 6, 2020

• Lesperance Mendes Bulletin: 2-5-10 Warranties during the COVID-19 Pandemic
• Province of British Columbia COVID-19 and Strata Housing website:
  • COVID-19 Information for Strata Housing
  • COVID-19 Links for Strata Housing

April 3, 2020

• Lisa Mackie, a lawyer with Alexander Holburn, offered some comments on social distancing in a strata corporation: “Homeward Bound: A Strata Council’s Guide to Social Distancing”
• Alex J. Chang, a lawyer with Lesperance Mendes, posted information for landlords and tenants: “Rental Management Alert: British Columbia’s COVID-19 Response for Landlords and Tenants”

April 1, 2020

• National Collaborating Centre for Environmental Health (NCCEH) Resources. The NCCEH has produced the following resources that may be of interest to people living in a strata corporation: COVID-19 Precautions for Multi-unit Residential Buildings and Using Shared Laundries during the COVID-19 Pandemic (POSTER)
• Condo Smarts: Bulletin 300-885 Business as normal? (April 2, 2020)

March 30, 2020

• MINISTERIAL ORDER M089
  

March 26, 2020

• SAMPLE: Voting Summary (Excel document) Note: this document accompanies the below noted YouTube video “Convening an Annual or Special General Meeting by restricted proxy”
• Clark Wilson LLP, a Vancouver based law firm has posted an informative COVID-10 bulletin for strata corporations: The COVID-19 Pandemic – Financial Issues for Strata Corporations
• Technical Safety BC Update. If your strata has questions concerning to its regulatory responsibilities, related to technical equipment due to workforce capacity or logistical issues, please visit the Technical Safety BC website

March 25, 2020

• YouTube video: Convening an Annual or Special General Meeting by restricted proxy
• SAMPLE: Notice Package & Restricted Proxy, Sample Restricted Proxy Form, Sample Summary Minutes (Word document)
• SAMPLE: Notice of Agenda, Proxy and Voting card/ballot (Word document) (updated May 12, 2020)
• Condo Smarts: Bulletin 300-884 Do we have to continue paying strata fees? (March 26)

Before March 24, 2020

• 600-014 Managing Coronavirus Risks & Strata Corporation General Meetings
• 400-506 Sample Restricted Proxy Form
• 400-026 Waiver of Notice / Holding of a Special General Meeting
• A poster strata corporation may want to print & post: Reducing the spread of viruses – including COVID-19
• Clark Wilson LLP, a Vancouver based law firm has posted an informative COVID-10 bulletin for strata corporations: The COVID-19 Pandemic – Advice for Strata Corporations
• Condo Smarts: Bulletin 300-883 Managing Through a Crisis (March 19/20)