Do I need strata approval to renovate my condo in BC?

The Standard Bylaws apply to every strata corporation in BC unless the strata has amended them, and most have added to them rather than loosened them. Section 5 lists what an owner must get written approval for before altering a strata lot:¹

• the structure of a building
• the exterior of a building
• chimneys, stairs, balconies or other things attached to the exterior
• doors, windows or skylights on the exterior, or that front on the common property
• fences, railings or similar structures enclosing a patio, balcony or yard
• common property located within the boundaries of the strata lot
• those parts of the strata lot the strata corporation must insure under section 149 of the Act

Section 6 adds any alteration to common property, limited common property or common assets.¹

What the strata can and cannot do

Under section 5 the strata corporation must not unreasonably withhold its approval, but it may make the approval conditional on the owner agreeing in writing to take responsibility for any expenses relating to the alteration.¹ Under section 6, for common property, it may attach the same condition.¹ So the approval is normally obtainable; the question is what you sign to get it.

Why "most work" and not "structural work"

Two of the seven items reach further than they look. The parts of the lot the strata must insure under section 149 typically include the original fixtures in a unit, which is why moving a kitchen or bathroom usually needs approval even when no wall comes down. And nearly every building has bylaws of its own on flooring sound ratings, working hours, contractor insurance and elevator use, which is why the safe rule is to read your building's bylaws before quoting and to submit before ordering.

The municipality asks for it too

The City of Surrey lists strata council approval for the proposed scope, signed by a council member, as a required document with a condo or townhouse renovation building permit application.² Getting the strata's letter first is therefore not only a bylaw matter; without it the municipal permit application is incomplete.

Timing

On our projects, strata approval has taken anywhere from a couple of weeks to a couple of months, because it turns on the council meeting schedule. We submit the alteration package before anything else so it does not become the bottleneck.