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Plain-language guidance on reserve fund studies, special assessments and condo finance, for boards, owners and property managers.
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BC Depreciation Report Deadlines: Missed July 1, 2026? What to Do Now, and the July 1, 2027 Deadline
The July 1, 2026 deadline for Metro Vancouver, the Fraser Valley and the Capital Regional District has passed, and stratas without a compliant depreciation report are now out of compliance. Everywhere else in BC, the deadline is July 1, 2027.
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BC Electrical Planning Report Deadline: December 31, 2026
Strata corporations with five or more lots in Metro Vancouver, the Fraser Valley and the Capital Regional District need an Electrical Planning Report by December 31, 2026.
Is an Electrical Planning Report the Same as a Depreciation Report?
No. They are two different reports, under two different requirements, with two different deadlines. BC strata corporations need both. Here is how they differ and why they are easy to confuse.
How Often Does a BC Strata Need a Depreciation Report?
At least every five years. A report older than five years does not comply, and since July 1, 2024 there is no longer a three-quarters vote to defer one.
Strata or Condo? What the Two Words Mean, and Which Report You Need
A strata corporation and a condominium corporation are the same kind of legal entity under different provincial names, and the name tells you which report the property is required to obtain.
What Does a Reserve Fund Study Cost? What Actually Drives the Price
A reserve fund study or depreciation report typically costs about $1,500 to $10,000 or more. Here is what actually moves the number, and how to get yours within seconds.
Is Your Ontario Condo's Reserve Fund Healthy? A 6-Point Check
Percent funded, the 30-year trajectory and contribution adequacy are the three numbers that tell you whether an Ontario condo's reserve fund is genuinely healthy, not just whether one exists on paper.
Is Your Alberta Condo's Reserve Fund Healthy? A 6-Point Check
A large share of Alberta condo corporations are believed to be carrying underfunded reserves. Here's how to tell whether yours is one of them, and what the Condo Act actually requires.
Condo Lending: A Third Option for Reserve Fund Shortfalls
Most boards believe there are only two ways to handle a reserve fund shortfall. There is actually a third option that many communities overlook.
The “Third Option”: Why Condo Lending Is the Smartest Financial Tool You Haven’t Used
When a condo building faces a major repair project or a shortfall in the reserve fund, most boards feel they have only two choices: delay the work or issue a special assessment.
What a Reserve Study Is and What It Isn't
A reserve study is a 30-year budget, not an engineering report. Knowing the difference is the key to reading it correctly.
Why Reserve Fees Matter and What They're Really For
Reserve fees are how owners pay for the deterioration happening while they live there, and how a building avoids special assessments.
There Was a Shortfall. What Now?
Three ways to handle a reserve fund shortfall: a special assessment, a fee increase, or a condo loan. Here's how to choose.
How to Read and Interpret Your Reserve Study
Three things to check in any reserve study (the current reserve, contributions and special assessments), plus the red flags that should prompt questions.
How myRPlanner Helps Condo Boards Prevent Special Assessments
Special assessments disrupt financial planning and erode trust. myRPlanner gives boards the data and forecasting to plan better and protect owners.
Reserve Fund Study and Depreciation Report Writer Qualifications
Who is qualified to write a reserve fund study or depreciation report? How requirements vary across Canada and the US, and what really defines a quality report.
How Are Reserve Plus & Stelor Connected?
On the surface they look like two companies. Once you see how they connect, it's clear they're part of one ecosystem modernizing reserve fund planning.
What’s an Electrical Planning Report (EPR)?
Every strata in British Columbia will need an Electrical Planning Report by the end of 2026. Here's what an EPR is and why it matters.
How Should Reserve Funds Be Invested?
Many buildings leave millions sitting idle in low-interest accounts. Here's how to invest the reserve fund safely without taking on unnecessary risk.
Changes in the BC Strata Act
In 2024 BC announced major amendments to the Strata Property Act. Here's what changed, who it affects, and why early action is key.
Tips on Avoiding Special Assessments
Many special assessments can be predicted or even avoided with the right information up front. Here's what to check in the reserve fund study.
Why Special Assessments Are a Big Risk for Condo Owners
Special assessments can cause serious financial strain, especially in the first five years after buying. Here's why, and how to avoid being blindsided.
What To Look For When Buying a Condo or Townhouse
Beyond the paint color and floor plan: condo fees, upcoming capital projects, and whether the building's budget accounts for real inflation.
How Has Inflation Impacted Reserve Fund Studies Since 2020?
Most reserve fund studies assume 3 to 4% inflation. Multifamily construction costs have risen about 12% a year since 2020, and that gap is starting to show.
The Importance of a Reserve Fund Study / Depreciation Report
A reserve fund study is your building's 30-year capital budget. Here's what it covers and why your condo corporation needs one.
Why We Built Reserve Plus: The Origin Story
Fifteen years ago, Steve Laidlaw wasn’t running a software company. He was a new condo owner in Calgary when a letter arrived.
How Reserve Fund Studies Protect Your Property Investment
A reserve fund study is a legal requirement, and it is also the plan that protects every owner's investment.
Ontario Condominium Act Updates
Ontario expanded the Condominium Authority Tribunal's jurisdiction to cover nuisances such as vibrations, odours, light, smoke and vapour.
Considerations for Loans vs. Special Assessments
When the unexpected hits, a special assessment isn't the only option. A condo loan can spread the cost over years instead of all at once.
Saving Money in Today's Economy
With condo insurance premiums at record highs, a solid reserve fund plan is the best defence against costly special assessments.
Condo Viability
Buying a condo is complex. Two easy-to-understand scores help you judge a building's condition and its ability to pay for what's coming.
Beyond Reserve Fund Studies
Reserve Plus was founded to transform the reserve fund study from a legal requirement into a living, holistic view of your building.
Protecting Condo Owners
A short interview outlining Reserve Plus's pledge to protect condo owners from financial ruin.
Calgary's Next Economy: Reserve Plus Tools Helping Manage Condominium Capital Finances
LiveWire Calgary interviewed founder Steve Laidlaw about how Reserve Plus tools help condo boards manage capital finances.
myRPlanner: Reserve Fund Plans
A reserve fund plan turns your study into a living five-year forecast. Here's what it is and how myRPlanner generates it.
What is myRPlanner?
myRPlanner turns any traditional reserve fund study into a dynamic environment you can update to reflect your property's real state.
Reserve Plus: An Introduction
A quick introduction to Reserve Plus and our approach to reserve fund studies and management.
myRPlanner: A Foolproof Approach to Reserve Fund Management with Magnum York
Reserve Plus and Magnum York walk through a foolproof approach to reserve fund management with myRPlanner.
Insurance Deductible Changes Under the Condominium Act
A 2020 change to the Alberta Condominium Act lets condo corporations recover a portion of their insurance deductible, up to $50,000.
Who Can Write a Reserve Fund Study?
As of January 2020, Alberta defined exactly who is qualified to author a reserve fund study.
Consequences of a Poor or Out-of-Date Reserve Fund Study
An out-of-date study can mean unrealistic budgets, insufficient funds, special assessments, and a hit to property value.
Relief Programs to Help Condo Boards Manage Funds
A pandemic-era Alberta provision allowed boards to temporarily transfer reserve funds to the operating fund under specific emergency conditions.
Why You Need a Depreciation Report or Reserve Fund Study
Asset protection, lower operating costs and legal compliance are the reasons every strata and condo needs a current study.
The Benefits of a New Depreciation Report
Deferring a new report to keep costs low is a false economy that leaves owners exposed to special levies.
COVID-19 and the Housing Market in Western Canada
An April 2020 snapshot of how the early pandemic shutdown affected housing sales and listings across Alberta and BC.
Reserve Fund Study & Depreciation Report Provincial Laws
Every province governs reserve fund studies differently. Here's the cadence and horizon for Alberta, Ontario, BC and Saskatchewan.
Alberta Condominium Property Act: 2019 Revisions
The 2019 revisions defined who can write a study, extended the horizon from 25 to 30 years, and set required study methods.
The True Functions of a Reserve Fund Study
A reserve fund study is not an annual to-do list. Here are three ways it's commonly misinterpreted, and why frequent updates matter.
Reserve Plus Expands to Offer Services Across Alberta
In 2019 Reserve Plus extended reserve fund study services to cities across Alberta after a year of technology improvements.
Condominium Bylaws and Rules
Bylaws govern how a condo corporation runs. Here's what they typically cover and why enforcement matters.