How to Remove a Strata Council Member in BC

In small BC buildings, a strata council is just a few neighbours volunteering their evenings — which makes it awkward when one of them has to go. Maybe a member has stopped showing up, is blocking every decision, has a conflict of interest they won't step back from, or has simply lost the trust of the owners. Whatever the reason, the question is the same: can you remove a strata council member mid-term, and what does it actually take?

In BC, the answer is usually yes. Owners can remove a council member before their term ends by a majority vote at a general meeting — an AGM or a special general meeting (SGM) — subject to your strata's own bylaws. Here's how the process really works.

This article is general information about the BC Strata Property Act framework, not legal advice. Every building's bylaws are different and the rules change — confirm the specifics for your strata with a strata lawyer.

Who actually holds the power to remove a member

The first thing to get straight is who decides. Your strata corporation — meaning the owners as a whole — elects council at the AGM, and under the Standard Bylaws the owners are also the ones who can remove a council member. Council itself has no power to expel a colleague. The president can ask someone to resign; they can't force it.

That distinction matters: removal disputes often start with a frustrated council trying to sideline one member. If your building wants a member gone, the path runs through the owners, at a properly called and noticed general meeting. For a refresher on what council can and can't do in the first place, see strata council roles and responsibilities in BC.

The easy exits: resignation and lost eligibility

Before you organize a vote, check whether the seat is about to empty on its own. A council member automatically stops being on council in a few situations — typically when they resign in writing, or when they stop being eligible to serve. In most stratas eligibility is tied to ownership, so a member who sells their unit and ceases to be an owner generally drops off council automatically, no vote required.

Some stratas have also adopted bylaws that treat repeated unexplained absences from council meetings as an automatic departure. This varies building to building, so read your own bylaws closely — an amended bylaw can change the default rules in either direction.

Do you need "grounds" — and what counts?

Here's the part that surprises people: to remove a council member by owner vote, you generally don't need to prove formal "cause." The owners' power to remove is broad — if a majority at a general meeting want a member off council, that's usually enough, subject to your bylaws. You're electing volunteers, and you can un-elect them.

That said, having clear, fair reasons matters — both for winning the vote and for protecting the strata from a later challenge. Reasons owners commonly cite include:

• Conflict of interest the member won't disclose or step back from.
• Breaching confidentiality or the strata's council code of conduct.
• Consistently missing meetings or refusing to do the role.
• Acting outside their authority — for example, hiring contractors or making spending decisions without council approval.

Decisions that treat one owner "significantly unfairly" can be overturned by the Civil Resolution Tribunal, so keep the process fair and the reasons on the record rather than personal.

The vote you need — and how to run it properly

Removal is decided by a majority vote — more than half the votes cast at the general meeting — not the 3/4 vote you'd need to change a bylaw. Confirm this against your own bylaws, since a strata can amend the default rules, and check the current threshold with a strata manager or lawyer before you rely on it.

Getting there cleanly usually looks like this:

1. 1.Get it on a meeting agenda. If your AGM is coming up, the removal can be raised there. If not, owners can push for a special general meeting. When council won't call one, owners holding a set percentage of the strata's votes (commonly around 20% — confirm the current figure) can force an SGM. Our guide on how owners can call an SGM walks through the petition.
2. 2.Give proper written notice. General meetings require advance written notice to all owners, and the notice should make clear that removing a named council member is on the agenda. Skipping or fumbling notice is the most common way a removal gets challenged — see the AGM prep guide for notice and quorum basics.
3. 3.Let the member respond. They're not on trial, but a fair chance to speak before the vote is good practice and lowers the risk of a "significantly unfair" complaint later.
4. 4.Make quorum and count carefully. The meeting needs quorum to be valid, and the member being removed can still vote as an owner. A secret ballot keeps things civil in a small building.

Filling the empty seat

A removal leaves a vacancy, and you'll want to fill it so council can still function. In many stratas the remaining council members can appoint a replacement to serve until the next AGM; in others the owners elect someone at the same meeting. Your bylaws will spell out which applies.

If you're constantly short on volunteers — the usual reality in buildings under 150 units — tackle the root cause, not just the vacancy. Our notes on recruiting and keeping council volunteers may help you refill and stabilize council.

When removing a member isn't the real fix

Sometimes the person isn't the problem — the process is. If council keeps meeting improperly, ignoring bylaws, or shutting owners out, removing one member won't fix a broken culture. In those cases, look at whether the whole approach needs a reset: enforcing the code of conduct, insisting on proper minutes and notice, or bringing in a neutral professional manager. Our guide to dealing with a difficult strata council covers the escalation options, including when to take the strata corporation to the Civil Resolution Tribunal.

Frequently asked questions

How many votes does it take to remove a strata council member in BC? Under the Standard Bylaws, owners can remove a council member by a majority vote — more than half the votes cast at a general meeting — not a 3/4 vote. Your strata may have amended this, so check your own bylaws and confirm the current rule with a strata lawyer.

Can the strata council remove one of its own members? Generally no. Council can't vote a colleague off; the power to remove sits with the owners at a general meeting. Council can accept a resignation, and a member who ceases to be an owner usually drops off automatically.

Do we need a reason to remove a council member? Usually not a formal, proven "cause" — a majority of owners can vote a member off, subject to your bylaws. But documenting fair, specific reasons protects the strata from a "significantly unfair" challenge at the Civil Resolution Tribunal.

What if council won't call a meeting to hold the vote? Owners holding a set share of the strata's votes (commonly around 20% — confirm the current figure) can petition to force a special general meeting. Council then has to call and hold the SGM within the timeline set by the Act.

Can we remove the whole council at once? Yes — owners can remove one or more council members at the same general meeting by majority vote, then elect replacements. Just line up enough willing replacements so council can keep operating.

Related reading

• Dealing With a Difficult or Bullying Strata Council in BC
• How Strata Owners Can Call a Special General Meeting (SGM) in BC
• Strata Council Roles & Responsibilities in BC
• Strata Council Code of Conduct in BC (+ Free Template)
• Your Rights as a Strata Owner in BC

Removing a council member the right way — notice, agenda, a clean vote, and filling the seat — is exactly the kind of governance work Onehive's strata management team handles for small BC buildings. Onehive manages strata and rental communities under 150 units across Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley — request a proposal.