The building by-laws or—failing that—the Civil Code of Quebec determine the methods for electing the members of a condominium council.
The council’s mission is to manage the affairs of the condo syndicate. Although this is rarely the case in practice, the administrators can be compensated in the form of a salary, honoraria, or attendance fees and be reimbursed for the expenses incurred for the condominium.
In certain condominiums, there are management positions on the council, including that of the president, who is appointed or elected from among its members.
Here are the main aspects of the role of the president of a condo syndicate council.
They prepare and preside over the council meetings
Generally speaking, the president of the council sets the agendas for the council meetings in collaboration with the secretary by including the questions that the other administrators wish to debate. The president also sends the items on the agenda to all the administrators, along with the relevant documentation and the draft resolutions, which will allow them to make informed decisions.
Naturally, the president also leads the council meetings and oversees their smooth progress, in particular by ensuring that the speeches from the administrators remain relevant and respectful.
However, despite their title, the president doesn’t have more decision-making weight than the other members of the council, because they only have one vote, except in the case of a tie vote, in which case they may have a deciding vote if the provisions of the building by-laws provide for this.
Likewise, they cannot commit the condominium to anything without the prior agreement of the council, since this decision must be made by a majority vote.
They present the report on the management of the council at the general meeting
The president of the council presents the annual report on the management of the council to the co-owners during the general meeting. At this time, they also explain the actions planned for the coming years for the condominium, in particular the multi-year work plan, if it exists.
They are also responsible for leading a team effort on the new by-laws within the council and then getting them adopted during the general meetings of co-owners, usually with the help of the syndicate secretary.
Although the secretary signs the minutes of the council meetings, the president is often called upon to sign them as well for the purposes of verification and accuracy.
The president of the syndicate council: the key person in the condominium
The president of the council constantly acts as the link between the various bodies of the condominium and third parties.
Within the council, they must also ensure proper cohesion between the members in order to guarantee that the condominium runs smoothly.
The president is also responsible for enforcing the Declaration of Co-Ownership; in particular, they intervene with the co-owners or occupants of the building who are not complying with its provisions.
In addition to their specific roles, as an administrator appointed by the general meeting of co-owners, the president of the council in a condominium must also deal with all the tasks that fall to them as such. In particular, they must participate in making decisions regarding the priorities and directions of the condominium in order to ensure proper maintenance, efficient management of the administration of the common areas, and the preservation of the building.