Strata FinancesJuly 9, 2026 · 7 min read

Can't Afford a Strata Special Levy? Options for BC Owners

No hardship exemption exists, but BC owners facing a special levy have real options: payment plans, financing, or pushing the strata to borrow. Plus a request template.

If you can't afford a special levy in BC, you still have to pay your share — there's no hardship exemption — but you have options: ask the strata for a payment plan, arrange personal financing, or push the strata to borrow or phase the work. Ignoring it is the one path that makes things worse.

First, the hard truth: everyone pays their share

Once owners approve a special levy by a 3/4 vote, it becomes a legal debt binding on every owner — including those who voted no or weren't at the meeting. The Strata Property Act has no low-income or hardship carve-out. "I can't afford it" is a real problem, but it isn't a legal defence.

The good news: BC councils have wide latitude to be reasonable about how the money comes in. Most of your options are about buying time, not avoiding the bill.

Option 1: Ask the strata for a payment plan

This is the first and often best move. Many resolutions already stage payments (say, 50% now and 50% in six months), and councils can agree to instalments for an owner in a genuine pinch. It costs the strata little and it beats chasing a lien.

Ask early — before the due date, not after. Put it in writing, propose a specific schedule, and acknowledge that interest may apply under the bylaws. A cooperative owner with a concrete plan is far easier for council to say yes to than a missed payment and silence.

Payment-plan request letter template

Adapt and send this to your council or strata manager:

``` [Date] To: Strata Council / Manager, Strata Plan [XXXX] Re: Request for a payment plan - special levy approved [meeting date]

Dear Council,

I own Strata Lot [__] (unit [__]). I fully intend to pay my share of the special levy of $[amount] approved on [date]. Because of [brief reason - e.g. timing of funds], I'm asking whether council would agree to a payment schedule rather than the lump sum due [date]:

$[amount] by [date]
$[amount] by [date]
$[amount] by [date]

I understand interest may apply under our bylaws, and I'm happy to sign a written agreement. Please let me know if council needs anything further from me.

Sincerely, [Name] - [phone] - [email] ```

Option 2: Personal financing

If a payment plan isn't enough, owners typically bridge a levy the same way they'd handle any large one-off cost:

Home equity line of credit (HELOC) or mortgage refinance. Often the cheapest option if you have equity, though it takes lead time to arrange.
Personal loan or line of credit. Faster to set up, usually at a higher rate.
Redraw or family support. Sometimes the simplest route for a smaller levy.

Talk to your bank or a mortgage broker as soon as the levy is announced — arranging financing before the due date avoids interest and penalties from the strata.

Option 3: Push the strata to borrow or phase the work

Before the vote, remember that a large lump-sum levy isn't the only tool. A strata can, with owner approval (typically a 3/4 vote), borrow the money — a strata loan or line of credit — and repay it over years through modestly higher strata fees. That spreads a big cost across time and, crucially, across future owners who'll also benefit, instead of forcing today's owners to find cash all at once.

Stratas can also phase a project into stages with smaller levies, or draw on the contingency reserve fund where the rules allow. If affordability is a widespread concern in your building, raise these alternatives before the resolution is finalized — that's when they can still shape the plan.

What not to do: ignore it

An unpaid special levy is an enforceable debt, and the consequences escalate:

Interest accrues if your bylaws provide for it.
The strata can register a Certificate of Lien (Form G) against your strata lot under section 116 — which clouds title and can block a sale or refinance.
In the worst case, the strata can apply to court to force the sale of your unit to recover the debt (section 117).

Councils generally don't want to go there, which is exactly why an early, honest conversation and a written payment plan work so well.

Can you challenge the levy?

Sometimes — but not on affordability. You can dispute a special levy at the Civil Resolution Tribunal (CRT) on grounds like: the resolution didn't get the required 3/4 vote, owners weren't given proper notice, the resolution failed to state the purpose or amounts required by section 108, or the levy is "significantly unfair" to you. If you think the process was flawed, get advice quickly — there are time limits. If the process was sound, the debt stands.

Frequently asked questions

Can the strata waive my share because of low income? No. There's no hardship exemption in the Act, and a strata can't single out one owner to pay less without it being unfair to the rest. Your route is a payment plan or financing, not a waiver.

Can I just sell my unit to get out of it? You can sell, but the levy is disclosed on the Form B Information Certificate and any outstanding amount is settled through the closing adjustments. It doesn't simply vanish — it's dealt with between buyer and seller.

Will an unpaid levy really cost me my home? A forced sale is a last resort and rare, but the strata does have that power under the Act. Long before then you'll face interest and a lien, both of which are far easier to avoid by talking to council early.

Is a strata loan a good idea instead of a levy? It can be, especially when many owners would struggle with a large lump sum. It carries interest cost and needs owner approval, but it turns one big hit into predictable monthly amounts. Weigh it openly at the meeting.

This article is general information about the BC Strata Property Act, not legal or financial advice. Your bylaws, the levy's wording and your own finances all matter — talk to your strata manager, a strata lawyer, and a financial advisor, and check your own bylaws.