ACMO Blog

Outdoor Annual General Meetings

“Our need will be the real creator”- Plato.

They say that necessity is the mother of invention. It’s the need or problem that encourages creative efforts to meet the need or solve the problem.    

During the COVID-19 pandemic and restrictions of public gatherings, condo corporations have had to postpone or conduct virtual annual general meetings.  But what happens when a virtual AGM is not possible, and regulations change resuming the meeting deadlines?  Condominium managers get creative. 

Robert Weinberg, President and CEO of Percel Inc., shared with ACMO how a 138-suite luxury condominium community in King City held its first outdoor AGM.   

This corporation has a 93% owner-occupancy, and the demographics were such that all owners are in the “Senior” age group. Only 70% of the owners had access to a computer, leaving about 30% unable to join the AGM using electronic means.

The corporation decided that an online virtual meeting and choose to have an in-person meeting outside in their courtyard.

For safety, it was decided that all voting must take place by proxy. The proxy was sent out with all details for voting listed and a description of each item on a cover letter.

All owners were advised there would be no Q&A.  If any owner had a question on the financial audit or any other issues, they were to submit them in writing one week prior to the meeting.  All questions were answered by the Board and management in advance and were made available in writing to the owners.

The meeting was organized such that only one person per unit was permitted to attend in-person on the “ground.”  For units facing the interior courtyard, the owners were advised to only participate from the comfort of their balcony.

Fifty-eight chairs were placed on the lower courtyard and 18 on the upper terrace – all 2-metres apart in all directions. The head table consisted of multiple tables that were spaced 2-metres apart, and only two persons were allowed per table at opposite ends. A speaker system with multiple microphones allowed head table participants to deliver their speeches. There was also a lectern for the President to chair the meeting. 

All motions were made from the floor; however, 102 proxies were received by the Board 2-days previously, so all votes were already known.

Luckily the weather co-operated, and the meeting was a resounding success.