Article 1096 sets the default rule: the meeting's decisions are taken by a majority of the votes of the co-owners present or represented, except where the law requires an enhanced majority.
This is the majority that applies to most routine decisions, such as electing directors or amending the building by-laws. Heavier decisions fall under articles 1097 and 1098 CCQ.
This majority is measured on the votes present or represented, not on all the votes in the building. The denominator is the co-owners in the room: a co-owner who is present and abstains stays in it, so an abstention has the arithmetic effect of a vote against.
The chair selects the majority applicable to each item put to a vote: qualifying a decision is a matter of human judgement, not automatic inference. CondoAide then computes the count under the rule chosen, and certifies it.
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CondoAide helps self-managed Quebec syndicates keep their register, finances and meetings aligned with the Civil Code.