This is a great question, that really depends on a number of factors. Most Strata bylaws, including the standard schedule of bylaws, require between 3 and 7 members.
How many strata members is the ideal size for Council?
But do you really need 7 council members for an 8 unit building? And large buildings with 400 units could probably use more than 7 as the job is massive!
Some bylaws have exact numbers, such as 5, but this can lead to huge problems when you don’t have exactly 5 who volunteer for the position.
Having an odd number such as 5 or 7 certainly helps, as this eliminates the possibility of a tie vote. Keep in mind that the standard bylaws allow the President to break the tie, but not all bylaws allow for this.
Other factors to consider for the ideal strata Council size include;
Does your condo building have a building manager, either part time of full time? Or a concierge? This can alleviate a huge amount of work for the strata council.
Does your building have a Strata Management company, or are you self-managed? If self-managed, this can become another huge job for Council members.
In our opinion, 3-7 is probably ideal for most buildings, but large ones could consider changing the bylaws to allow for more, and smaller buildings could scale this back to a maximum of 3-5. The most important things is that all Council members are productive and have clearly defined roles.
If you are looking for some Strata Management or Strata Council advice, reach out to us here.