B.C. facing a shortage of strata property managers, industry reps say
British Columbia is facing a shortage of strata property managers, according to those who work in the sector.
In the next few years an exodus of nearly 50 per cent of property managers is expected due to retirement.
“We’ve got an aging demographic of property managers that are now starting to retire in the industry and this has caused a very urgent situation where property management is short of not only experienced strata managers, but strata managers, period,” said Chris Churchill, the president at FirstService Residential, a property management company.
According to the BC Financial Services Authority, there are currently 1,454 licensed strata property managers in the province, but Churchill, said less than half of them are actively managing portfolios.
“What we’re seeing is that the number of stratas is going up and the number of property managers is staying approximately the same,” added Jason Kurtz, a vice president and managing broker at Stratawest Management.
Churchill said the problem has been ongoing for the past eight to 10 years. To resolve it, he believes the industry needs support with funding, recruitment and training.
“If people aren’t well trained and not able to spend the time that is required to make sure that buildings are properly kept up, things will fall apart, hopefully not to a dangerous degree,” Kurtz said.
Having worked as a property manager for about two decades, Kurtz said it’s a career path many people don’t think about, but with starting salaries bet ween $60- and $70,000, he hopes getting the word out will help entice people to join.
“We’d love more people to consider this as a career,” he said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING | A fight for 'the future of us all,' Trudeau says in speech to Ukraine's parliament
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau delivered a speech to Ukraine's parliament, where he called the war-torn country's fight against Russia's invasion a battle 'for the future of us all.' This comes after Trudeau announced Canada will be spending $500 million to help Ukraine's military fight Russia's invasion.

Here's how some of Canada's wildfires compare in size to cities, lakes
Fires across the country are burning millions of hectares of land but what does that really look like? CTVNews.ca compared the blazes to some cities and lakes in the country showing just how big they have gotten.
David Johnston resigns as foreign interference special rapporteur, citing 'highly partisan atmosphere'
Foreign interference special rapporteur David Johnston has resigned, CTV News has confirmed. In a letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Johnston cited the intense politicization of his appointment and work, as the reason for his coming departure.
Lawmakers shouldn't wait for unmarked graves report to act, Murray says
Ahead of the release of her interim report on progress as Canada's special interlocutor on unmarked graves at former residential schools, Kimberly Murray says lawmakers at all levels of government shouldn’t be waiting for her findings to act.
'See it with my own eyes': Canadian teen in war-torn Ukraine to film documentary
A Ukrainian-Canadian teenager is on an emotional journey to capture the destruction of the Russian invasion, including of his childhood home, on camera.
Unhealthy habits of university students could lead to future health problems
A recent study published in the peer-reviewed journal Preventative Medicine Reports by a group of international researchers has found that post-secondary students with unhealthy eating habits can go on to suffer from disease and mental health issues for years to come.
Three people charged in alleged abduction of N.L. teen after Amber Alert issued
Police in Newfoundland and Labrador say three people are facing charges following the alleged abduction of a 14-year-old girl.
Donald Trump stored, showed off and refused to return classified documents, indictment says
Former U.S. president Donald Trump is facing 37 felony charges related to the mishandling of classified documents, according to an indictment unsealed Friday that alleges that he described a Pentagon 'plan of attack' and shared a classified map related to a military operation.
Eyes on the weather as residents pack and flee from fierce wildfire in northeast B.C.
Showers are predicted Saturday over the aggressive wildfire threatening Tumbler Ridge, but forecasters say thunderstorms could sweep through the parched region without bringing any rain.