When it comes to hosting your Annual General Meeting, Directors have more choices than ever before on how to host their meeting and fewer requirements for amending by-laws.  This is very good news for the Condominium Industry as it slowly catches up with the electronic age.

As of October 1, 2023, new amendments to the Condominium Act, and the regulations went into force, allowing Condominium Corporations to hold virtual meetings and communicate electronically (via email) without the requirement of a by-law. Click here for more information, please click here.

Here are some options for hosting an AGM:  In-person – a meeting where Owners attend in person. Virtual – a meeting where Owners join virtually online. Hybrid – a meeting where Owners can join either online or in person. Let’s take a closer look at the pros & cons of these different meeting formats. We hope we can better help Directors when they are deciding what is best for their Corporation and help them better communicate to Owners how they arrived at their decision.

Here are some options for hosting an AGM:  In-person – a meeting where Owners attend in person. Virtual – a meeting where Owners join virtually online. Hybrid – a meeting where Owners can join either online or in person. Let’s take a closer look at the pros & cons of these different meeting formats. We hope we can better help Directors when they are deciding what is best for their Corporation and help Directors better communicate to Owners how they arrived at their decision.

Pros of In-person meetings:

• Owners get to meet each other and meet their Directors face-to-face. Feels more personal.
• Owners who are not technologically inclined can easily participate.
• The AGM could be combined with a social event to foster a united community feeling.

Cons of In-Person meeting: 

• It can be difficult to achieve quorum, and costly to recall the meeting.
• Added costs to have the Lawyer/Auditor/Minute Taker attend in person & some Corporations must rent a space for the meeting.
• Tend to run longer and can become contentious more easily.

Pros of a fully Virtual meeting: 

• Owners may attend the AGM from anywhere, which makes it easier to achieve quorum.
• All Owners can attend and feel safe, even during cold and flu season.
• Tend to be faster, more efficient, and less contentious.

Cons of a fully Virtual meeting: 

• Some Owners may not be able to participate if they are not technologically inclined.
• Technological glitches may cause connections to drop or freeze and this can be disruptive.
• There is an extra cost for virtual AGM hosting services. This cost will often depend on which hosting service is used and the size of the Corporation.

Pros of a Hybrid meeting: 

• Owners can decide how they feel comfortable participating, be it in-person or online.
• Owners can attend from anywhere.
• Owners may appreciate being given an option and the modern feel of a hybrid meeting.

Cons of a Hybrid meeting: 

• It can be difficult to track attendance, and merging both online and in-person voting can also be quite difficult, which could create more possibilities for error.
• Expensive audio and video equipment is required to host the meeting in an open and transparent manner for all attendees (laptop, mics, speakers, cameras, screen(s), projector, etc.)
• These meetings tend to be more expensive since the corporation will have to pay for an online hosting platform, audio, and video equipment (purchase or rental), and quite often a third-party IT contractor will be needed. All this on top of the costs for the lawyer,

Some Owners will be quite vocal about what they want or don’t want for their AGM, but it’s important for Boards to really look at all their options and choose what they truly feel will be best for the community they represent. Change can be difficult for some Owners, processes become the new normal, and the community finds a harmonious rhythm once again.