News

CCI Vancouver’s recent seminar (February 18, 2012) was a great success.  Isadorah Goh and Bruce Hurst from the CGA firm Reid Hurst Nagy reminded the 60 + attendees of the importance of having accurate and complete financial statements, let us know what to expect with the pending mandatory requirements, confirmed that the CRA was keeping a watchful eye on strata corporations and their “income” and lastly, how the need for depreciation reports and funding of the reports will impact on the financial affairs of strata corporations.  Next up we had Glad Schoenfeld, an engineer from Read Jones Christoffersen (check spelling please) and Kevin Grasty, an engineer from Halsall Engineers who collectively spoke about the changes to the Strata Property Act and regulations with respect to the requirement to prepare depreciation reports.  The content of their presentations was very extensive and informative and suffice to say the audience was quick to ask lots of questions in an effort to try to learn more about the depreciation report requirements. A show of hands after their presentation confirmed that everyone wanted to see them back in six months time to tell everyone how the “roll out” was in fact working!  Given the number of strata corporations in the Province and the limited number of “qualified persons” who will be hired to prepare the deprecation reports time will tell if there is in fact enough time to meet the December 13, 2013 deadline for the delivery of the first depreciation reports.

 

The afternoon session featured the “lawyers”; Shawn Smith of Cleveland Doan spoke about the B.C. Government’s new proposed dispute resolution model which, if and when enacted, would result in the creation of a tribunal-type program to handle a great number of disputes (between owners and strata corporations) that would otherwise end up before the Provincial Court or the Supreme Court of B.C.  Philip Dougan of Access Law Group spoke on another “difficult people” topics and in particular, discussed in detail a case study in which a Judge of the Supreme Court made an order that a difficult owner in a Lower Mainland strata corporation had to sell her unit and move out of the building”.  A legal panel consisting of Shawn, Philip and Jamie Bleay from Access Law Group then spent the balance of the afternoon in a Q and A session dealing with a myriad of questions from the audience.

 

Speaking of the audience there was a great cross-section in the audience; strata managers, engineers, insurance professionals, lawyers, strata council members, restoration company representatives and two strata managers from Australia who happened to learn of the seminar online and came down from Kelowna where they were visiting to take part in the seminar!  All in all the turnout was terrific and the speakers and topics first rate!

 

Our next seminar will take place on Saturday April 28, 2012.  Mark your calendars now!  We will be rolling out our level 100 condominium course which will cover 5 modules or topics including:

 

 

We look forward to seeing you there and hope that between now and then we will have obtained accreditation from the Real Estate Council of B.C. so that strata managers taking the course will be given credit for the course for their continuing education licencing requirements!