July 2020
How effective is your Annual General Meeting (AGM)? That depends on who chairs, or runs, the meeting.
An AGM can be a forum for the productive exchange of information. It can also serve the most basic of legal requirements while failing to engage owners in a productive exchange of information.
Many condo boards choose to chair their own AGM. Perhaps the meeting is considered unimportant and only serving to fulfill legal obligations. Saving money may play a role. Or having control of the meeting is a way to control the agenda, avoid contentious topics and avoid disclosing possibly relevant information.
It can be more effective to have someone experienced in chairing meetings – possibly the condo corporation’s legal counsel – to serve as chair. Having an experienced and unbiased individual in this role, someone who understands condo governance and how to chair the meeting, creates confidence among owners that their corporation is well-managed. Condo boards improve their credibility with owners who may be distrustful of the board or management, or actions endorsed by them.
