STRATA COUNCILS AND PROPERTY MANAGERS · OCTOBER 12, 2026

BC Strata Snow and Ice Responsibilities Checklist

Map responsibility, agree the service, check conditions and record actions. Original explanatory graphic prepared for InsuranceBrokers.io; not a photograph of an insured property.

Tick items as you review them. Selections stay on this open page and are not submitted anywhere.

First frost is enough reason to review a strata’s winter plan. Council members and property managers need to know which areas are covered, who checks conditions, how extra work is authorized and what records will be kept. Use this checklist before choosing a contractor and throughout the season.

Understand the responsibility before assigning the work

Section 72 of the Strata Property Act establishes the strata corporation’s duty to repair and maintain common property and common assets, subject to the Act’s exceptions. Limited common property and strata-lot arrangements need their own review; do not assume every doorstep, patio or parking space has the same maintenance assignment. ⁵ BC’s Occupiers Liability Act addresses reasonable care for people using premises. An occupier can be someone responsible for and controlling the property, and there can be more than one. Its independent-contractor provision includes conditions concerning reasonable selection and supervision. A contract should therefore be reviewed alongside the strata’s own inspection and response arrangements. The precise position depends on the property, agreements and circumstances. ¹

This is a practical BC planning checklist. Discuss property-specific legal responsibility with your adviser and insurance coverage with your licensed broker.

Before the first freeze

Map the areas to be managedMark entrances, stairs, ramps, accessible routes, parking areas, fire access, waste collection points and adjoining public sidewalks. Check the strata plan, bylaws and agreements to establish who arranges each part of the work.Name a winter contact and backupGive residents and the contractor one reporting channel. Identify who can authorize urgent extra work and who takes over when the primary contact is unavailable.Check local sidewalk requirementsConfirm the rule for the actual municipality. Vancouver directs clearing of snow and ice from adjoining sidewalks by 10 am each day. Do not assume another city has an identical rule. ⁴Put the scope in writingList included areas, snow-clearing triggers, ice-only visits, monitoring, treatment, return visits, dispatch communication, snow storage and extra charges. A snowfall-depth trigger alone may leave frost and refreeze outside the agreed service.Plan for a delayed arrivalAsk what happens when equipment fails or a heavy storm affects every route. Agree who checks the site, reports hazards and arranges interim measures or additional support.Identify sensitive surfacesRecord new or stamped concrete, pavers, coatings and vulnerable landscaping. Supply surface-manufacturer instructions to the contractor. No de-icer should be assumed suitable for every finish.

Insurance and contractor checks

Review the strata policy with its brokerBC requires strata corporations to maintain property and liability insurance. Ask your broker how the policy responds to winter slip-and-fall allegations, which exclusions or conditions matter, and what reporting obligations apply. Do not assume the policy covers every winter incident. ²Request contractor coverage informationAsk for a current certificate and have your broker check the relevant snow-and-ice operations, limits, dates and any requested additional-insured wording. A certificate is not the complete policy or a guarantee that a claim will be covered.Check WorkSafe status for the proposed workConfirm the applicable requirements and obtain a current clearance letter where appropriate. WorkSafeBC provides searches by account number or exact business name; save the letter and note its validity. Ask about exceptions rather than assuming every sole operator has identical requirements. ³Review the contract before signingHave your broker and, where needed, legal adviser review insurance conditions, indemnity terms, subcontracting arrangements and responsibility for monitoring. Confirm that the agreed operations match the actual property.Clarify resident and volunteer workBefore asking residents to shovel or treat common areas, discuss supervision, safe tasks and relevant coverage with your broker. The province identifies volunteer accident insurance as a coverage option to consider. ²

During snow, frost and refreeze

Inspect priority routes when safeUse the agreed monitoring plan. Record visible frost, ice, meltwater, shaded sections and drainage problems, including hazards that arise after a clearing visit.Escalate changing conditionsNotify the winter contact and contractor when access is blocked, treatment is no longer effective or conditions require another visit. Record the time of the report and the response.Keep access and snow storage workableCheck that stored snow does not obstruct entrances, accessible paths, sightlines, drains or emergency access. Discuss relocation before the available storage area is exhausted.Keep a service and inspection logRecord date, time, location, observed conditions, work requested and performed, treatment used, contractor attendance and follow-up. Date-stamped photographs can support the record; keep unrelated personal information out of the file.

After an incident or weather event

Attend to an injury and immediate hazardArrange emergency assistance when needed, then address or isolate the hazard safely. Preserve factual observations, witness details where voluntarily supplied, and relevant photographs.Notify the correct people promptlyFollow the policy and contract reporting requirements. Contact the manager or council, insurer or broker, and contractor as appropriate. Avoid deciding fault or promising coverage on the spot.Review the plan and close gapsCompare the agreed scope with what happened: missed areas, communication delays, refreeze, material damage or insufficient snow storage. Assign an owner and deadline to each corrective action.

Turn the checklist into a winter service plan

If your strata is in Metro Vancouver or the Fraser Valley, ask PlowWow about strata snow removal and ice management. Provide the property address, priority access routes, surface restrictions, existing service scope and your council or manager’s contact details. Confirm site coverage, availability, response expectations and pricing directly.

Call PlowWow · 604-761-1518 wow@plowwow.com

PlowWow is the winter-service contact. Your insurance broker handles coverage questions; this guide does not establish that a particular contractor or property is insured for a specific loss.

Questions strata councils ask

Does a snow contract cover first frost?

Check the agreed scope. Snow plowing, frost inspections, ice treatment and return visits may be different services. Ask specifically about ice without measurable snowfall.

Does hiring a contractor settle our responsibilities?

The arrangements need to address contractor selection, scope, supervision, monitoring and escalation. Have the property’s agreements and circumstances reviewed rather than treating an invoice as a complete winter plan.

Will insurance pay if someone slips?

Coverage depends on the policy, facts and applicable terms. Ask your broker about the relevant liability coverage and reporting procedure before an incident.

Sources

Sources checked October 12, 2026. Operational checklist recommendations should be adapted to the property and agreed service.