Amendments To The Societies Act

On October 28, 2021,  Bill 19 – 2021: Societies Amendment Act, 2021 ("Bill 19") received royal assent in British Columbia, introducing amendments to the Societies Act (British Columbia) (the "Act"). This post outlines some of the notable changes.

As at the date of this post, many of the amendments are not yet in force and will come into effect by regulation. The government of British Columbia has indicated that it will provide a notice period for upcoming changes.

Directors and Senior Managers

Bill 19 introduces the following changes in respect of a society's directors or senior managers:

• Default Term: The default term for any director of a society will end at the close of the society's next annual general meeting. This will apply even if the society's bylaws do not specify when a director's term ends. If a society wishes to have a different term length for its directors, it must be provided for in the society's bylaws.