The Five People You (May) Meet In AGM Hell

Annual General Meetings ("AGMs") should be an opportunity for the board and owners to attend to mandatory business required by the Condominium Act such as the appointment of the auditor and the election of directors, to communicate about and consider the previous year, and to discuss the corporation's future.

Normally, AGMs run smoothly. Business is taken care of according to the agenda, the Board effectively communicates with the unit owners, and the unit owners ask well-considered questions and make constructive comments.

Every once in a while, however, an AGM goes less than smoothly. The reasons for this can be manifold, but it is usually some combination of poor communication by the board and management, and overly-suspicious owners with ulterior motives and often arising in the crucible of a looming major project or other financial strain on the corporation's finances. The challenge for the AGM chairperson is to control the meeting process, follow through