"Letter to Premier Campbell"

(Please copy, edit and mail)

  • [Date]
  • [Strata owner address]
  • The Honourable Gordon Campbell
  • Premier
  • Room 156
  • Parliament Buildings
  • Victoria, BC V8V 1X4

Dear Mr. Campbell:

Re: Bill 8 Leaves Strata Legislation Out of Date

[Strata owner’s personal strata experience].

     Your government recently passed Bill 8 – The Strata Property Amendment Act, 2009 to improve access to dispute resolution mechanisms and improve disclosure of strata information. However, many serious issues remain, arising from your government not undertaking a review of strata legislation that is both comprehensive and based on public consultation with strata owners.

Some of the remaining issues are:

1. Lack of provisions to deter or prevent strata disputes, including:

  1.      a. Lack of prosecution of strata developers acting contrary to law,
  2.      b. Absence of an enforceable code of ethics and conduct for strata property managers that advise and sometimes control strata councils and ignore the rights of strata owners, and
  3.      c. Lack of specific offences and penalties for those who refuse to act according to law, protection provided to condo owners in Alberta and Ontario.
  4. 2. The backlog of existing cases in the Provincial Court that will now have the added burden of resolving strata disputes under Bill 8, and
  5. 3. [This list of concerns to be amended by the strata owner.]

     Your government has not engaged in any transparent form of public consultation on strata legislation and it shows.

     Closed-door “confidential” communication between your government and its selection of real estate industry insiders are “private” consultation and not “public” consultation. I am very disappointed that your government continues to show contempt for strata owners by ignoring the glaring need for a proper review of the legislation that affects them. In British Columbia there are over 600,000 strata owners affected by incomplete and out of date strata legislation. I urge you to immediately begin a public consultation process that will hear the needs of strata owners.

Sincerely,

[Strata owner name]