April 2025
It would be helpful to have a detailed article on hybrid AGMs. Our condominium manager says it’s impossible to organize a hybrid meeting, but the virtual meeting has drawbacks. I understand that hybrid AGMs make life simple for the Board and the condominium manager.
- In our system, there is a way to note if a resident has a proxy but no way to indicate who holds that proxy, so by default, the Board votes the proxy, which is really bad policy.
- The lack of face to face connection using the chat function or the Q&A in a hybrid AGM interface is awkward.
- People will sign up to count as quorum and vote but not attend, so the usual interaction between residents is absent.
Thanks for your attention to this.
C. D.
Response from Toronto Condo News
Toronto Condo News has published many articles on hybrid Annual General Meetings (AGMs). In the Condo Archives, we have consolidated these articles under the category Technologies for Communities – Electronic Voting and Virtual Meetings and Condo Boards, Communications & Community –Meetings & Elections. In these articles we have addressed all the concerns you have identified and more, so let me address your specific comments briefly.
It is certainly possible to organize hybrid AGMs regardless of what your condominium manager may state. As you have stated, some condo boards prefer virtual meetings for their convenience rather than having to meet directly with owners. This is not an approach we support.
Your comment about knowing who holds a proxy is confusing. A proper proxy form identifies who holds a proxy and on whose behalf. During an AGM, it is necessary to ensure an owner does not vote and have someone vote on their behalf with a proxy. Furthermore, the “Board” has no authority to vote a proxy. The proxy is given to an individual of choice by someone authorized to vote at the AGM.
The board does decide how to run meetings. If their approach to handling questions from virtual attendees is awkward, it is within their control to develop a better approach.
The Condo Act was recently revised to allow individuals to vote but not attend an AGM and still count as quorum. While some disapprove of this approach, it is allowable regardless of how it impacts on interaction between residents.
I encourage you to avail yourself of articles in the Condo Archives which present practices for in person, virtual and hybrid meetings.
Best of luck.
