Strata Property Update 2023

Course Chairs
Lisa N. Mackie — Alexander Holburn Beaudin + Lang LLP, Vancouver
Jennifer L. Neville — Hamilton & Company, New Westminster

About the Course Chairs
Lisa Mackie is the leader of the Strata Property Practice Group and a member of the firm's Insurance and Real Estate Practices. Her primary areas of practice are Strata Property Law and Residential Tenancy Law. At Alexander Holburn, Lisa was the chair of the Women's Forum, a group dedicated to promoting business development and networking opportunities among our female lawyers, paralegals, and female clients. Prior to joining Alexander Holburn, Lisa worked in the law reform field as a legal researcher with the BC Law Institute and the Canadian Centre for Elder Law Studies.

Lisa has represented clients before at all levels of court in BC on strata property and residential tenancy law matters. Lisa also represents and advises clients on human rights complaints, privacy disputes, employment disputes, defamation matters, and arbitrations under the Strata Property Act. Lisa has earned significant recognition in the legal industry, and has been a trusted legal resource for various print and television media publications on strata property and residential tenancy issues including: CBC Radio, CBC News, Canadian Lawyer Magazine, Canadian Apartment Magazine, Canadian Real Estate Wealth Magazine, CityTV Breakfast Television, Times Colonist, Metro Vancouver, The Province, Canadian Property Management Magazine, and the CHOA Journal.

Jennifer Neville has been providing advice to strata corporations and owners since 2003. She assists strata corporations and owners with a broad range of strata property issues, including bylaw and resolution drafting, compliance with the Strata Property Act, repairs, collections, strata financing, disputes, and Civil Resolution Tribunal claims.

Jennifer regularly gives seminars for organizations such as the Professional Association of Managing Agents, the Strata Property Agents of BC, and the Condominium Home Owners Association. She is a contributing author to CLEBC's BC Strata Property Practice Manual. In addition, she is a Director of the Condominium Home Owners Association.

Jennifer's successful practice depends, not only on knowledge of the law, but her sharp ability to listen, communicate effectively, and respond to her clients' individual legal needs. Jennifer takes pride in providing tailored solutions that are practical, yet strategic.

Faculty
Anil K. Aggarwal — Alexander Holburn Beaudin + Lang LLP, Vancouver
Barbara K. Buchanan, KC — Practice Advisor, Conduct and Ethics, Law Society of BC, Vancouver
Alexander J. Chang — Lesperance Mendes, Vancouver
Veronica P. Franco — Clark Wilson LLP, Vancouver
G. Stephen Hamilton — Hamilton & Company, New Westminster
Alyona Kokanova — Cleveland Doan LLP, White Rock
Paul G. Mendes — Lesperance Mendes, Vancouver
Ben Scheidegger — Hamilton & Company, New Westminster
Shawn M. Smith — Cleveland Doan LLP, White Rock
K. Kathrine Uppal — Bleay Both Uppal LLP, Vancouver

Course Materials Contributor
Samuel Bleay — Articled Student, Bleay Both Uppal LLP, Vancouver

Click here for full faculty bios

• an overview of the foundational concepts of the Strata Property Act
• learn how to read and decipher a strata plan
• understand strata governance structures—how decisions are made and who makes them

• who is your client?
• what authority do you need to proceed?
• where to file your claim
• managing expectations

• review of amendments under Bill 22
• what is immediately effective, and what is still to be determined by regulation?
• review of common scenarios and best practices

• helper versus representatives
• section 34.1 hearings
• Rules of Procedure
• disclosure of legal opinions
• precedent versus good law
• jurisdiction and overlap
• getting organized
• costs and expenses

• identifying your client
• verifying your client's identity
• source of money obligations

• owners
• tenants
• strata-initiated tenant evictions

• calling the first AGM 
• collecting records from the developer
• 2-5-10 warranty reporting
• review of developer contributions to common expenses
• review of ASP agreements

• acting for strata lot owners in strata disputes
• before the engagement
• the initial consultation
• determining the scope of the retainer
• unbundled legal services
• communicating with the strata corporation and attending strata meetings
• getting paid

• window pains
• animal house
• water woes
• where there's smoke
• is this fixable?