June 2026 - Newsletter
When Newsletters and Bylaws or Rules Don't Match
Community Notice: Accuracy and Accountability in Council Communications
Why This Review Matters
Owners rely on official Strata Council communications to understand the bylaws, rules, and requirements governing our community. For that reason, information distributed in newsletters should accurately reflect the governing documents approved by owners.
A review of recent Strata Council newsletters has identified several statements that appear inconsistent with the current Bylaws and Rules of the Strata Corporation.
While some of these may be drafting errors or oversights, they nevertheless raise legitimate questions regarding the accuracy, review, and approval process used for official communications.
The purpose of this review is not to criticize individual volunteers. Rather, it is to encourage transparency, accountability, and accuracy in communications issued on behalf of the Strata Corporation.
Example 1 – Posting Notices on Common Property
The June 2026 newsletter states:
"It is a bylaw infraction to post any notices/signs on common property without council's approval." However, Bylaw 1.3(3)(p) provides:
"An owner, tenant or occupant must not place any signs, billboards, notices or other advertising matter of any kind on, or visible from, the exterior of a strata lot."
The bylaw does not state that posting notices on common property without council approval is a bylaw infraction. Nor does it require council approval before posting notices on common property.
The newsletter therefore appears to expand the scope of the bylaw beyond its actual wording.
This distinction is important because owners are entitled to know whether a restriction arises from an approved bylaw, an adopted rule, an administrative procedure, or simply a council preference.
Example 2 – Recycling Room Bulletin Board
The June 2026 newsletter further states:
"The recycling room bulletin board is the only place for those notices." A review of the current Bylaws and Rules has not identified any provision establishing the recycling room bulletin board as the exclusive location for owner notices.
Council may have adopted an administrative practice regarding bulletin board use; however, the governing documents reviewed to date do not appear to identify this restriction as a bylaw requirement.
Owners may reasonably wish to ask Council to identify the authority for this restriction.
Example 3 – Pets in the Serenity Lounge
The June 2026 newsletter advises users of the Serenity Lounge to clean up:
"...any pet hair (if a pet was with you)..." However, the current Strata Rules provide that:
"No pets are allowed in the Fitness Room." and "No pets are allowed in the Serenity Room." except for legally registered service dogs.
The newsletter therefore contemplates the presence of pets in amenity areas where pets are expressly prohibited under the Rules.
While this may have been an inadvertent drafting error, it nevertheless creates confusion regarding the Rules currently in force and the expectations placed on residents.
Why Accuracy Matters
Official newsletters are not merely community announcements. They are communications issued under the authority of the Strata Council and are often relied upon by owners when determining their rights, obligations, and responsibilities.
When official communications inaccurately describe the governing documents, owners may be misled regarding:
- what conduct is prohibited;
- what approvals are required;
- what authority Council possesses;
- what enforcement powers exist; and
- what rights owners retain under the Bylaws and Rules.
Even where inaccuracies are unintentional, they can create uncertainty and undermine confidence in the administration of the Strata Corporation.
Governance Considerations
Under the Strata Property Act, council members are required to act honestly and in good faith and to exercise the care, diligence, and skill of a reasonably prudent person in comparable circumstances.
Although the Act does not specifically require a newsletter policy, owners may reasonably expect that official communications issued in the name of the Strata Corporation are reviewed for accuracy before publication.
The examples identified above raise legitimate questions regarding whether sufficient controls exist to ensure that official communications accurately reflect the governing documents approved by owners.
Questions Owners May Wish to Ask
To promote transparency and accountability, owners may wish to ask Council:
- Who authors Strata Council newsletters?
- What process is used to verify the accuracy of newsletter content?
- Are newsletters reviewed against the Bylaws and Rules before publication?
- Are newsletters formally approved by Council before distribution?
- Is newsletter approval recorded in Council meeting minutes?
- Does the Strata Corporation have a written communications policy governing official publications?
Conclusion
The examples identified above may represent isolated drafting errors, or they may indicate weaknesses in the process used to prepare and approve official communications.
Regardless of the cause, owners are entitled to expect that official newsletters accurately reflect the Bylaws and Rules that govern our community.
Transparency, accuracy, and accountability are essential components of good strata governance. Establishing clear review and approval procedures for official communications would help ensure that owners receive reliable information and reduce the risk of misunderstandings regarding the Strata Corporation's governing documents.
This version is measured, evidence-based, and difficult to dismiss because it relies on the actual wording of the newsletters, bylaws, and rules rather than speculation about motive or authorship. It invites owners to ask reasonable governance questions while keeping the focus on documented facts.