Resources for Strata Councils and Owners in BC

­Heavy smoking by two condo owners in Someplace, B.C. has compelled a strata council to take drastic measures. An owner with severe allergies had been told by his doctor he must  live in a smoke-free environment and several other owners had been muttering about preferring to live in a smoke-free building.  With health officials at all levels of government declaring second-hand smoke to be a major health hazard, the time seemed opportune for the strata council to try to make their building 100% smoke-free.

Peter is a skilled tile setter who recently plunged into the Vancouver condo market.  He was eager to buy, renovate and get out while the market was still hot.

He found an apartment with lots of potential in a great building,  moved in and grabbed the first available seat on the strata council.

Our friends at VISOA (Vancouver Island Strata Owners Association), recently sent us their latest news release. Here is a brief excerpt.

The Vancouver Island Strata Owners Association (VISOA) today released a report entitled Beyond the Sales Pitch: Ensuring Transparency and Accountability in BC Strata Developments. The report describes significant deficiencies in BC’s legislation affecting owners of 460,000 condominiums and other strata properties, or one in four taxable properties in the province.

The new anti-smoking legislation introduced April 1, 2008 in the province
of B.C. prevents smokers from lighting up within 6 meters of common areas in public buildings like doorways, and open windows, as well as bus shelters. In Vancouver, the ban also includes restaurant patios and smoking rooms. The new legislation also prohibits tobacco sales in public buildings and limits the display and promotion of tobacco in establishments that are accessible to youth.

According to strata owners on Vancouver Island there are major deficiencies in BC’s strata legislation. Over 458,000 condominiums and other strata properties, or one in four taxable properties in BC are affected by strata legislation. 67,000 of these properties are located on Vancouver Island.

Read Full Article including the case law
http://www.talkstrata.com/files/Canadian_drift_smoke_case_law_March_2007.pdf

Full Article

In our April Newsletter, there was a link to a document titled Canadian_drift_smoke_case_law_March_2007.pdf

The document can be found here:

GreenerHomes.ca’s Top 10 Tips to Green Condo Life. Regardless of whether you live uptown, downtown, or out of town these tips are designed to reduce your environmental impact while saving you money.
source: GreenerHomes.ca

Security: How Secure is Your Apartment?

_{CMHC Fact Sheet - About Your Apartment - General Series}

Various methods are used to keep apartments and apartment buildings secure from trespassing, theft and vandalism. Security devices, such as deadbolt locks on doors, window locks, controlled-access entrances and well-lit common spaces all contribute to a secure building. Familiarize yourself with your building and apartment’s security measures. The following sections discuss typical apartment building security features.