Via: BC Registries and Online Services
If you have any questions or concerns related to these changes coming through the Societies Amendment Act, please contact BC Registries at 1-877-526-1526 or [email protected].
Enhancements are taking effect in early May for Society filings to comply with the latest changes to the Societies Act.
Why are these changes being made?
The Societies Amendment Act, 2021 received Royal Assent in October 2021, with some changes taking effect at that time and others to be enacted in early May 2023.
These changes will include the following improvements:
• Individuals incorrectly listed as directors can request that the Registrar remove them from the ‘Statement of Directors’ if the society has failed to remove them and certain requirements have been met.
• At the time of dissolution, societies must now appoint a Record Keeper to keep the society’s records after dissolution for a period of three years.
• Extension of a limited restoration of a society OR a conversion of a limited restoration to a full restoration of a society will now be possible.
The following are some of the new requirements internal to societies only. There are no filing requirements with the Corporate Registry for these new policies:
• Require that the current register of directors include the name and contact information of each director, and the date on which they became or ceased to be a director.
• Societies must keep meeting minutes of the general meeting of members only and not for social gatherings.
• The Register of Members document must contain name and contact information of members only, organized by membership class (if applicable). All other personal information must be removed from the Register of Members. A society may choose to keep additional information regarding its members in a separate document.
Please take action to prepare for Societies Online changes:
1. Review a summary of the upcoming changes to the Societies Act. The full Bill 19 – Societies Amendment Act can be found here.
2. Review frequently asked questions and answers about the Societies Amendment Act, 2021 and changes coming into effect in May 2023 here.
3. New filing forms will be coming soon:
• Report of Payments made by a Liquidator
• Notice of Record Keeper
• Change of Record Keeper Information
• Application to Extend a Limited Restoration
• Application to Convert a Limited Restoration to a Full Restoration
• Application to remove oneself as Director
• Notice of Resignation of Attorney of extra-provincial non-share corporation
4. Amendments to existing filings:
• Society Voluntary Dissolution application will now require record keeper name and address
• Appointment of Liquidator will now require a copy of the ordinary resolution appointing liquidator
• Notice of Removal of Attorney of extra-provincial non-share corporation
If you have any questions or concerns related to these changes coming through the Societies Amendment Act, please contact BC Registries at 1-877-526-1526 or [email protected].