AGM 2026, Part 3: Special Resolutions and Budget

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This is an ongoing series about Copperstone AGM 2026. Some parts will be information, some will be opinion. Opinion pieces will be categorized as such and only reflect the views of me, not council, or anyone else at Copperstone.

OPINION

This is an opinion piece where I will recommend whether to vote YES or NO for the budget and the special resolutions owners will vote on.

The budget requires a majority vote to pass (50% +1), most (but not all) special resolutions require 75% to pass.

Budget

How to vote: YES

The treasurer has looked over the line items and checked invoices, and it looks like everything is in order. I was expecting to see Sewer and Water split into separate line items, as they are different services that have different schedules for payment (sewer is annual, water is monthly). I’m not sure why this was not done. In general, we need more transparency in the budgets presented.

I don’t believe voting down the budget will accomplish anything that couldn’t be handled better through other means.

Special Resolutions

There are five special resolutions owners will be voting on.

SPECIAL RESOLUTION #1 – ¾ Vote – CANCELLING THE PARKADE LIGHT PROJECT

How to vote: YES

As with most of the special resolutions presented, the explanation for them is often lacking.

In this case, the previous council asked for $35,000 to upgrade lighting in the underground parking. Owners approved this and over the next year, the council did nothing on the project, spending none of the allocated funds. They then went to the owners the next year to ask for another $20,000, which was rejected (and rightly so). Voting YES here just returns the original $35,000 to the CRF. Future councils will still replace old bulbs in the underground parking with LED bulbs on an as-needed basis, just not as part of one massive project.

SPECIAL RESOLUTION #2 – ¾ Vote – FUNDING PHASE 2 (TWO) OF THE MEMBRANE PROJECT

How to vote: NO

The logic on this is bananas. I seriously do not understand how a majority of council thought this was a good idea (two council members were opposed. I will update this if they are comfortable revealing their names).

That $700,000 levy council is asking for averages to about $3,000 per owner. If you want to throw away $3,000, please contact me, I can find ways to help you.

A few years ago Copperstone was awarded a settlement of $3.5 million for a defective membrane installation when the complex was built. The settlement was intended to pay for replacement of the faulty membrane, not to be treated as a slush fund for whatever other major projects council might decide to pursue in the future. There is no reason to have owners contribute to this—there are sufficient funds to pay for Phase 2 in its entirely (the CRF has over $4.5 million in it). The CRF, in the meantime, is topped up every year by over $100,000 (this is mandated by provincial law). It’s not going to be emptied by Phase 2.

It makes no sense to apply a levy now. If a levy is needed for a future project, then council can consider it then—in the future. We have the money now for Phase 2, it should be used in the way it was intended.

What happens if owners vote no? Council will need to go to the owners (likely via SGM) to ask for the money again, hopefully in a way that makes more sense.

SPECIAL RESOLUTION #3 – ¾ Vote – FUNDING THE ENTERPHONE PROJECT FROM THE CONTINGENCY RESERVE FUND (CRF)

How to vote: YES

The enterphone system stinks. It is unreliable and in dire need of replacement. This is a no-brainer.

SPECIAL RESOLUTION #4 – Majority Vote – FUNDING THE DEPRECIATION REPORT (DR) FROM THE CONTINGENCY RESERVE FUND (CRF)

How to vote: YES

The Depreciation Report is mandatory by provincial law, so it is essential that this gets passed. There is no reason to vote no. This is also a majority vote, not a 75% one.

SPECIAL RESOLUTION #5 – ¾ Vote – BYLAW AMENDMENTS

How to vote: NO

During the previous council term, the council agreed to create an owners’ committee to update existing patio bylaws, to better reflect patio usage by residents, while still disallowing obviously dangerous items, etc.

The current council picked up on the committee, but after some initial work, it saw little movement as the Vice President worked on other priorities. Before the committee could reconvene, one of the owners presented their version of the bylaw to council and said it should be accepted as is.

It was then lightly modified by another member of council—who was not on the committee—and went forward as a special resolution, with no real feedback.

It is a convoluted mess, produced and vetted by people who do not seem to understand how bylaws are written. It contains sections of enforcement that are completely redundant (all bylaws are enforced the same way, it’s not necessary to spell it out in individual bylaws), it adds new restrictions that go against the entire purpose of the revision and generally would be harder to enforce because of how often it gets into weirdly precise specifics. It also contradicts existing bylaws, forcing them to also be reworked.

I think it’s important to revise the current patio bylaw, but not like this. A new council should continue to not enforce the current bylaw (except in cases of dangerous/flammable material) and work on something better to present to owners.

Below I have included the text of what VP Jeff presented as a counter to the resolution owners will be voting on. It’s much simpler, easier to enforce and does only what is needed.

Council rejected it.

Reminder: The bylaw proposal below is NOT what owners are voting on. The full, long-winded text of the proposed bylaw in the special resolution can be found at the end of the AGM package delivered to owners.

Proposed patio bylaw revision by VP Jeff

Patios may be used in accordance with the following:

• Storage is permitted. Items must be kept in non-flammable containers in good condition.
• Items on a patio that is not on the ground floor must not exceed reasonable weight limits.
• Flammable materials, including but not limited to solvents, oily rags, etc. are prohibited. Propane tanks for gas barbecues are permitted.
• All hazardous or dangerous items are prohibited.
• Any floor material, screens, trellises or similar items must be non-permanent and not use nails, screws or anything else that would penetrate the building structure.
• Permanent enclosures or structural additions must be approved by the strata council.

Feel free to discuss this on the (very quiet) forum!

Water pooling at 240: An update (March 24)

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Here’s an update on the issue of water pooling during heavy rain in front of the 240 building, first covered here.

A pipe to nowhere

Council VP Jeff did more exploratory work in the area and uncovered some interesting things.

The first is a small pipe that goes from underneath the north planter in front of the building entrance to…nowhere.

It was apparently intended to feed into the drain shown in the shot below, but as you can see, it doesn’t line up with the drain at all (the other pipe partly exposed is tied to the irrigation system).

A pipe that doesn’t actually connect to the drain.

At its starting point, the pipe is not connected to anything and was 100% clogged full of dirt. Since this pipe is normally buried and does not connect to anything, it would have been impossible to keep it from clogging as designed.

The pipe ends somewhere in the narrow gap in the Allan blocks.

The solution: Giving the pipe a purpose

The solution to this was the following:

  • Install a larger piece of PVC pipe
  • Connect the PVC pipe to the drain
  • Extend the PVC pipe under the planter and connect it to a curved piece of PVC pipe that can collect and direct the water to the drain
Step 1: Connect larger PVC pipe directly to the drain
Step 2: Direct the new PVC pipe through the planter and out to the other side
Step 3: Cap off the pipe before drilling holes and applying river stone
Step 4: The cap now has holes to allow water entry. River stone has been placed around the cap to allow water into the new PVC pipe

The other side: Strange connections

The pipe on the north side had additional holes drilled into it and was also capped off similar to the south planter. The area will be filled with river stone when complete.

River stone will be added.

The configuration of the above pipe is rather odd:

  • The end that points to the courtyard quickly dead-ends
  • The other end appears to run to the edge of the building, where it turns up and connects to a down spout. This means that water coming down the down spout will exit out onto the area in front of the 240 building–not ideal. Jeff thinks there may be a T-pipe that is buried under the planter that is intended to direct the water to the underground parking drainage. If this is the case, that T-pipe is likely plugged (and there is no way to access it without digging).

Generally, the construction of the pipes and drains in front of the 240 building was done in a haphazard manner. Drains should not be in the planters at all and obviously all pipes should connect, not just dead end. Jeff’s fixes should provide adequate relief when heavy rains occur, until proper drains and pipes can be installed as part of Phase 2 of the membrane replacement project.

The north planter, all tidied up and ready for the next big storm.

AGM 2026, Part 2: Running for council

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This is an ongoing series about Copperstone AGM 2026. Some parts will be information, some will be opinion. Opinion pieces will be categorized as such and only reflect the views of me, not council, or anyone else at Copperstone.

A strata council can have 3–7 members on it, per BC government regulation. Copperstone has had a full 7-member council for a few years now and usually one or two spots open up as some council members choose to not stand for re-election.

That is likely to happen again this year (though I do not have any knowledge of who may or may not be running again).

I want to encourage owners to run for council—but only if you can bring something to the table.

What Copperstone needs from council

If you’re thinking of running for council, here’s a short list of what is needed:

  • Building and property maintenance knowledge and experience
  • Finance and budget skills
  • Organizational, communication and research skills
  • Time and resource management skills
  • A basic understanding of how strata corporations operate
  • Familiarity with the Strata Property Act and other regulations
  • Familiarity with Copperstone’s bylaws and rules
  • Familiarity with strata resources, like the CHOA (Condominium Home Owners Association)
  • Being able to work as part of a group and respecting different points of view
  • A commitment to all residents of Copperstone

There are four officer roles that must be filled, chosen by council after election:

  • President
  • Vice President
  • Treasurer
  • Secretary

This CHOA PDF details what each role is expected to do: The Roles and Responsibilities of Strata Council

This is a lot to know or understand before you make the decision to run for council, but it’s important, as you will otherwise spend time trying to “learn on the job.” It’s better to come in with at least some preparation.

What Copperstone DOESN’T need

Here are some reasons to NOT run for council:

  • You think it will be easy (it’s hard work and very time-consuming)
  • You think it’s just going to be some monthly meetings and voting on a few items
  • You want to see the finances in order to determine if you should stay or sell
  • You want to push through personal projects or your own agenda, regardless of how it might affect others
  • You want to enforce the rules over everything else. Council is not meant to be “strata police”–rules can be imperfect or become obsolete and council members need to adapt and evaluate how best (or whether) to apply them.
  • Conversely, you ignore rules, including informal ones set by council regarding its own actions. There’s a difference between being an independent thinker and wilfully acting against what everyone has agreed on.
  • You are unprepared to commit the required time (which is significant), especially over the full 12 months
  • You don’t work well with others
  • You are rigid and inflexible in your thinking
  • You expect others to provide you answers without having to do any of your own work

If you want to run for council at the AGM

If you think you’d be a good fit for council, here’s what you need to do:

  • Be an owner at Copperstone in good standing
  • Show up and register at the AGM. It’s on March 31, 2026 at 7 p.m. at Sapperton Community Hall, 318 Keary St., New Westminster.
  • Volunteer yourself or have someone nominate you when the call is made for nominations for council near the end of the AGM
  • Be prepared to offer a short speech to the owners on what you will offer to Copperstone as a council member

On the last point, here’s what NOT to do:

  • Offer empty platitudes like “I’ll work hard” or “I have plenty of free time”. These don’t mean anything, anyone can make generic promises.

Instead, offer this:

  • Tangible examples of skills or experience you can bring to council
  • Your vision for Copperstone as a community

Good luck to all who run!

Litter pick-up update

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This is just a quick post to note that the Category on this blog known as Butt Patrol is now Litter pick-up. The “butt” in Butt Patrol referred to cigarette butts and the category name amused me, however “Butt Patrol” always had the potential to lead to…awkward confusion, hence the name change.

And here’s a bucket of the stuff I picked up today. When I do a litter pick-up, this is what I usually cover (and did cover today):

  • The central courtyard and visitor parking lot
  • The sidewalks on the property
  • The sidewalks and grassy areas adjacent to the property on Allen Street and Sherbrooke Street
  • The hospital bike/pedestrian lane west of the property
  • The stairs leading down to Allen Street
  • The area in front of the 244 underground parking

I usually go out 2–3 times per week.

Here is what I got today:

Cigarette butts, scraps of paper and packaging are most of the litter.

Here’s the area I normally cover, shaded on a shot from Google Maps.

Green: Covered every time
Yellow: Covered less often

Less frequently, I will do the entire Heritage Courtyard and the lawn behind the 240 building and easement facing Brunette Avenue.

Water pooling issue at Building 240

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The problem with atmospheric rivers

Earlier this winter, as water pooled outside the entrance to the 240 building, council opted to rent a pump to help drain away the excess water to avoid the possibility of it reaching the building.

With the current “atmospheric river event” in full swing today, water again began pooling outside the entrance of 240. I notified the council VP (disclaimer: The council VP is also my partner, so I’m allowed 24/7 access, heh) and he directed me to do two things (he was at work and not able to directly assist):

  • Use a mattock to dig around a small perforated pipe adjacent to the right planter outside 240 (as you look toward the building). This would provide some flow for the water and prevent flooding.
  • Purchase a pump similar to the one used in the previous water pooling, so council would always have one on hand in the event of an emergency.

I went to Princess Auto on foot and let me tell you, some of the puddles I encountered were big enough that the vehicles plowing through them were kicking up waves the size of a small house. It wouldn’t have mattered much in terms of getting wet, because the rain was continuous all day, just varying in intensity. I got thoroughly soaked, but got the pump!

I checked on the water level after returning and digging around the perforated pipe had allowed enough water to drain away to allow direct access to the building entrance, rather than having to approach from the sides to avoid the mega-puddle.

The pump was set up and in a short time it drained away the rest of the water. Council will continue to monitor the water levels tomorrow as the atmospheric river winds down.

I’ll talk a bit about a permanent solution to the issue below (and why it’s happening).

Some photos:

The water level as I initially encountered it.
The perforated pipe after I dug out the dirt and gravel around it. It was originally completely submerged under water.
The pump shortly after being set up.
Approximately 15 minutes later, the water is pretty much drained away (and yes, the pump was moved, to allow optimal pumping to continue).

Why is this happening?

The 240 and 244 buildings both suffer the same issue–inadequate drainage. The 240 building, in particular, has no real drains at all around the entrance, so when we get a very intense amount of rain in a short period of time, it starts pooling up.

The same thing has happened with the 244 building. I took to referring to the giant puddle that would form in front of the entrance as “Lake Copperstone.” Previous councils apparently talked about looking into doing something about this, but nothing ever happened. Council VP Jeff took it upon himself to provide better drainage for the 244 entrance on his own, before he was on council, and now pooling is much less severe there than it used to be. But the main problem remains: When there’s a lot of water in a short span of time, it has nowhere to go.

Outside the 244 building, same day. Water pooling is much less here.

What’s the long-term solution?

Phase 2 of the membrane project should provide a permanent fix to this. As with Phase 1, new drains will be added in areas where it makes sense. For the water pooling issue, the ideal location of new drains will be between the planters in front of both buildings, with the paving stones gently sloping toward the drains to allow the water to naturally flow into them and away from the entrances. This work will be relatively easy to facilitate, because the affected areas will be open/exposed due to the Phase 2 construction. I do not know of an ETA on Phase 2, but it will likely happen as soon as it is feasible.

Crack repairs in the underground parking, March 16-19, 2026

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UPDATE: This post originally stated the work would be complete on March 18. It has been corrected to Thursday, March 19.

I’m a bit late on posting this, but several people have asked about it, so here is the update:

Crack repairs related to Phase 1 of the membrane project are currently taking place in the underground parking below the 244 building. A large area has been cordoned off and plastic sheets have been put up to contain dust and debris while the concrete slab is drilled. When drilling is complete, the crack will be filled with a concrete-like mixture that will prevent leaks from above.

The work should be completed on Thursday, March 19. Owners who had vehicles in the affected area were notified, I am not sure why a general notice of work was not made to all residents.

You can just see some of the plastic sheeting on the left side of the photo below, which shows the contractor’s vehicle.

The original crack was sealed from above with Kryton Krystol but was not covered in plastic and never cured properly. Rather than fixing it, Prostar and Strata Engineering opted to continue with work on the membrane installation, thus requiring the more expensive repair from below.

Here is a shot of the crack a few days after it was filled with the Kryton Krystol, from November 14, 2025. Most of the crack is submerged under rain water and the repair material is already breaking away.