B.C.’s real estate industry is calling on the provincial government to conduct a full legislative review of the Strata Property Act as strata-titled housing becomes an increasingly dominant form of ownership.

The Association of Interior Realtors (AOIR) and the BC Real Estate Association (BCREA) are asking the B.C. Government for a comprehensive review of the law, along with increased education requirements for strata councils. The groups say the legislation has failed to keep pace with the growing prevalence of strata housing and the evolving needs of buyers, sellers, and real estate professionals.

More than 1.5 million people in British Columbia now live in strata housing, increasing the frequency with which real estate transactions depend on the timely delivery and understanding of strata-related documents, according to the two organizations. However, the legislation governing stratas and the rules around document delivery have remained largely unchanged, leading to disputes over costs, long wait times, and incomplete document packages.

“Meaningful reform must begin with a full review of the Strata Property Act,” said Seth Scott, AOIR’s director of government relations and communications. “Realtors work with strata corporations and documents every day, and modernizing the legislation is essential to ensuring buyers are able to continue having accurate, reliable, and accessible information.”

In a joint letter to the B.C. Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs Christine Boyle, AOIR and BCREA submitted six policy recommendations addressing issues such as Form B costs, document delivery timelines, and mandatory education for strata council members. The organizations also pointed to operational challenges in obtaining strata documents prior to listing properties, arguing that the current framework no longer reflects modern transaction realities.

The Strata Property Act has not undergone a comprehensive legislative review since it was introduced more than 25 years ago, leaving realtors, strata managers, and consumers working with requirements developed before the widespread use of digital technology.

“The legislation requires significant updates to ensure that document delivery timelines are manageable, and that rush fees are fair and transparent across the province,” added Scott.

As part of the broader push for reform, BCREA has developed a proposal titled Mandatory Strata Training Program: Driving Excellence in Strata Property Management. Modelled on Ontario’s Director Training program but tailored for British Columbia, the proposal would introduce mandatory training to help strata-council members make informed financial decisions, maintain buildings proactively, and resolve disputes more consistently.

“Civil Rights Tribunal decisions in B.C. repeatedly surface preventable governance failures with uneven bylaw enforcement, deferred maintenance, and misuse of insurance,” said Jasroop Gosal, the BCREA’s government relations manager. “It’s time to fix this with mandatory, no-cost, multilingual strata-council training that sets clear competencies and publicly registers certified council members. Backed by continuing education and government oversight, this evidence-based approach will stabilize reserve planning and rebuild trust in strata governance.”

AOIR and BCREA are urging the Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs to complete a full review of the Strata Property Act before introducing any additional strata-related regulations.

Pictured: Condominium towers in Vancouver’s Stadium-Chinatown area.

Photo: CMHC