Vernon strata ordered to pay $45,000 in decade-long condo dispute

A B.C. Supreme Court judge has ordered a Vernon strata corporation to pay approximately $45,000 to a Calgary couple following a decade-long legal dispute regarding rooftop patio planters.

Richard and Leslie Chisholm, owners of a unit in the Strand condo complex, initiated the case after the strata shut off their rooftop irrigation system in 2013 to address systemic roof leaks. The Chisholms stated they were not notified of the shutdown, which resulted in the death of their plants. While the couple attempted to lobby for the irrigation to be restored, the system remained off for about ten years.

Justice Briana Hardwick described the case as an “expensive” saga involving “acrimonious disputes, costly repairs, allegations of misconduct and unilateral acts by both sides.” The court noted that the Chisholms also engaged in unapproved “self-help conduct” by installing their own watering system in 2015, a move the judge cautioned against in strata living environments.