What BC strata law requires on pest management
The Strata Property Act (SPA) and its regulations establish that strata corporations are responsible for maintaining common property — which includes the building envelope, common corridors, parkades, amenity rooms, and mechanical rooms — in a condition consistent with its use. Courts in BC have found that failure to address recurring pest infestations in common areas, when the strata corporation had notice of the problem, can constitute a breach of the strata corporation's maintenance duty. This is most relevant for recurring rodent issues in parkades, bed bug issues in common corridors, and cockroach or carpenter ant infestations originating in common-property mechanical and utility rooms.
Importantly, the SPA also requires strata corporations to maintain depreciation reports and contingency reserve funds for anticipated significant maintenance costs. While pest control does not typically qualify as a depreciation report item, a strata corporation with a known recurring pest problem should account for it in annual operating budget estimates and disclose it to purchasers through Form B (Information Certificate).
Seasonal pest issues by building type — pre-AGM checklist
- Rodent activity in parkades: the highest-volume common-property rodent complaint in Metro Vancouver strata buildings. Parkade rodent ingress peaks October–November and requires both exclusion of the parkade envelope and interior bait station management. Pre-AGM, confirm whether a current rodent contract is active and whether the parkade perimeter inspection is documented.
- Bed bugs in common corridors: bed bugs spread between strata units through shared walls, corridor carpet, and elevator lobbies. Pre-AGM, confirm whether any bed bug notifications were received from units in the prior year and whether the strata response protocol was followed.
- Carpenter ants in common-property wood structure: older strata buildings with wood-frame common areas may have carpenter ant activity in common-property structural elements. Pre-AGM, confirm whether a moisture audit of any known ant-active common area has been completed.
- Wasp nests on common property: eave nests above common entrances, ground nests in landscaped areas, and wall-void nests accessible from common areas are strata corporation responsibilities. Pre-AGM, confirm summer wasp removal records.
- Garden-area rodent pressure: strata landscaping and communal garden areas attract rodents and contribute to building-perimeter pressure. Pre-AGM, review whether compost management and garden-area food-attractant protocols are in place.
Unit owner vs strata: who is responsible for what
The unit-owner/strata-corporation responsibility split for pest management is the source of most strata pest disputes. The general principle under BC strata law: common property pest issues are the strata corporation's responsibility; strata-lot interior pest issues are the unit owner's responsibility. The practical application requires judgment about where the infestation originated.
| Pest situation | Typical responsibility | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Rodents in parkade | Strata corporation | Common property |
| Rodents entering unit from building envelope gap | Strata corporation | Building envelope is common property |
| Rodents from unit interior (introduced food) | Unit owner | Interior of strata lot |
| Bed bugs in unit (tenant-introduced) | Unit owner / landlord | Interior of strata lot |
| Bed bugs spreading via common corridor | Strata corporation (corridor) + investigation | Document spread pathway |
| Wasp nest on exterior soffit above unit | Strata corporation | Building envelope is common property |
| Carpenter ants in common-property framing | Strata corporation | Common property structure |
| Carpenter ants in unit interior only | Unit owner | If no common-property moisture source identified |
Building the pre-AGM pest management documentation package
- Collect all pest control service records from the prior calendar year — technician reports, invoices, and any treatment maps.
- Summarise any unresolved ongoing issues in plain language — council members and owners deserve clear status, not technical jargon.
- Confirm whether existing pest control contracts renew automatically and at what cost — include in the operating budget line item review.
- Document any complaints received from unit owners about common-area pests and the response taken for each.
- If any known ongoing infestation exists, prepare a brief status and action plan for disclosure at the AGM.
- Review whether the strata's pest management budget line is adequate for the coming year based on prior year actuals.