Chairing a Strata Meeting

WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE CHAIR OF A MEETING?

The role of the chair extends beyond simply following the agenda. An effective chair helps maintain order, ensures everyone has an opportunity to participate, keeps discussions focused on the matter at hand, and facilitates the meeting in accordance with the bylaws and legislative requirements.

General meetings are an important part of strata governance, providing owners with the opportunity to make decisions that affect their community. Whether it is an annual general meeting (AGM) or a special general meeting (SGM), having an effective chair helps ensure the meeting remains organized, productive, and fair. General meetings are important for resilient and robust Strata Communities.

HOW IS THE CHAIR OF A MEETING CHOSEN?

The process to select the chair for a meeting should be established in the Strata's bylaws.

Under the Standard Bylaws, annual and special general meetings are chaired by the president of the strata council. If the president is unwilling or unable to act, the vice president assumes the role. If neither the president nor the vice president chairs the meeting, the eligible voters present in person or by proxy must elect a chair from among the individuals attending the meeting.

The Morley Hanson bylaws follow a similar approach by giving the president and vice president the first opportunity to chair the meeting. If neither chooses to do so, the eligible voters present may elect a chair from among those attending. Unlike some other meeting roles, a person elected to chair the meeting does not have to be an eligible voter.

The ability of the Owners to elect a non-voter to be the Chair can be important. Stratas frequently want an experienced professional to act as the Chair, either a lawyer, paralegal or Property Manager when there are expectations that a meeting will involve several questions regarding procedure and rules of order. Sometimes a Strata wants to have an arms-length Chair to provide an indication of 'neutrality' or to permit the president or vice-president to fully participate in the meeting without having to also act as the Chair.

EFFECTIVE MEETINGS REQUIRE THE CHAIR TO BE EFFECTIVE

A well-chaired general meeting contributes to better decision-making and a more positive experience for everyone involved. Understanding who may chair a meeting and the responsibilities of that role helps promote orderly discussions, fair participation, and effective strata governance.