May: Take advantage of educational resources.
Learning to lead a community doesn't end after you've finished new board member
orientation. It requires a continuous pursuit to keep up with the latest changes and
sharpen your skills over time. The options for learning are varied and often free, making
it easier than ever to fit board member education into your busy schedule.
Serving as a council member comes with a steep learning curve because most people aren't aware of
how governing documents, legislation and other strata business work. Not being equipped with the right
knowledge can hurt us and our communities while taking away from our volunteer experience on the council.
You can prevent this situation by making a point of continuing your education through blog posts, ebooks,
webinars and regular educational seminars, which feature qualified experts to cover a variety of strata
leadership topics and answer all your questions.
— Laszlo Antal
New Development Account Manager
Associa British Columbia
June: Retrofit outdated common property.
While regular maintenance prevents major repairs, all property eventually becomes
outdated, especially when it comes to energy efficiency. When that happens with
your common property, a complete overhaul often isn't needed. Instead, work with
your maintenance partner to identify areas where you can upgrade buildings to meet
modern standards, which will extend the usefulness of the building and save money for
the community.
In any community, one of the biggest budget line items usually pertains to common area utilities (such as
electricity, gas, water and sewer). By retrofitting buildings with improvements like solar panels and electrical
system upgrades, you can save the community and residents money on utilities. If you lead a strata in B.C., this
effort can help you meet government goals to reduce energy usage.
— Laszlo Antal
New Development Account Manager
Associa British Columbia
