Air Conditioning in a BC Condo: What the Strata Has to Approve

Fraser Valley summers have made air conditioning a normal thing for a condo buyer to want. Adding it to a strata unit is less simple than adding it to a house, because the walls and windows you would mount it on are usually not yours.

Where your strata lot ends

This is the fact the whole topic rests on.

In most BC stratas, the exterior walls and the windows are common property rather than part of your strata lot. The strata plan is what defines the boundary, and our common property and limited common property guide covers the distinction between the categories.

So a window unit or a wall-mounted head is not a modification to your home. It is a modification to property the strata corporation holds on behalf of everyone.

What the bylaws require

Under BC's Standard Bylaws, an owner must not alter common property or limited common property without the written approval of the strata corporation. The strata may also require the owner to agree in writing to take responsibility for expenses relating to the alteration.

That written agreement is often called an alteration agreement. It is the document that says the equipment is yours, the consequences are yours, and the strata is not inheriting a maintenance obligation.

Bylaws can be amended, so the Standard Bylaws are the starting point rather than the final word. Our bylaws versus rules guide covers the difference and why it matters, and the Government of BC's bylaws and rules page explains the framework.

When a vote of the owners is needed

Written council approval is one level. A vote is another.

Under the Strata Property Act, section 71, a change to common property that results in a significant change in use or appearance requires a resolution passed by a 3/4 vote at an annual or special general meeting. The Act defines a 3/4 vote as a vote in favour by at least 3/4 of the votes cast by eligible voters present in person or by proxy who have not abstained.

Whether a visible condenser on a balcony or an exterior wall counts as a significant change in appearance is exactly the kind of question stratas argue about. What matters for a buyer is that the answer may not be the council's to give alone. Our AGM and SGM guide covers how those meetings run and when they happen.

A portable unit is a different question

A portable unit sitting on the floor inside your strata lot raises fewer issues, because you are not altering anything.

The complication is venting. Most portable units need to exhaust hot air, and that hose has to go somewhere. Out a window is the usual answer, and a window is generally common property. Some bylaws address this directly. Some do not, and then it depends on whether anyone objects to the appearance.

Read the bylaws. If the building has a policy, it will usually be there or in the minutes.

Electrical capacity is the other constraint

Cooling draws power, and a condo's electrical service is finite.

Whether the existing service accommodates a new system is a question for a licensed electrician, not for an assumption. Our electrical panel guide covers how service capacity works and why it limits what you can add, and the baseboard versus heat pump guide covers the heating side of the same problem.

Remember too that strata owners cannot obtain homeowner electrical permits in BC. Work goes through a licensed contractor.

What to check before you buy

If cooling is part of why you want a particular unit, do three things during your subject period.

Read the bylaws for any provision on alterations, air conditioning, or exterior appearance. Read the council minutes for the last couple of years and look for any discussion or policy. Then look at the building from the outside. If no unit has visible equipment, it may be because nobody asked, or it may be because somebody asked and was told no.

We have watched a buyer plan around adding cooling to a top-floor unit and find out afterwards that the strata had declined a previous request. The unit was still a good home. The plan had to change, and finding that out before subject removal would have been easier.

If a unit is already installed

Ask for the paperwork.

An existing system should have written strata approval and, where the strata required one, an alteration agreement. Without those, you may be inheriting an unapproved alteration, and a strata can require it to be removed or brought into compliance. Our renovating a condo guide covers the approval process from the owner's side.

This is a specific question to raise during your subject period, alongside the rest of the strata document review.

We are agents rather than lawyers or electricians, and none of this is legal or technical advice. Your lawyer or notary, the strata corporation, and a licensed electrician are the right sources for a specific unit.

Key takeaways

• Exterior walls and windows are usually common property, so most permanent cooling installations alter property you do not own.
• Under the Standard Bylaws an owner must not alter common property without the written approval of the strata corporation.
• A change resulting in a significant change in use or appearance of common property requires a 3/4 vote under section 71 of the Strata Property Act.
• Electrical capacity is a separate constraint, and strata owners cannot use homeowner electrical permits in BC.
• Ask for written approval and any alteration agreement on equipment that is already installed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need strata approval to install air conditioning?

If the installation touches common property, which most permanent systems do, then yes, you need written strata approval before you proceed. In most BC stratas, exterior walls and windows are common property rather than part of your strata lot, so a window unit or a wall-mounted head is a modification to property the strata corporation holds on behalf of everyone. Under the Standard Bylaws, an owner must not alter common property or limited common property without the written approval of the strata corporation, and the strata may also require an alteration agreement as a condition of that approval.

What about a portable unit that sits on the floor?

A portable unit sitting on the floor inside your strata lot raises fewer issues, because you are not altering anything the strata corporation owns. The complication is venting, since most portable units need to exhaust hot air and that hose has to go somewhere, usually out a window. In most stratas a window is common property, so venting through it is where the strata's rules start to apply. Some bylaws address this directly and some do not, so read the bylaws and the minutes for the building's specific policy before you buy a portable unit.

What is a significant change in use or appearance?

Under section 71 of the Strata Property Act, a change to common property that results in a significant change in use or appearance requires a resolution passed by a 3/4 vote at an annual or special general meeting, in addition to council approval. A 3/4 vote means a vote in favour by at least 3/4 of the votes cast by eligible voters present in person or by proxy who have not abstained. Whether a visible condenser on a balcony counts as a significant change in appearance is a question stratas often dispute, and the owners' vote may decide it.

Is a window unit treated differently from a wall-mounted unit?

Both typically involve common property in the same way, because windows and exterior walls are usually common property rather than part of your strata lot, not something you own outright as part of your unit. Neither a window unit nor a wall-mounted head is a modification you can make on your own authority. Both need written strata approval under the Standard Bylaws, and depending on the building, a wall-mounted unit that changes the exterior's appearance may also trigger the 3/4 vote required for a significant change to common property. Read the strata plan and current bylaws rather than assuming either type is exempt.

What is an alteration agreement?

An alteration agreement is a written agreement where the owner takes responsibility for an approved alteration to common property, including future expenses relating to it. The Standard Bylaws contemplate the strata requiring one as a condition of approving air conditioning or another modification, so the equipment is clearly the owner's responsibility rather than something the strata inherits as a maintenance obligation. If you are buying a unit with an existing air conditioning system, ask for both the written strata approval and any alteration agreement that was put in place, since their absence means you may be inheriting an unapproved alteration.

Can the strata say no?

Yes. A strata can decline a request outright or attach conditions, such as requiring an alteration agreement. Know this before you buy a top-floor unit planning to add cooling later, since a building that looks like a good candidate for air conditioning may have already refused a previous owner. Check the bylaws, the council minutes for any air conditioning discussion or policy, and whether existing units in the building show visible equipment before you commit to a purchase plan that depends on an approval you have not confirmed.

What should I check before buying?

If cooling is part of why you want a particular unit, check three things during your subject period. Read the bylaws for any provision on alterations, air conditioning, or exterior appearance. Read the council minutes for the last couple of years and look for any discussion or existing policy on the topic. Then look at the building from the outside, since a building where no unit has visible equipment may mean nobody has asked, or it may mean somebody asked already and the strata said no. We have seen a buyer plan around adding cooling to a top-floor unit and find out afterward the strata had already declined the request.

Does the electrical capacity matter?

Yes, a cooling system draws power, and a condo's electrical service is finite, so whether the existing service can accommodate a new air conditioning unit or heat pump is a real constraint rather than a detail. That question belongs to a licensed electrician, not an assumption based on the unit's age or the building's reputation. Remember too that strata owners cannot obtain homeowner electrical permits in BC, so any electrical work involved in adding cooling has to go through a licensed contractor. Confirm capacity before you commit to a purchase plan built around adding air conditioning after closing.

What happens if a previous owner installed one without approval?

If an existing air conditioning system does not have written strata approval and, where required, an alteration agreement, you may be inheriting an unapproved alteration when you buy the unit. A strata corporation can require an unapproved alteration to be removed or brought into compliance, which could mean removing equipment you were counting on or paying to formalize its approval after the fact. Ask the seller for the paperwork on any installed system, and raise the question directly with the strata during your subject period, alongside the rest of your document review, before you remove subjects and take on that risk.

Is a heat pump treated the same way?

Yes, a heat pump that provides cooling involves the same common property questions as a standalone air conditioning unit, since the outdoor component typically mounts on an exterior wall or balcony that is common property. It also adds the electrical capacity question, since a condo's electrical service is finite and a heat pump draws meaningful power. The approval path is the same one either way: check the bylaws first, then seek written strata approval, and be prepared for a 3/4 vote if the installation results in a significant change to the building's appearance.

Sources

• Strata Property Act, BC Laws
• Strata bylaws and rules explained, Government of British Columbia

Verified September 12, 2026. General information only, not legal or technical advice. Bylaws vary by strata. Consult the strata corporation, your lawyer or notary, and a licensed electrician.

Related FRIVE guides

• Renovating a condo or townhouse, the approval process
• Bylaws vs rules, which one binds you and how it changes
• Electrical panel and capacity, the power constraint
• Baseboard vs heat pump, the heating side
• Balcony enclosures, another common property alteration

Next Steps: Work with FRIVE

If cooling is part of what you need from a Fraser Valley condo, the bylaws and the minutes will tell you whether the plan is realistic before you remove subjects.

Start a conversation with the FRIVE team and we will read them with you, or browse current Fraser Valley listings.