Our friends at VISOA (Vancouver Island Strata Owners Association), recently sent us their latest news release. Here is a brief excerpt.

The Vancouver Island Strata Owners Association (VISOA) today released a report entitled Beyond the Sales Pitch: Ensuring Transparency and Accountability in BC Strata Developments. The report describes significant deficiencies in BC’s legislation affecting owners of 460,000 condominiums and other strata properties, or one in four taxable properties in the province.

Read Full Article including the case law
http://www.talkstrata.com/files/Canadian_drift_smoke_case_law_March_2007.pdf

The new anti-smoking legislation introduced April 1, 2008 in the province
of B.C. prevents smokers from lighting up within 6 meters of common areas in public buildings like doorways, and open windows, as well as bus shelters. In Vancouver, the ban also includes restaurant patios and smoking rooms. The new legislation also prohibits tobacco sales in public buildings and limits the display and promotion of tobacco in establishments that are accessible to youth.

April 2, 2008

According to strata owners on Vancouver Island there are major deficiencies in BC’s strata legislation. Over 458,000 condominiums and other strata properties, or one in four taxable properties in BC are affected by strata legislation. 67,000 of these properties are located on Vancouver Island.

The Vancouver Island Strata Owners Association (VISOA) have created a great brochure to help Condo Buyers with some of the finer nuances of the Strata Corporation. According to Tony Davis, Director, VISOA,

"Many of the problems new condo buyers experience are a result of lack of
information about condo living. We have prepared a brochure to help potential buyers make informed decisions."

I was looking at a few properties not too long ago and came across a building in East Vancouver, in what is now a very hot area. The unit was listed for significantly less than what others of equal square footage were going for.

What wonderful luck to have found the perfect condo! The location is great, the unit I’m looking at is on the top floor, I can afford it – just barely , and I love the kitchen.Best of all though is the spectacular view of the mountains.

There is one little thing that’s troubling me. It’s about that big, open space that opens up such a gorgeous view. What if somebody built a high rise in there? That would be terrible. I’d have no view at all.

The following questions helps to define what a bare land strata property is.

Q: What is the difference between strata and bare land strata?

A: Bare land strata is governed by The Bare Land Strata Regulations and refers to the subdivision of land into strata lots and common property. In a normal strata all of the lots share land and walls, as well as common property. In a bare land strata each lot is individual and may house a single family self contained dwelling.

The following question helps define the difference between a strata property and a Co-operative.

All strata corporations are governed by the Strata Property Act, however the Act does not contain anything that allows he government or the Superintendent of Real Estate to interfere or investigate the strata corporation.

Here is a link to the full Strata Property Act:
http://www.qp.gov.bc.ca/statreg/reg/S/StrataProperty/43_2000.htm