Quorum and Majorities — Detailed Guide
Understand the different types of quorum and majorities applicable in Quebec co-ownership meetings.
Definitions#
- Quorum: minimum number of co-owners (in votes/fractions) who must be present or represented for the meeting to deliberate validly.
- Majority: proportion of favorable votes required for a decision to be adopted.
The distinction matters: a meeting can reach quorum but fail to obtain the majority required for a particular resolution.
Quorum#
Base quorum#
Per Civil Code article 356 (meetings of legal persons) and common practice:
51% of the votes of co-owners must be present or represented.
This quorum is measured in fractions, not in number of people. A co-owner with 8% is worth more than one with 1%.
Quorum at the second convocation#
If quorum is not met at the first convocation:
Record of insufficient quorum
The chair notes in writing that quorum is not reached. The meeting is adjourned.
Second notice
A new notice is sent, with a minimum 8-day notice period (reduced from the 21 days of the initial convocation).
No quorum required
At the second meeting, decisions are made with the co-owners present, regardless of their weight.
Resolutions requiring a reinforced majority (art. 1097, 1098) cannot be taken with a reduced quorum. The vote must be postponed or extra effort made to mobilize.
Proxies#
An absent co-owner can give a proxy to another co-owner or a third party. Limits:
- Max. number of proxies per holder: defined by the declaration of co-ownership (often 2 or 3)
- Form: written and signed (handwritten or digital with strong identification)
- Validity: for the specific meeting (no general mandate)
Syndic+ offers a digital proxy portal: the co-owner can delegate in one click from their portal.
Majorities#
Simple majority (art. 1086)#
More than 50% of the votes present or represented.
Use: most routine decisions.
- Adoption of the annual budget
- Election of the board
- Approval of financial statements
- Routine maintenance decisions
Calculation: if 60% of the votes are present, you need > 30% of the total to adopt (51% of 60%).
Absolute majority (art. 1097)#
Majority of co-owners representing 3/4 of the votes.
Dual condition:
- More than 50% of co-owners (headcount)
- 75% of total votes (not just those present)
Use:
- Change the destination of the building
- Transformation, expansion, or improvement works
- Construct new fractions
- Sell a common portion
Example: 20-unit syndicate with 100% of votes. You need at least 11 co-owners (absolute majority by headcount) and at least 75 votes (75% of total).
90% majority (art. 1098)#
Co-owners representing 90% of the votes.
Use:
- Modify the relative value of fractions
- Change the destination of a private portion
- Amend certain aspects of building rules
Unanimity (art. 1099)#
100% of co-owners (all votes).
Use:
- Change the number of votes assigned to a fraction
- Dissolve the syndicate
- Certain modifications to the constituting act
Summary table#
| Decision | Majority | CCQ article |
|---|---|---|
| Annual budget | Simple (> 50% of present) | 1086 |
| Board election | Simple | 1086 |
| Routine maintenance | Simple | 1086 |
| Major improvement works | Absolute (majority + 3/4 of votes) | 1097 |
| Modify fraction | 90% of votes | 1098 |
| Change destination of private portion | 90% of votes | 1098 |
| Dissolve the syndicate | Unanimous | 1099 |
In Syndic+#
When creating a resolution, pick the majorityRequired:
{
"majorityRequired": "simple" | "absolute" | "special"
}
- simple: > 50% of present
- absolute: dual majority (1097)
- special: 90% or unanimous depending on the text
When votes are entered, Syndic+ automatically calculates whether the resolution is adopted and displays:
- Votes for / against / abstain
- Percentage achieved vs required
- Status: Passed / Rejected
Best practices#
- Prepare proxies ahead of time to reach quorum on the first try
- Order resolutions by ascending majority required (simple first, special at the end)
- Have an independent scrutineer count votes for sensitive decisions
- Document every vote in the minutes with exact vote counts