# Electronic Voting and Virtual Strata Meetings in BC > BC stratas can hold AGMs online and let owners attend and vote electronically. Here is what the Strata Property Act allows and what still needs care. Published: 2026-03-20 Author: Julian (OpenStrata Team) Topics: Meetings & AGMs, Strata councils, BC strata basics ## Key takeaways - Since November 24, 2022, any BC strata can hold AGMs and SGMs in person, electronically, or as a hybrid, with no bylaw required. - Owners can attend and vote electronically if the meeting notice includes joining instructions and everyone can communicate and be identified as eligible voters. - Owners attending electronically cannot demand a secret ballot, and standalone online voting outside the meeting is best supported by a bylaw. ## What BC stratas can do now Since November 24, 2022, every BC strata corporation can hold its annual and special general meetings in person, by phone or other electronic means, or as a hybrid of both. No bylaw is required to do this. Owners can also attend and vote electronically, provided a few conditions in the **Strata Property Act** are met. This has made meetings far more accessible for owners who cannot attend in person. > Note: This article is general information only and is not legal advice. For legal questions, consult a qualified strata lawyer or the relevant BC government resources. ## The rules for electronic attendance Section 49 of the Act sets three conditions for electronic attendance and voting at a general meeting: the notice must include instructions for joining electronically; the electronic method must let everyone at the meeting communicate with each other; and it must let the chair confirm whether an electronic attendee is an eligible voter. An owner attending this way is treated as present in person. ## Secret ballots and electronic attendance One detail catches people out. An eligible voter attending electronically is not entitled to, and cannot be required to use, a secret ballot. So if a secret ballot is requested at a hybrid meeting, the strata needs a plan for how in-person and electronic voters are handled fairly. Thinking this through before the meeting avoids confusion on the day. ## Voting at the meeting vs. online voting windows It helps to separate two things. The Act clearly allows attending and voting electronically during the meeting itself. What it does not specifically set out is standalone online voting outside a meeting, such as an open ballot window over several days. Some stratas use electronic voting tools, and adopting a bylaw that authorizes electronic voting as a supplementary method gives that a clearer footing. If your strata is considering this, it is a good topic for legal advice. ## Making it work in practice - Put clear joining instructions in the notice, and test the platform beforehand. - Have a plan for certifying proxies and identifying eligible voters who join online. - Decide in advance how a secret ballot would work at a hybrid meeting. - Keep complete minutes, including how votes were counted. For the full meeting process, see our [BC strata AGM checklist](https://openstrata.ca/blog/bc-strata-agm-checklist/index.md). ## Keeping records of what was decided However you run the meeting, the decisions and their vote results need to be recorded and kept where owners can find them. Storing minutes, resolutions, and notices in one place means the outcome of a vote is easy to confirm later, rather than reconstructed from memory. That is the kind of record OpenStrata is built to keep. ## Questions and answers ### Can a BC strata hold its AGM online? Yes. Since November 24, 2022, any BC strata can hold AGMs and SGMs in person, electronically, or as a hybrid, without a bylaw. The meeting notice must include instructions for attending electronically. ### Can owners vote electronically at a strata meeting? Yes, if the notice includes joining instructions, everyone at the meeting can communicate with each other, and the chair can confirm electronic attendees are eligible voters. An owner attending electronically is treated as present in person. ### Can someone attending online request a secret ballot? No. Under the Strata Property Act, an eligible voter attending by electronic means is not entitled to, and cannot be required to use, a secret ballot. Plan for this in advance at hybrid meetings. ### Does a strata need a bylaw for electronic voting? No bylaw is needed to hold meetings electronically or to let owners attend and vote during the meeting. For standalone online voting outside the meeting, a bylaw authorizing it is a good idea, and legal advice helps. ## More from OpenStrata - [All BC strata guides](https://openstrata.ca/blog/index.md): Browse every published OpenStrata guide. - [OpenStrata features](https://openstrata.ca/features/index.md): See how the platform supports BC strata councils.