68 Smithe St, Vancouver · Downtown Vancouver
See the whole Downtown Vancouver risk profile →68 Smithe St has been before the BC Civil Resolution Tribunal 3 times (2020–2021), surfacing 6 distinct issues across 5 categories. The dominant theme is governance & council conduct, and the highest-severity issue on record is rated high. Owners prevailed in 3 of 3 decisions; total awards on record: $38,816.
Each category below explains what that pattern means for a buyer, with the building’s own decisions as evidence.
How the corporation is actually run — records access, meetings, bylaw enforcement, transparency. Repeated governance cases signal a contentious or opaque council, and that colours every decision made about your money and your building.
Water ingress, roof, and building-envelope failures are the most expensive problems a condo faces, and they’re what drive large special assessments. Structural cases on record are the strongest reason to commission an engineer’s review of the envelope.
Special assessments and fee disputes hit owners directly — a single levy can run tens of thousands per unit. A pattern here means the building’s finances have been contested. Ask for the reserve-fund study and the levy history before you offer.
Electrical, HVAC, elevators, and fire safety. Disputes here point to aging or contested infrastructure — confirm the status of major systems and whether any fire-safety orders are outstanding.
Deferred repairs and general upkeep. Minor on their own, but alongside structural cases they reinforce a picture of a building falling behind.
Every tribunal decision linked to this building, newest first.
An owner left a bathroom tap running overnight, flooding their strata lot and neighboring units. The strata corporation's insurance covered repairs but imposed a $40,000 deductible. The owner partially paid but disputed the remainder, arguing inadequate notice of deductible increases and defective faucet design. The tribunal ordered full payment.
A defective shower in the owner's unit caused water damage to multiple units and common areas in September 2017. After initially denying fault, the owner accepted responsibility. The tribunal required the owner to pay the strata corporation's $25,000 insurance deductible plus interest and fees within 60 days.
A strata corporation wrongfully levied $2,200 in bylaw violation penalties against property owners without following proper notification procedures for tenants or granting owners a hearing. The tribunal ruled the strata breached statutory requirements and ordered complete refund with interest and costs.
Sourced from published tribunal decisions and analysed by PropTrust. Not legal advice. Verify with the corporation and a licensed professional before purchase.