If you live in a BC condo or serve on a strata council, you may have asked: do strata minutes need to include whether a motion passed or failed? In most cases, yes. In British Columbia, strata meeting minutes should clearly record the outcome of votes. That means owners and council members should be able to tell whether a motion was approved, defeated, tabled, or withdrawn when they read the minutes later.

Why vote results matter in strata minutes

Strata minutes are not meant to be a transcript of everything said at a meeting. Their real purpose is to create a clear record of decisions. For BC strata corporations, that record matters because owners rely on minutes to understand what the council has done, what was approved at an AGM or SGM, and whether the strata followed the Strata Property Act and its bylaws.

When minutes do not show whether a motion passed or failed, confusion starts quickly. Owners may dispute whether a repair was authorized, whether a budget item was approved, or whether a bylaw amendment actually carried. Good minutes reduce conflict, improve transparency, and help the strata defend its decisions if questions come up later. The Province of BC also says strata corporations must keep meeting minutes, including the results of any votes, for at least six years.

What BC law requires

Strata council meetings

For strata council meetings, the rule is direct: the results of all votes at a council meeting must be recorded in the council meeting minutes. In practical terms, that means the minutes should show the motion and the result. A simple “approved” or “defeated” is usually the minimum, and many stratas also record the count, such as 4 in favour and 1 opposed.

Annual and special general meetings

For AGMs and SGMs, BC guidance is also clear that someone must take minutes and record the results of all votes in the minutes. This is especially important where owners are voting on budgets, special levies, bylaw amendments, CRF spending, elections, or other resolutions that require majority, 3/4, 80%, or unanimous approval.

So while people often ask whether strata minutes must literally say “pass” or “fail,” the better answer is this: the minutes must clearly show the result of the vote. Using pass/fail language is one of the easiest and safest ways to do that.

Best practice: yes, say whether the motion passed or failed

Even where the law focuses on recording vote results, best practice is to make the outcome unmistakable. Minutes should not leave owners guessing. A good minute entry usually includes:

• the exact motion or a clear summary of it
• who moved and seconded the motion, if your strata records that
• whether the motion passed, failed, was tabled, or was withdrawn
• the vote count when appropriate
• the approval threshold if relevant, such as majority vote or 3/4 vote

For example, instead of writing “Discussion re landscaping contract,” stronger minutes would say: “Motion to approve ABC Landscaping contract for one year at $8,400 passed by majority vote.” That is much more useful to owners, auditors, future councils, and property managers.

When recording the exact numbers is especially important

In some situations, simply writing “passed” may not be enough. It is wise to record the actual count when:

• the motion was close
• a 3/4 vote, 80% vote, or unanimous vote was required
• there were separate residential and non-residential votes
• the motion involved a bylaw amendment, special levy, or major spending decision
• the result may later be challenged

BC guidance on bylaw changes specifically says the minutes of a general meeting adopting a bylaw should include the wording of the resolution voted on and the outcome of the vote.

What strata minutes usually should not include

Minutes should be accurate, but they do not need to read like a courtroom transcript. In most cases, they should avoid unnecessary debate, personal comments, or long summaries of who said what. The focus should stay on decisions and actions. For example, rather than documenting every opinion during a 20-minute discussion about repairs, the minutes should record the motion, the result, and any next step that was approved.

There can be exceptions for items where the law or bylaws require specific disclosures, but most strata minutes should remain concise and decision-focused. That makes them easier to read and far less likely to create avoidable disputes later.

Simple examples of proper wording

• Council meeting: “Motion to approve roof leak repair quote from XYZ Roofing for $6,250. Carried.”
• General meeting: “Resolution to approve the 2026 operating budget passed by majority vote.”
• 3/4 vote: “Resolution to amend Bylaw 3 passed by 3/4 vote.”
• Failed motion: “Motion to authorize replacement of lobby flooring for $18,900 failed.”
• Tabled item: “Motion regarding EV charging infrastructure tabled pending additional quotes.”

The bottom line for BC strata corporations

Yes, strata minutes in BC should include whether a motion passed or failed, because minutes must record the results of votes. For council meetings, that requirement is explicit in the Strata Property Act. For AGMs and SGMs, BC guidance also says the results of all votes must be recorded in the minutes.

For condo owners, clear minutes make it easier to understand how your strata is being run. For strata council members, clear minutes help protect the council, improve transparency, and create a reliable record for future reference. In practice, the safest approach is simple: every motion should have a visible outcome.

If your strata struggles with inconsistent, unclear, or overly vague records, professional minute preparation can make a real difference. Well-structured strata minutes help councils stay organized, help owners stay informed, and help reduce unnecessary conflict. That is exactly the kind of clarity StrataMinutes.ca is built to support.