What Does a Strata Manager Do? (BC)

If you have just bought into a strata, or you have just been elected to council, one of the first questions you will ask is a simple one: what does a strata manager do? The short version is that a strata manager handles the administration, finances, and coordination of a BC strata corporation on council's behalf, while council keeps the authority to decide. The longer version is worth knowing, because owners who understand the role get far more value from their manager and far fewer surprises. Here is the plain-English breakdown, written for owners and councils across Squamish, Whistler, Pemberton, and the wider Sea to Sky corridor.

The one-line definition

A strata manager is a licensed professional, hired by the strata council, to carry out the corporation's day-to-day business and to advise council on how to meet its obligations under the BC Strata Property Act.

Two words in that sentence carry a lot of weight: hired and advise. The manager works for the corporation through council. The manager advises and executes, but does not govern. Council governs. That distinction runs through everything below, and if you remember nothing else, remember that.

In BC, strata management is a regulated activity. Managers are licensed by the BC Financial Services Authority and must handle the corporation's money through a trust account. When people say "condo management" they usually mean this same role: in BC the legal term is strata, but the job is the same.

Financials and budgets

The financial side is the core of the job. A strata manager typically does the following.

• Prepares the draft annual budget for council review, then presents the version council approves to owners at the AGM.
• Runs the corporation's operating fund and contingency reserve fund accounting, keeping the two funds separate as the Act requires under s. 92.
• Produces monthly financial statements so council can see income, expenses, arrears, and fund balances.
• Reconciles the bank accounts and keeps every dollar in a trust account, not mixed with the management company's own money.

The manager builds the numbers and explains them. Council approves the draft, and owners vote on the final operating budget at the annual general meeting. For a deeper look at how the whole service scope fits together, see our strata management services explained guide.

Collecting strata fees and paying the bills

Owners pay monthly strata fees, and someone has to collect them, chase the late ones, and pay the corporation's suppliers on time. That someone is the strata manager. This includes:

• Issuing fee notices and processing payments.
• Tracking arrears and following council's collection policy, up to registering a lien where council directs.
• Paying invoices for utilities, insurance, contractors, and services from the operating fund.
• Handling Form F and Form B requests when units are sold, so buyers and their lawyers get accurate information.

Coordinating maintenance and contractors

Buildings need constant upkeep, and coordinating that is a big part of the daily workload. A strata manager:

• Receives maintenance requests from owners and council.
• Dispatches vetted contractors for repairs to common property under s. 72.
• Gathers quotes for larger jobs so council can compare and choose.
• Follows up to confirm work is completed and invoiced correctly.
• Helps council plan ahead using the depreciation report and reserve fund.

Here is the boundary again: the manager can approve and dispatch routine repairs within the budget council has approved. A major project, or anything outside the budget, goes back to council, and sometimes to the owners, for a decision. The manager's job is to line up the options, not to sign off on a new roof alone.

Insurance

Strata insurance in BC has become one of the trickier parts of the job, and the manager sits in the middle of it. Typical insurance tasks include:

• Arranging the annual policy renewal and presenting options to council.
• Filing and tracking claims when there is water damage, fire, or other insured loss.
• Circulating a certificate of insurance to owners and lenders on request.
• Explaining deductibles and coverage so council can make informed choices.

The manager coordinates and advises. Council decides which policy to bind and how to handle a claim. If you want the full picture on coverage and deductibles, our strata insurance in BC guide walks through it.

Meeting and AGM support

A strata runs on meetings, and the manager keeps them running properly:

• Drafting agendas and council meeting minutes.
• Preparing and mailing the AGM or SGM notice package with the correct notice period and the right forms.
• Attending meetings to answer procedural and financial questions.
• Recording resolutions and following up on the action items afterward.

The manager makes sure the meeting is called correctly and documented properly. The manager does not chair the meeting in place of council and does not vote. Owners and council members vote; the manager records the result. If you sit on council and want to understand your own side of this, our strata council member duties post covers it.

Records and Strata Property Act compliance

The corporation is legally required to keep a long list of records, and the manager maintains them. Under s. 35 the strata must keep bylaws, minutes, financial records, correspondence, contracts, and more, and produce them on request within set timelines. The manager:

• Keeps the record set current and organised.
• Responds to owner requests for records within the Act's deadlines.
• Flags upcoming compliance obligations, like depreciation report renewals, so council does not miss them.

Good record keeping is quiet work that only gets noticed when it is missing, and it protects the corporation if a dispute reaches the Civil Resolution Tribunal.

What a strata manager does NOT do

Because the "advise vs decide" line is so easy to blur, it is worth stating plainly what the role excludes. A strata manager does not:

• Make governance decisions. Budgets, levies, bylaws, and major contracts are decided by council or by owners, never by the manager alone.
• Vote. The manager has no vote at council meetings or general meetings.
• Set policy or enforce personal preferences. The manager applies the bylaws and council's decisions, not their own opinions.
• Spend outside the approved budget. Special levies need a 3/4 owner vote; the manager cannot create one.
• Act as a handyperson or on-site security. Coordinating trades is not the same as doing the repairs personally or patrolling the property.

Council holds the decision-making power under s. 26, which gives council the job of exercising the powers and duties of the strata corporation. The manager supports that work. For the full map of who can decide what, our strata council vs owner powers guide draws every line.

Manager and council: a working partnership

The best-run stratas we see in the Sea to Sky treat the relationship as a partnership with clear lanes. Council sets direction and makes decisions. The manager brings the expertise, does the administration, handles the money correctly, and gives council the information to decide well. When both sides respect the boundary, meetings are shorter, owners are calmer, and the corporation stays compliant.

Next step

If your strata council wants a manager who handles the administration cleanly and stays firmly in the advisory lane, we would be glad to talk. Avesta Strata has managed Sea to Sky corporations since 2011. Reach out through our contact page and we can walk through what the role would look like for your building.