Etiquette Rules and Best Practices for Safe Working in West Quay Offices

Version 2.6

Working in a coworking space provides a unique experience and the flexibility to act and carry yourself differently than in a traditional office space. However, the opportunity to have a space to work in such a flourishing environment comes with a significant responsibility to maintain harmony.

Although etiquette rules are important in traditional office spaces, they play an even more significant role in shared spaces. West Quay Offices give you the option to leave your desk at any time to network, take advantage of extra services, and connect with a unique social environment that you wouldn’t find anywhere else. However, the shared environment also comes with challenges in terms of your overall privacy, working without distractions, and working with strangers.

It’s for this reason that you need to practice proper etiquette. Furthermore, especially in the post-pandemic context, it is essential to adhere to certain rules that promote a productive, friendly, safe, and healthy workspace. So, refer to the etiquette rules below and please follow them so we can all work happily together.

Respect boundaries #

Both on a physical and emotional level, you should be mindful of other people’s space. For example, make sure that you’re allowing enough room for other people in communal spaces, especially when you have a number of items with you. While hot desks are assumed to be shared, dedicated desks and private offices are off-limits, so don’t peruse a book, borrow a pen, or go through documents you find on one. If you see someone wearing headphones or immersed in their work, don’t distract them for no reason.

Be Mindful of Noise Management #

The first thing you must be mindful of is your volume. In an open office, sound travels more easily, and certain areas of our office can transmit sound to other sections of the workspace as well.

Knowing the noise policy is important, not just for what you can and can’t do, but also to understand it. Essentially, you should know where you can have Zoom meetings and where you can have meetings.

Be Considerate of the Shared Areas #

For instance, be aware if the dining area is also a place for people on laptops to continue working, in which case make sure you aren’t talking too loudly. So, just know where you are in the space and adjust your behaviour to correspond to that area and if there are others working around you.

Minimize Noise & Distractions #

Everyone in a coworking space or shared office should strive to reduce noise and distractions, as it is a place for business. Excessive noise and distractions can negatively impact productivity and may cause friction among other occupants in a shared workspace.

Speak quietly & take calls in private #

If you must have a long phone call or talk to someone in a shared office, use a phone booth or your private office if you have one.

Wear headphones for music/video #

Whether you listen to music for pleasure while working or watch videos for work purposes, consider wearing headphones instead of allowing the audio to play over laptop, computer, or smartphone speakers.

Set phone to silent mode #

Many professionals rely on their phones to get work done in a coworking space or shared office, but ringing phones and phone notifications can be distracting. When possible, put your devices on silent to avoid bothering others.

Don’t make excessive noise early/late #

While you should always avoid excessive noise in a shared office or coworking space, you’re encouraged to take extra precautions to stay quiet early in the morning and late in the afternoon into the early evening. Many people have a harder time focusing during early mornings or late in the day.

Read the room #

Remember that, first and foremost, coworking spaces are for work. Our lounge area and office spaces are full of members working all day and even at night.

Be aware that not everyone may be comfortable striking up a conversation. One universal rule is to avoid disturbing people who are obviously focused, which they may signal by wearing headphones.

Meetings #

You cannot have client meetings in common areas like the business lounge area, kitchen, dining area, or corridors. You must conduct all meetings in one of the meeting rooms or, if you have one, in your private office.

In rare cases, when any meeting room is not available, the business lounge area may be used for small meetings under 30 minutes,, when the meeting won’t be loud and there are only two participants, including you.

You can book our two meeting rooms through the member portal, information tablets located in the meeting rooms, our mobile application, or by visiting reception in person.

Small Meeting Room #

If you want to make a Zoom/Teams or any online meeting and you don’t have a private office (or don’t want to do your meeting there), book a small meeting room for an extended or group call. This room can accommodate 4 people, has a 65-inch 4K UHD TV if you want to broadcast your meeting, and is soundproof as well.

The small meeting room is cheaper than our large meeting room, and if you have an active membership, you already have a lot of complimentary booking credits in your account. So please consider using them. You can also book them easily by tapping your mobile phone or tablet in front of each room. Bookings can be last-minute as well.

Large Meeting Room #

This meeting room can accommodate 8 people and is packed with everything you may need:

• 65″ 4K UHD TV that you can easily broadcast,
• Cisco Conference Call Phone,
• Wireless charger for two mobile phones at same time,
• Catering option.

If you plan to do any informal or business meeting with up to 8 people, this should be the spot to make it happen.

Zoom/Teams Meetings #

Try not to do Zoom meetings in common areas like the lounge area. If you have to, try to lower your voice and use headphones. Everyone understands that some level of noise is acceptable in the lounge area, but be reasonable about the amount of noise you create.

If your meeting will take more than 10 minutes, jump in one of the phone booths. The phone booths are complimentary for everyone, soundproof, and do not require booking.

If you have a private office, please do your meetings there. If you can’t, or if you are a coworking member, please book a small meeting room or use our phone booths for these meetings. You can reserve our small meeting room for as little as 30 minutes. All memberships have included meeting room cash credits in their accounts. There is no reason you should not do your meetings in a comfortable meeting room in full privacy. Our meeting rooms are equipped with a 4K TV and HD video camera, so you can connect your laptop and technically have a high-quality meeting.

Step away for phone calls #

Don’t take a call for more than one to two minutes out loud in the lounge area, corridors, and private booths. Even a one-minute call could be deeply frowned upon sometimes.

Nothing is more distracting than hearing 50% of other people’s conversations, because our brains will leap at the opportunity to fill in the gap rather than focus on the work in front of us.

Phone Booths #

If you do not have a private office or have not booked a meeting room, we strongly encourage everyone to use our upgraded phone booths for their phone calls or Zoom meetings.

Our phone booths were recently upgraded with sound insulation made from recycled materials to tune out office noise.

Our phone booths can be used by any member; they are free and do not require any booking.

How do I know if the phone booth is not occupied? #

If you see a green light inside, that means you can enter the phone booth. and it is free for your use. Regular white light or if the “ON AIR” sign outside the phone booth is red, it means it is occupied and please do not enter.

Single Private Work Booths #

These are single work pods for a single person. We also provide a monitor in there so one can connect their laptop and work in harmony without getting distracted by surroundings or sounds.

Click here to learn more about our private booths. You need to book these booths prior to usage.

Dedicated Desks #

We built these dedicated desks to provide a diverse alternative for members seeking a desk to sit down and focus on their work. Dedicated desks are located at the end of the north corridor. A blue sign that reads “Dedicated Desks” will be located close to the entrance.

Booking is required for coworking members or you will have your permanent desk with the dedicated desks membership plan.

Please read this article for dedicated desk etiquette and how to use it.

Business Lounge Area #

West Quay Offices has a spacious, unique business lounge area over 2,000 sq ft. The business lounge area is dedicated to our coworking members. Here are DOs and DON’Ts for the business lounge area.

DOs

DON’Ts

– Choose your spot and work anywhere. – Chill – Network with other members – Consume beverages and (not cracking) dry snacks – Clean after yourself – Use headphones if you want to listen music or for short zoom meetings – Respect other members working

– Do not reserve spots. all spots are first come, first served – Do not dine wet/hot food in there; please use dining area – Do not host your visitors in there; use meeting rooms or your private office if you have one – Do not use speakers; this includes your phone or laptop – Do not have meetings in there (book meeting rooms or do it in your private office if you have one) – Do not use business lounge areas as waiting rooms for your visitors. Please host guests/visitors to our workspaces in one of the meeting rooms or, if you have one, in your private office.

Work Booths in Lounge Area #

These booths are designed for our coworking members to work. We have 6 of them. If you are walking alone in a booth, please respect other members that can sit across from you and do not cover all the table and seat.

Confidentiality #

If you overhear anything from other people in the workspaces, please try not to disclose such information to any other third party. 

While coworking spaces are great spaces for collaborative working and sharing ideas, if you are discussing sensitive information, whether on the phone, with a colleague, or with another person, while we encourage our customers to act with discretion if they overhear something, it is your responsibility to ensure that your confidential information remains confidential (such as by booking a meeting room or using a phone booth to discuss sensitive information). 

You use the open coworking environment at your own risk. 

Dining #

It’s worth pointing out that you should avoid dining in main work areas. Always dine at the designated dining area so as not to disturb your coworkers with the scents of your food and noises you may produce while eating, which also prevents food crumbs all over the place.

Reasons to avoid eating in the common work areas #

Disturbances	The scents, noises, and potential mess of eating can be disruptive to others who are focused on work or having meetings.
Hygiene	Eating in the common work areas can lead to food crumbs and spills, increasing the risk of germs and bacteria building up, according to GU Health.
Unpleasant smells	Certain food odours can be unpleasant for others and linger, impacting the overall workspace atmosphere. We do have extra HEPA filters in the dining and kitchen areas, and we try to isolate hot food consumption there so we can decrease odours that travel to the rest of the lounge area.
Professionalism	Members work, interact, and conduct small meetings in our business lounge area, hot desks, round tables, and work booths. Dining in those areas can create an unprofessional appearance for all of us, especially if it’s done during meetings or when clients or superiors are present.

Small snacks and beverages can be consumed in all areas as long as you keep the location clean afterwards. You should eat and enjoy wet/hot meals in our dining area, which is located near the kitchen. You can also dine in your private office if you have one.

We serve a gourmet coffee and tea selection 24/7, as well as cold juices and snacks on special days, complimentary in the kitchen area. You can also bring or order your meal and beverages if you prefer. You can use our microwave and utensils in our kitchen area. You can also purchase snacks and beverages from our self-checkout honesty bar.

You cannot cook raw food on our premises (except for the use of the coffee maker and microwave). You should only use the microwave to heat your meal, and it should not run for more than 2 minutes.

Honesty Bar #

Our honesty bar is an unattended beverage and snack bar by the entrance of the kitchen. It includes a two-door display fridge and snack rack. Snacks and beverages in the honesty bar are not free, as are our regular complimentary gourmet coffee, cold juice dispenser, cereals, etc.

Tags display the prices, and you can also view them when accessing the online menu. Payment is left to our members. If you take beverages or snacks from the honesty bar, you must complete the self-checkout process by making a payment in one of the available ways. Click here to learn how to shop from the Honesty Bar.

If you grabbed items from the Honesty Bar and forgot to pay, please pay immediately. If you did not make payment on the same day, please inform reception as well.

Foods to avoid in our workspaces #

Working in a coworking space means you come across many people from different domains of work, different cultures, different tastes, different lifestyles, etc. Keeping this in mind, you must also think that people around you will also have different diets, food preferences, and food allergies. Therefore, there are certain types of foods that you should avoid in a coworking place. To avoid being the annoying, loud chomping, or potent-lunch eater at work, avoid bringing the following food types:

Messy foods, such as watery fruits, curry, and dripping sandwiches, should be strictly avoided in coworking places. These foods can create a mess in your workspace, require additional cleaning, produce strong odours, and are likely to spill on others. Imagine spilling your food on someone else. How embarrassing that would be! Moreover, your food also got spoiled. Therefore, it is always better to carry dry foods around your workplace.

Some people are also allergic to certain food items or their smell. You cannot always know who likes what food and dislikes what. And you can always pack your lunch in accordance with that. So, what’s the solution? Avoid taking non-veg. This might not be a full proof solution but it can work to a great extent. You should always remember that there are many people in your coworking space. Some of them are vegetarians, some are non-vegetarians, and some might even be vegans. So taking things like fish curry or chicken curry might cause them problems. So it will be rather rude not to consider their discomfort with the smell.

Avoid eating fast food. The greasy smell of fast food also lingers for quite a bit, even after you have finished your lunch. Fermented foods are also the same. They also sent out quite a strong odour. The smell they send out is so strong that they may ask the other person in the next cubicle for the cover.

Strictly avoid onions and garlic. No matter how much you like your dishes seasoned, you should leave onions and garlic off anything you plan to eat in the office. Not only will it make your office space smell bad, but your breath won’t be fit for an afternoon meeting as well.

Be a responsible co-worker and avoid getting these kinds of foods at your workplace to maintain a healthy atmosphere there. Work diligently and let your other co-workers work as well.

In short, try to avoid these kinds of foods at all times:

Fish	Fish is awesome when it is fresh, but leftovers should never be in the office. The smell lingers and takes over the entire office, leaving your co-workers frantically searching for fresh air.
Seafood	Popcorn is a little different than these other foods. The reason to stay away from bringing popcorn to work is because it smells delicious, rather than disgusting. The aroma leaves the office hungry and desperately wanting some of the popcorn. Unless you bring in enough for the whole gang, leave the popcorn at home for your late night Netflix binge.
Curry	Lamb, goat, and vegetarian curries are delicious; however, all the amazing spices that make curry taste so good tend to linger in the air, which isn’t a nice experience for those that get to also eat it. Unfortunately, that appeal is usually reserved for the person (or persons) eating it. For the rest of the office, the smell of curry will be reminiscent of something like body odor—definitely not satisfying. Reheating it in the microwave will even amplify the smell ten times. We’re not sure anyone can use that microwave oven anytime soon.
Fast food	Let’s face it, we all have a hankering for some greasy grub occasionally, but you should stop and think before bringing KFC, McDonald’s, pizza, or any other fast food into your work area. The occasional burger shouldn’t make too much of a difference, but enjoying them too much within the office walls might leave an unwelcome aroma for your coworkers.
Hard boiled eggs	We all know the smell that hard-boiled eggs can give off. This horrendous smell comes from sulphur. Fun fact: sulphur is the same compound that gives skunks their defensive smell.
Spicy Meat Kebabs	Lamb kebabs, shawarma, and other kebab fares are appreciated by a lot of people because of the unique taste of this spicy cuisine. Generally, most kebabs (especially those prepared in North Vancouver), will only taste and smell great to the person actually eating them. Even your coworkers around you like kebabs, the smell can be overwhelming and they won’t leave our office for hours to come.
Fried Chicken	Fried chicken smells good … at first. But by the end of the day, that oil-soaked bucket you threw in the trash will have lingered in the air for so long that everyone in your office will feel like a KFC employee. Y’all have worked too hard for that.
Onions	We mostly love onions, but be aware that many people despise them. The smell is powerful and resembles bad body odours. Not to mention the horrendous breath that you get from eating them. If it seems like all your coworkers are avoiding talking to you, it’s probably from the onions.
Broccoli	Broccoli is an acquired taste for a lot of people, but we can all agree that the smell that comes after microwaving it is absolutely disgusting for most. Bringing broccoli to work is the perfect way to get the office talking about you, but not the way you want them to. Stick to the alternative of raw broccoli with some ranch dipping sauce to avoid the negative attention.
Popcorn	Popcorn is a little different than these other foods. The reason to stay away from bringing popcorn to work is because it smells delicious, rather than disgusting. The aroma leaves the office hungry and desperately wanting some of the popcorn. Unless you bring in enough for the whole gang, leave the popcorn at home for your late-night Netflix binge.
Anything crunchy	Chips, pretzels, and popcorn are fun snacks, but listening to someone eat them is annoying and distracting. A common pet hate is hearing other people chew, so consider a less crunchy snack when planning your weekly meals.

Which foods should you prefer? #

Dry foods are always a major hit. They are a go-to food every time. They won’t drip, and they won’t create any problems. You can eat them anytime. They also do not have any odour, so they do not cause any problems for the other coworkers.

Potato chips also come in handy in this kind of case. You can buy, eat, and throw them at your discretion. Biscuits, potato chips, and chocolates come to your rescue. You can have a sneak peek into them anytime you get a little time off. Wiping hands will also suffice and you don’t have to worry about washing hands.

Microwave Rules #

Discover the most important do’s and don’ts to follow when using the office microwave. While most of these office microwave rules are common sense, it’s easy to overlook or disregard them when you’re rushing.

Reset the microwave settings if you change #

The world will still continue to spin if you forget to do this step, but it’s common courtesy to clear the microwave from the settings you used after you’re finished heating up your food. This point is especially true if you lowered the microwave’s power level or changed to defrost mode.

Others in the office may be tired, in a hurry, or otherwise distracted by the time they arrive for lunch, and they may not notice the changes you’ve made. They’ll be unpleasantly surprised when they cook their microwavable meals for the time indicated and find that they’re still frozen.

If your colleagues notice that you’ve changed the settings, they’ll need to clear those settings before heating up their own lunch. While readjusting the settings is not a big deal sometimes, they’ll get irritated when this reset needs to happen every time they come into the office kitchen. Just push a button to reset the microwave settings after you’ve finished using it.

Clean up any spilled food #

Do you diligently clean up the microwave when your soup overflows, or do you look around to see if anyone’s looking and then walk away from the mess, whistling innocently? If you’re the cleaning type, you can move on to the next section. If you’re not, well, if you want to be messy, be messy at home. Consider changing your behaviour when you’re in the office kitchen.

Even if a dirty microwave doesn’t bother you, other people dislike it intensely. Not too many people want to heat up their food in a microwave that has bits of crusty, dried-up soup on the turntable from the day your minestrone boiled over. Nor does anyone appreciate the pizza sauce splattered over the microwave sides from that day your microwavable pizza snack exploded. Most of all, nobody wants to clean up your mess. Spilled food may not seem too bad when it’s yours, but it is 10 times more unappealing when the mess is from another person’s food.

Make sure to clean out the microwave if your food overflows or splatters inside it. Food comes off easily with a paper towel and some water or cleaning spray. To prevent messy explosions, try covering your food with a paper towel or our plastic microwave cover the next time you heat up your lunch. When heating up soup or stew, try using a container with extra space at the top so that the soup is less likely to overflow.

Keep the cooking time minimal #

Unless you’re taking your lunch break before or after everyone else, you’ll need to share the microwave. Three minutes is a reasonable amount of time to heat up your meal. Taking more time isn’t fair to your colleagues if they’re waiting to use the microwave. If, for some reason, you need extra time to cook your meal, let others go first.

Certain actions raise more ire than others. The following list outlines some of the biggest complaints in the office kitchen. If you want to show good office kitchen etiquette, refrain from the following bad habits:.

Don’t leave your food in the microwave #

You may occasionally leave your food in the microwave after it’s finished cooking. Maybe you received an important phone call on your cell, or maybe you got caught up in a fun conversation with your friend at work. Everyone gets distracted sometimes. However, you should keep an eye on your meal and remove it from the microwave as soon as it’s finished warming. Forgetting to remove your food can hold up the wait time for others or put them in the uncomfortable position of removing your food for you.

Even if you’re tempted to leave the room “just for a minute” while your meal heats, don’t do it. Is checking your email, returning a phone call, or whatever else so urgent that you can’t wait? If so, let someone else go ahead of you. Otherwise, stay in the same room so you can take your lunch out of the microwave immediately.

Don’t take out your colleagues’ food early #

OK, now the following considerations are basic manners:. You shouldn’t remove someone’s meal from the microwave before it’s finished and then put your own inside. While they may have left the room, and maybe you can cook your lunch and leave without them noticing, it’s not a nice act to do.

What if the person is being inconsiderate and sets the timer for 10 minutes? In that case, you may as well quickly heat up your lunch, but that’s the exception to the rule. If you’re still there when the individual comes back into the room, you may want to explain what you did and why. Your explanation may make the person think twice about using the microwave for such a long time.

What if the microwave beeped and your co-worker’s food was sitting inside? In this situation, the proper office microwave etiquette is to wait 30 seconds so that the person can remove the food from the microwave. If the person doesn’t remove the food after the heating time is up, go ahead and remove it yourself.

Don’t heat up strong-smelling food #

Yes, this rule may not seem fair when you can’t heat up your leftover fish from dinner last night. However, cooking isn’t fair for your colleagues and other members who share the office kitchen with you and have to smell your lunch. As our lounge area and hot desks are next to the kitchen, the smell can spread as far as the work area, and other members who sit and work in that section won’t feel happy.

While seafood is the main culprit, you should also avoid heating up eggs, heavily spiced foods, or vegetables such as broccoli and brussels sprouts. If you enjoy a spicy meal, consider leaving out the seasonings while reheating it at work and adding the spices to your meal after you remove it from the microwave.

Can’t you give up your seafood? Please consider adding cold, precooked fish to salads or packing tuna sandwiches. You could also go out for lunch and order seafood at a restaurant.

Restaurant Options #

West Quay Offices has many restaurants around. Especially if you walk a bit to Lonsdale Quay, you will find an amazing number of restaurants with yummy food.

Clean Up After Yourself #

As with parties, social events, and, of course, coworking spaces, the best practice is to “leave no trace.” For the sake of the staff and the well-being of other members you work with, leave the workspace as if nobody used it. If you don’t want empty bags of chips and granola bar wrappers left on your desk at the time you book it, make sure you don’t leave any waste for the person booking that desk after you. Also, don’t assume that someone will clean the working spot after you.

While this goes without saying in a coworking space, it’s now important to pay even more attention to the shared areas. Make sure to properly dispose of garbage, as well as use paper towels in bathrooms and kitchens; sterilize the tables where you eat; and try to always have your hands washed or sanitized before and after touching things such as doorknobs and light switches.

Kitchen Area #

Please keep the kitchen area clean at all times. Please wash, dry, or place in the dishwasher your cups, glasses, and dishes. Please take care of your visitors’ items as well. Don’t leave used dishes and silverware in the sink or on countertops, but rather wash them immediately before putting them away.

Please recycle any food leftovers at our recycling station.

Maintaining Fridge #

Please label and date all food and beverages you put in the refrigerator. Don’t leave open drinks or food in the fridge in a shared kitchen. West Quay Offices reserves the right to throw anything in the refrigerator away that should be thrown out, in our judgment. Please remove any items that belong to you on Friday until 5 p.m. Any items left in the fridge will be recycled in our cleaning during the weekend.

Don’t Overuse Services or Amenities #

It can create extra problems and distractions for the members of a workspace when someone oversteps their boundaries. This includes overbooking conference rooms, locking others out, and using a space that is assigned to someone else.

Remember to practice etiquette rules and only use your allocated space; use the meeting rooms for the time you actually need them and stay within the space you rented. If your space is inadequate, you can always find a quiet work area or a private booth to work without distractions.

Information and Booking Tablets #

All our meeting rooms and single work booths have information tablets attached on the front. If these tablets display text in red, it means there is someone inside or a meeting in progress. Do not try to enter the room or disturb others. You can still use the same tablet for booking and learning when the room is next available.

Booking Resources #

Resource bookings are accepted from individuals on behalf of organizations. West Quay Offices accepts no responsibility if the individual in question does not have the authority to book a room; the invoice will be sent to the organization in all cases. Such privileges can be easily adjusted by the owner or team-paying member. Please click here to learn more about how to configure your team.

How to book #

To book a meeting and work resource, please read these articles if you do not know how:

• Bookings on the Members Portal
• Booking Resources on Display Tablets
• Booking resources through mobile app
• Accessing Bookings on the Members Portal
• Google Calendar Integration (to book resources using Google Calendar)

Color codes #

All booking resources have color-coded lights that will signal availability. The available signals can be either a light inside the room or a backlight on TVs or monitors. Color-coded lights were applied to meeting rooms, dedicated desks, private single booths, and phone booths.

There is a light under the desk that signals to you whether it is free to book or busy. Light codes are the same as all our other resources, like private booths, meeting rooms, and phone booths.

Light colour	Desk condition
GREEN	The resource has active bookings. Book for later or come back later.
BLUE or WHITE	Your booking has ended, or the resource is currently busy. If lights turn red during your active booking, that means your booking ended. Either leave the resource or try to extend your booking if the resource is available.
RED	Your booking has ended, or the resorce is currently busy. If lights turn red during your active booking, that means your booking ended. Either leave the resource or try to extend your booking if the resource is available.

Responsibility #

If you are booking any resources, you are responsible for

• appointing a contact person (in all cases, the organization will be sent the invoice),
• leaving the resources in good order,
• any damages incurred.
• any additional janitorial cleanup.
• use of our resources in any way that results in annoyance or disturbance to us or any other members.
• your visitors and their actions if any visitors attend your booking.

Custom Setups #

• Custom setups must be confirmed at the time of booking (may incur additional costs).
• Custom setups may not be available for bookings made less than one (1) week in advance.
• There is no guarantee that the requested setup can be accommodated for last-minute bookings.

Extra Time #

If a meeting runs overtime or if you require extra time, as soon as you realize that you may require additional time, it is imperative that you inform our reception prior to the event or on the day of your event. You may extend your booking on our member’s portal, mobile app, and tablets in front of each booking room. Kindly note that extending time in a meeting room or our resource is only possible if no one else has booked it after yours.

Liabilities #

The group or individual booking the facility shall be responsible legally, financially, and otherwise for any damage to the said premises as a result of the use and occupation.

Our liability #

We are not liable for any loss as a result of our failure to provide a service, whether a mechanical breakdown, strike, delay, failure of staff, termination of our interest in our facilities, or otherwise, unless we do so deliberately or are grossly negligent. We are also not liable for any failure until you have told us about it and allowed us a reasonable time to put it right.

Attendees #

The maximum number of attendees for a resource will not exceed the posted room capacities. This number is a maximum of 8 people in the large meeting room and 4 people in the small meeting room.

Stay home if you are ill. #

Another commonsense rule that should go without saying is to stay home if you feel unwell. Working from home should stop the spread of any illness, including COVID. If you begin to experience any symptoms while at work, please consider going home right away. Let your employer know if you’re sick so they can monitor your interactions with coworkers.

Use Common Sense #

Treat the space with the respect you deserve. This means eating only in the dining area, brushing up on the visitor policy, and smoking or vaping outside if you need to. And while this should go without saying, avoid discriminatory behaviour and harassment toward your fellow freelancers—it’s their space, too.

Be friendly #

One of the most important aspects of coworking is being social and networking with people. Interact with like-minded people and build connections. Be friendly and greet people with a smile; it’ll help you make connections that will help you later in your career. One of the main reasons people prefer coworking spaces is to connect and build their network.

Say hello. #

It’s wonderful what that one simple word can do. “Hello.”

If you are working in a shared office space, coworking etiquette is to greet people as you see them. You don’t have to ask everyone how their weekend was, but you should respect them as a colleague when you see them.

It’s a good idea to start this practice right away when you start using a shared office. It’s much easier to say hello on day one than to awkwardly do it after a month. People who work in coworking spaces are there because they appreciate the value of social and professional interaction, so don’t be afraid to network!

Do engage with the coworking community #

Talk to people! Coworking spaces are about community and collaboration. Reach out to your coworkers to bounce off ideas, to discuss hobbies, to help them solve a problem, etc. Interaction and engagement are core parts of any coworking space, and it’s essential to nurture a strong community. This doesn’t mean you have to spend most of your time talking to others, but make sure you don’t isolate yourself; if you do, you won’t be getting all the value a coworking space has to offer. People will want to get to know you; they will be interested in what you do.

Opening and closing times #

West Quay Offices are open to the public Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., except on statutory holidays. 24/7 access is possible if you have a qualifying membership and access card. You will need your access card and fob to access the building 24/7.

You will (and will cause your authorized users to) use reasonable efforts to cause all doors and gates to the premises that you have opened to be closed and securely locked before leaving the building. You and the other members assume full responsibility for protecting the premises from theft, robbery, and pilferage, which includes keeping doors locked and other means of entry closed and secured.

Visitors/Guests Policy #

• Your membership plan permits a limited number of guests. You must book and use meeting rooms to host your guests. This rule does not apply if you have a private office large enough to host guests.
• You shall not use the co-working shared space for meetings or free guests, including the business lounge area. You should use private offices or meeting rooms to meet these needs, either at your discounted rate or by using your complimentary credits. Your plan will limit the amount of space you use or occupy.
• You should register all guests through our mobile app or members portal. Guests must check in at the front desk or kiosk, and we will inform you. You or a member of your team must properly notify and pick up guests before they can enter your office or meeting room.
• We will send your visitors their own internet access codes by email once you register them. Never share your internet access code with your visitors.

• Please invite your visitors when you are at our workplace. We won’t allow any visitors in if you are not present in the West Quay Offices. We don’t charge you for visitors, and we have no staff to entertain or escort them. If you need such a service, please discuss and get a quote from us. This service will require us to hire and maintain extra personnel specifically for you, so you may want to consider handling this on your own to save costs.
• You must pick up all visitors from the reception area and refrain from leaving them alone in any of our common areas. If necessary, you can leave visitors alone in your private office or meeting rooms. You are responsible for your visitors and who you invite to our workspaces. All visitors must be accompanied until they leave our workspaces when your business meetings are finished.
• We expect you and your employees to follow this etiquette in West Quay Offices, and we expect your guests to do the same. If a guest is not familiar with these rules, please take a moment to explain them. While such an arrangement may not be practically possible in each scenario, we ask you to accompany your visitors at all times in our workspaces so you can guide and control their actions.
• If your visitors damage any property, use our services excessively, get possession of any items in common areas, or use the honesty bar without paying, you (the contract owner) will be responsible for compensation, costs, and any associated service fees.
• If any visitors of yours start to work in our workspaces without you being present, we will add a day pass fee to your next invoice.

Help the staff #

Inform the staff of any necessary fixes or improvements, as they may not always be aware of them. You can familiarize yourself with our current team by visiting this link.

Provide Member Feedback #

Etiquette in a shared workspace extends beyond just the courtesy you show toward other business owners and entrepreneurs sharing the space. You also want to follow proper etiquette when dealing with our management. Providing member feedback is one way to do this, as it shows you’re engaged and want to see the coworking space thrive.

Notify staff about any issues needing attention #

If you notice any issues, like safety concerns or rule violations, let someone from management know. West Quay Offices are designed to be safe, accessible places for occupants, and our management will appreciate your proactive stance on supporting these goals.

Offer suggestions to improve experience #

When possible, share feedback with suggestions to improve the experience of working in West Quay Offices. Your feedback and suggestions can help management make decisions that benefit you, your business, and the interests of all members.

Complete member surveys, if applicable #

If we provide you with a member survey, please fill it out and provide details about your experiences. Member surveys are a chance for you to share your voice with management to steer our workspace in a direction that is helpful to all members.

Do read your community manager’s emails #

Emails and communication efforts from your community manager are important. They’re typically full of useful and relevant information, upcoming events, and important notices (like changes of schedule, holiday hours, closures, updated Wi-Fi passwords, etc.). Such communication will prevent you from asking unnecessary questions to your community manager, and it will help make sure that your coworking experience is as seamless as possible.

Recycle Station & Garbage #

Please recycle your garbage in the right spots at this location.

Recycling helps reduce pollution by reducing the need for waste incineration and reducing the environmental impacts of resource extraction and processing. Failure to recycle leads to the incineration or landfilling of more waste, thereby exacerbating global air and water pollution.

Only the items indicated on the recycle station banners are suitable for disposal. You need to recycle in the correct containers. If you can’t do this, please take your trash with you instead of using the recycling station. If you don’t want to do both, we will add a service fee to your account, as shown in the table below.

If you want to learn more about recycling or what garbage is or is not, please visit the City of North Vancouver Municipality pages.

You can only dispose of small items at our recycle station. If you have large items or anything we do not collect, you need to use the garbage room of the building. The garbage room is located on the first floor, at the very end of the west side of the building. Make sure you have your building fob with you if you face any locked doors.

Any cardboard or box that is larger than the letter size and has less than half an inch of thickness can be thrown in the blue box at the recycling station. You can dispose of anything larger yourself in the building’s main garbage room, or we can recycle it for a fee.

Additionally:

• All garbage must be placed inside the bin.
• All Cardboard must be correctly flattened and placed inside the cardboard bin or blue paper bin if it fits and it must be smaller than letter size with half-inch depth
• Under no circumstances should items be left on the floor, behind, or on top of bins
• You cannot place area rugs or electronics in the recycle station or your room’s garbage. You can not leave these in the building’s garbage room as well. These items must be taken directly to the recycling centre or landfill. You can find some helpful addresses below.

If you want us to dispose of certain types of waste, please see the first column for the fees. In the second column are the fees if you leave your garbage unattended or still dispose of it at the recycle station. These fees will be added to your or the contract-paying member’s invoice without warning. Remember, you can dispose of these for free in the building’s garbage room on the first floor, as previously described. Please read the next chapter about garbage room etiquette.

	Garbage room of building on west end of 1st floor (not inside our office)	If you ask us to dispose	If you leave unattended anywhere or dispose of it in recycling station
Glass (not bigger than bottle)	Free	$5 per item	$15 per item
Cardboard or box larger than letter and/or half inch deep	Free	$10 per item	$25 per item
Any dry or oversized garbage or junk that should not be in black container per our chart	Free	N/A	$25 per item
If you dispose food scraps or whole food in any container other than green organic	N/A	N/A	$10-$30, depending on the mess, we need to clean and transfer to green organic container

Garbage room etiquette of the main building (on 1st floor) #

Please note that the below rules apply to the garbage room on the first floor, which our members with private offices can use. The chapter above describes our very limited garbage collection inside our office space. You are free to use the commercial garbage room on the first floor of the building if you have excessive garbage and certain items (like glass bottles, for example).

• Double-bag the garbage bag when needed to make sure there are no leaks
• All garbage must be placed inside the bin. If the bins are outside, please come back once they have returned to the room
• All Cardboard must be correctly flattened and placed inside the cardboard bin or blue paper bins
• No items, under any circumstances, should be left on the floor or on top of bins
• You cannot place furniture, paintings, area rugs, or electronics in the garbage room. You must transport these items directly to the recycling centre or landfill on your own.
• You must not leave propane or related BBQ equipment in the garbage room. Please drop off to the recycling centre.
• The garbage room will not accept donations. Please drop it off at the nearest donation centre.

Recycling & Waste Centre	Donation Centre
SPCA Thrift Store 1523 Pemberton Avenue, North Vancouver, BC, V7P 2S3 Location on map	SPCA Thrift Store 1523 Pemberton Avenue, North Vancouver, BC, V7P 2S3 Location on map

Sustainability and Environmental Responsibility #

West Quay Offices emphasizes the importance of sustainability and environmental responsibility, encouraging all our members to adopt practices that contribute to a greener workspace. Here’s how members can actively participate:

Waste Reduction and Recycling #

All members are encouraged to minimize waste by using resources judiciously. This includes being mindful of unnecessary printing and making use of recycling facilities provided in the space.

Read our knowledge base article about how to reduce your office waste.

Energy Conservation #

One key aspect of environmental responsibility is conserving energy. Members can make a contribution by turning off lights, computers, and other equipment when not in use. 

Support for Green Initiatives #

West Quay Offices implemented green initiatives, such as using eco-friendly products, installing energy-efficient lighting, or creating green spaces. Members can support these efforts by participating in or adhering to the initiatives.

By collectively engaging in these sustainable practices, members not only contribute to an environmentally friendly workspace but also encourage a culture of responsibility and mindfulness toward the planet.

Mails and Packages #

If your membership allows, we will collect your mail and package receipts. We will notify you by email; you will see the notification on our member portal and on our mobile app as well. If your membership includes mail and package services, you can pick up your mail and packages at the reception desk.

Check this article to learn how our system works and how to pick up your email and deliveries.

You must use the exact mailing address without modification, as set forth by us. The delivery address on any mail you receive must include the following components, in this order: The delivery address must include the individual name or business name of the intended addressee, along with their full address.

If your team includes all registered staff members, we will also collect mail for them. We will return any mail without a proper address to the sender endorsed as “undeliverable.” Furthermore, the name of the addressee must match the names registered on the account. We would not be able to sort mail if we did not have the proper name on record.

We accept mail for one company per contract. If you have additional companies, you need to purchase an additional virtual office plan for $50 for each additional company and ask us to add this company to your account.

You must collect packages within 30 days of receipt, and letters within 60 days. After such a period, we reserve the right to return the items to the sender at your expense, charge a storage fee, or dispose of them. If you are expecting exceptionally large or valuable deliveries, please inform the reception so that we may arrange appropriate receipt and storage. If you wish to forward this package or mail, please coordinate with us.

Don’t give your sales pitch to fellow members #

It’s crucial to distinguish between soliciting feedback and promoting your product or service to other members. We have a private discussion board, channel, or group that allows members to easily get in touch with one another; these groups should be used to ask for feedback, recommendations, and the like, not to try and get more clients. Those who are interested in what you do will reach out to you themselves. If you persistently attempt to sell to them, you risk becoming an outcast and losing their interest.

No Posters or Signs #

To keep things fair and consistent for all members, please don’t put up signs or posters on interior and exterior windows or walls.

Couriers and Delivery #

For the safety of all members, delivery personnel and couriers are not permitted beyond the front desk in West Quay Offices. Any delivered packages will be photographed and sent to you via notification email.

Food Delivery #

Please instruct delivery not to leave your food unattended on one of the tables or at the reception desk. Food needs to be left in a designated food cabinet that has a food delivery icon on it. Or you can also await your food when it arrives. The food cabinet is outside of our office, near our entrance door.

If your food leaves grease or spills in the cabinet, please clean it. We may charge you if your food delivery leaves a mess inside.

Access Cards and Fobs #

Your West Quay Offices membership, member key card, and fobs are non-transferable and are intended for the use of the person to whom they are allocated in your membership agreement only; they are not intended to provide access or use to other parties. If you lose or damage your key card, please notify reception as soon as possible. A fee may apply for a replacement key card. The member portal and mobile app display replacement fees.

You are not permitted to make copies of any keys, key cards, or other means of entry to any West Quay Offices space or lend, share, or transfer any keys or key cards to any third party unless authorized by us in advance.

Do not allow others to access restricted key card areas without swiping their key cards. If someone follows you into West Quay Offices without swiping their key card, please request that they check in with reception or notify reception. If it is after business hours, please do not allow anyone to enter the office with you unless you know them.

Electrical #

The electrical current shall be used for ordinary lighting, powering personal computers, and small appliances only unless written permission to do otherwise was first obtained from us at an agreed-upon cost to you. If You require any special installation or wiring for electrical use, telephone equipment, or otherwise, such wiring shall be done at your expense by the personnel designated by us.

High-consumption items #

Individuals using our space may not, without our prior approval, operate any equipment in our space that has a higher heat output or electrical consumption than in a typical office environment or places excessive strain on our electrical, IT, HVAC, or structural systems. Some examples of prohibited items include electric heaters, fridges, tower servers, UPS units larger than 1500 VA, ovens, extra halogen lights, etc.

Intended Use #

You hereby agree that you will not use our workspaces, mailing address, or any other services for any unlawful, illegitimate, or fraudulent purposes or for any purpose prohibited by Canadian federal and/or provincial regulations. You further agree that any use of our spaces and services shall be in conformity with all applicable federal, provincial, and local laws.

We will work with local, provincial, and federal agencies and share any information about you, our spaces, and our services if requested. You further acknowledge and agree that we may share any and all information about you and your use of our workspaces or services with any third party upon being presented with a civil or criminal subpoena. You specifically indemnify us and hold us harmless from any and all liability, claims, damages, losses, or causes of action arising from the release of information regarding you or your use of our spaces and address to any representative of a local, provincial, or federal agency.

Know Your Customer (KYC) Requirements #

For certain services we offer, we may require you to provide confirmation of both personal and business identification or documentation. We can only start the services you contracted for once you provide the requested information.

Your company and contact information #

It is your responsibility to keep the information and key contact details we use to communicate with you up to date through the app or online account on the members’ portal. This includes but is not limited to email addresses, phone numbers, and company addresses.

Internet and Network #

As hackers get smarter, the need to protect your digital assets and network devices is even greater. While providing IT security can be expensive, a significant breach costs an organization far more. Large breaches can jeopardize the health of a small business. An incident can occur either during or after.

West Quay Offices offers highly intelligent online security for your devices and data. We offer all-inclusive security already built-in when you bring your devices to West Quay Offices. Some of the advantages are

• VLAN-isolated networks for your private offices
• Isolated networks where members cannot see each other’s devices
• Firewalls protect and eliminate any malicious activity, inside or out.
• Application protection at network level
• VPN and endpoint security on demand
• Static IPs dedicated your devices or switch on demand

Learn more about what West Quay Offices offers to you for cyber, IT, and network security.

Network Security #

For any person using the West Quay Offices wireless internet, their’ computers, tablets, mobile devices, and other electronic equipment must be

• kept up-to-date with the latest software updates provided by the software vendor and
• kept clean of any malware, viruses, spyware, worms, Trojans, or anything that is designed to perform malicious, hostile, and intrusive operations.

West Quay Offices makes no representations whatsoever as to the security of the internet, wired or wireless telecommunications systems, or hosting services provided as part of the services, or of any data or communications system or any information that you send through or place on it, and you have no expectation of privacy with respect to such systems. West Quay Offices is not responsible for any loss of data, information, business, goodwill, or otherwise as a result of such interruptions. You are responsible for protecting your computers, devices, data, information, business, and goodwill from damage or interference, including but not limited to viruses or malware.

Acceptable Network Use Policy #

You agree not to misuse the network in West Quay Offices or help anyone else to do so. For example, you must not even try to do any of the following using our wired or wireless network:

• probe, scan, or test the vulnerability of any system or network (if your business needs to be PCI-compliant, please consult us).
• breach or otherwise circumvent any security or authentication measures;
• interfere with or disrupt any user, host, or network, for example, by sending a virus, overloading, flooding, spamming, or mail-bombing using our network;
• access, search, or create accounts by any means other than our publicly supported interfaces (for example, “scraping” or creating accounts in bulk);
• send unsolicited communications, promotions, advertisements, or spam;
• send altered, deceptive, or false source-identifying information, including “spoofing” or “phishing”;
• publish, share, or store materials that constitute child sexually exploitative material (including material which may not be illegal child sexual abuse material but which nonetheless sexually exploits or promotes the sexual exploitation of minors), unlawful pornography, or are otherwise indecent;
• publish, share, or store content that contains or promotes extreme acts of violence or terrorist activity, including terror propaganda;
• advocate bigotry or hatred against any person or group of people based on their race, religion, ethnicity, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, or impairment;
• violate the law in any way, including storing, publishing, or sharing material that’s fraudulent, defamatory, or misleading, or that violates the intellectual property rights of others;
• violate the privacy or infringe the rights of others;
• download warez or copyrighted material;
• This includes using torrent websites for hosting, seeding, and downloading.

If West Quay Offices suspects you have violated the Internet Policy, we will investigate and may institute legal action, immediately deactivate services to any account without prior notice to you, and cooperate with law enforcement authorities in bringing legal proceedings against violators. You agree to reasonably cooperate with West Quay Offices in all such actions. You agree to indemnify West Quay Offices for any damages to our infrastructure or business caused by your violation of the Internet Policy.

LAN Network #

Each private office and large meeting room has its own Ethernet plug where you can wire in and use high-speed fiber internet. Some offices may have more plugs; our general setup is that a VoIP Cisco phone is connected to the wall with an Ethernet cable and you are free to connect your computer to ethernet port on the back of the VoIP phone.

Connecting a Switch #

If you have more desks, you may want to connect a switch to our LAN and distribute lines to more computers. You are free to do that. You may install managed or unmanaged switches on your own or we can provide an unmanaged switch for you free of charge during your rental.

Connecting your own Router #

We do not recommend connecting to your router. Technically, it will be a double NAT connection, and you may have problems with your internet connections or accessing our devices inside our network (like printers, servers, etc.). We won’t be able to fix any issues that arise with your connection or network and you may be blocked at some point by our firewalls, as you will be using a different subnet provided by your router.

If you do not know what you are doing and you want to connect a home router to our network, it is best not to do it. We already provide and maintain a strong commercial-level router that controls all our network. If you need a special setup, please contact us.

WiFi/Wireless Internet #

West Quay Offices has 6 power access points around the premises and offers WiFi 7, WiFi 6, WiFi 5, WiFi 4, WiFi 2 using 2.4-GHz, 5-GHz, and 6-GHz bands. We use channel widths of 20 MHz, 40 MHz, 80 MHz, and 160 MHz. As we operate 6 APs, we use almost all available channels. Learn more about our WiFi networks in here if you need to.

You should not be broadcasting or using any of these channels in our workspaces. If you do this, your device may cause interference and poor network performance for all users of our wireless networks, including you. We reserve the right to block any device found broadcasting wirelessly using these channels.

Private Offices have their own WiFi and VLAN channels #

Each private office has its own isolated VLAN network and WiFi password to access the internet. The contact owner receives the password upon sign-up. This feature may not be available on basic packages and you may need to either upgrade to VIP or purchase a VLAN add-on.

Sharing WiFi internet access with others #

You should never share your personal WiFi access codes (PIN number) or passwords with any other users or visitors. Each individual should use their own access code to ensure security and to enable our smart office services to function properly. You will compromise security if you share your password or PIN , as that device will be registered under your account and it will impersonate you and even unlock doors.

Providing WiFi internet access for your visitors #

If you do not know how to add visitors, please read our knowledge base article.

If you need internet access for your visitor, just register them on our members’ portal, our mobile application, or through our kiosk in reception, and they will get their access code by email. Never share your access codes with your visitors. It is a security risk for all of us.

IT Services #

We do not offer any IT services, such as troubleshooting or support for your equipment; however, where possible, we will let you know if we can help you. We shall have no responsibility for any such requests, and you use such support at your discretion.

This statement does not apply to the services we provide, such as connecting your computer to WiFi, ethernet, or a printer, for which we will be happy to assist you.

Stolen Items #

While you are at West Quay Offices, you are responsible for your personal property. West Quay Offices will not be responsible for any lost or stolen items.

Members have access to lockers, and owners can lock their private offices.

Discrimination and Harassment #

We will not tolerate discrimination or harassment of any kind. Specifically, West Quay Offices prohibits discrimination and harassment against any individual on our premises, including West Quay Offices personnel, members, vendors, and guests, because of that:

• individual’s gender,
• sexual orientation,
• marital or civil status,
• pregnancy (or pregnancy-related conditions),
• gender identity or expression,
• transgender status or gender reassignment,
• race,
• color,
• national origin or ancestry,
• citizenship,
• religion or religious beliefs,
• age,
• physical or mental disability,
• genetic information (including genetic testing and characteristics),
• military or veteran status,
• or any other grounds or characteristics protected under the law.

West Quay Offices takes any violations of this discrimination and harassment policy seriously and encourages reporting any violations. To report a violation, contact the community team. If any member, vendor, or guest is found to have violated this discrimination and harassment policy, West Quay Offices will take appropriate remedial action to address the conduct, up to and including prohibiting the member, vendor, or guest from admission to our premises or immediately removing the offending member, vendor, or guest from the premises.

OUR Community is a HATE-FREE ZONE #

Video Surveillance and Access Systems #

We may, at our discretion, regularly record certain shared areas in our spaces via video for security reasons.

collect information through the use of the video surveillance system, including but not limited to personal information such as photos and images of people who pass over the common
property.

We may collect information through the use of our computerized access system, including but not limited to personal information of you, your members, and visitors, such as the name of the person, email address, dates and times of access, and parts of the workspaces accessed.

We may use personal information collected by the video surveillance system and access system for security purposes as defined in our Privacy Policy, as amended or replaced.

You can be confident that our office hardware retains this footage, and it doesn’t transfer to any out-of-office services or cloud servers. We delete all recordings after a certain period.

Children #

At this time, we are unable to accommodate children. In instances of an emergency, we are accommodating for short durations in the workplace when a responsible parent is present at all times with them.

The high-tech equipment in our offices does not prioritize the safety of children.

Damages #

The contract owner is responsible for any damages to our property incurred while using our workspaces for self, his/her/their employees, or visitors.

Insurance #

It is your responsibility to arrange insurance for your own assets, which you may bring into West Quay Offices, and for your own liability to your employees and to third parties you may bring together.

West Quay Offices carries liability and business personal property insurance. However, you are strongly encouraged to carry an insurance policy to cover your equipment and personal property while using our premises. You waive any right of subrogation, right of recovery, or cause of action for any damage, theft, destruction, or loss of property, or any injury, including death, to the extent the same is insured against under any insurance policy that you may have.

No Dangerous Activities or Items #

For the safety and enjoyment of all members of our community, all members, guests, and others using our spaces shall act in a respectful manner in the space, use the space in a manner consistent with typical commercial office building usage, and shall not perform any activity or cause or permit anything that is reasonably likely to be disruptive or dangerous to us or any members, or our or their employees, guests, or property. The use of West Quay Offices to conduct or pursue any illegal or offensive activities is strictly prohibited.

Banned Materials and Equipment #

Most materials and equipment are allowed in West Quay Offices. However, to protect the space and the safety of its members, members must not bring the following items into West Quay Offices:

• Weapons of any kind and any other offensive, dangerous, hazardous, inflammable, or explosive materials are strictly prohibited in West Quay Offices. If you become aware of a weapon in the West Quay Offices, notify reception.
• Explosives, explosive charges and related paraphernalia;
• Items requiring a license to operate or carry, including some radio equipment;
• Large quantities of combustibles, inflammable liquids or pressurised gases;
• Equipment or materials likely to cause injury or harm;
• Materials or substances banned in Canada;
• Stolen materials or equipment.

Alcohol and Substances #

Alcoholic beverages, illegal substances, smoking, vaping, or open flames are not permitted on West Quay Offices premises. No group using our spaces may engage in any unlawful or illegal behaviour under any law of British Columbia or Canada, including those specified in the Criminal Code and under human rights legislation.

Bicycle storage #

We have bicycle storage available free of charge to members on the first floor of the building. A key is required at our reception. If you are a member, you are free to use this storage by requesting a copy of the key from our reception. The key must be returned to us at the end of your membership.

We strongly suggest you lock your bicycle even when in the building’s bicycle storage room.

Bicycles are not permitted in the elevator, hallways, or any other indoor common areas except the underground parking facility. No bicycles are to be kept inside our working spaces. Bicycles must enter or exit the building by way of the vehicle entry to the underground parking facility only.

Parking #

We have reserved parking for members and guest parking for your visitors. 24/7 reserved parking can be purchased from our reception or online and will cost $250 per month. There is a $150 deposit charged for access to the parking gate, which will be returnable when you return the remote fob in its original shape.

• A maximum speed of 15 km/h will apply within the common property.
• Vehicles exceeding 4,000 kg. G.V.W. must not be parked or brought onto the common property without the consent of us, except when used in delivery to or removal from the premises.

Reserved parking for members #

If you have rented reserved parking from us, you will not:

• You must only use the parking stall that we have specifically assigned to you.
• permit a parking stall to be used by anyone that is not on your contract agreement and listed as a member in your team,
• carry out, or permit anyone to carry out on a parking stall, any oil changes, major repairs, or
• adjustments to motor vehicles or other mechanical equipment on common property or on any limited common property, including the underground parking facility, except in the case of emergency. If this occurs, you must immediately, at your own expense, clean up any oil or other substance that spills or leaks from your or a team member’s vehicle onto the common property or limited common property, regardless of how or when such spills or leaks occur or whether they are the result of an activity that is against the bylaws or not.
• You must have enough insurance before parking or storing a vehicle.

Any vehicle that does not comply with the bylaws or rules at the parking contract holder’s expense or owner’s expense if the car is not identified.

Visitor/customer parking #

• Your visitors can use visitor parking free of charge.
• Visitor parking shall be limited to a maximum duration of 2 hours.

Any vehicle found to be in violation may be towed by the strata corporation at the vehicle owner’s expense. West Quay Offices has no control over this.

Unsuitable Business Types #

The businesses that aren’t a good fit for West Quay Offices would be retail, massage parlours, chiropractic, dentists, etc. Types of businesses that have frequent heavy traffic in and out of the space.

Other than these examples, these kinds of businesses are strictly not allowed by law in our spaces.

• an auction, bulk sale, liquidation sale, “going out of business” sale, or bankruptcy sale;
• an off-track betting establishment;
• an adult entertainment store, an adult bookstore, an adult magazine store, or store selling sex toys or displaying or renting sexually oriented goods or services;
• marijuana grow operation or production facility.

Late Night Policy #

Late Working #

West Quay Offices are accessible to members who have 24/7 access. Private offices and unlimited VIP coworking members that have 24/7 access can enter the space anytime. Other type of members can enter during business hours/days and they need to leave space by 5 p.m.

If you have 24/7 access, there is no limitation on the time you can work in our spaces.

Late Visitors (Guests) #

Non-member visitors are not permitted on the premises after 8 P.M. If members are working collaboratively with non-members into the night, that is acceptable until then. Members working collaboratively late at night with non-members must take responsibility for the non-members, including ensuring the number of non-members does not exceed the number of members working and members need to accompany visitors at all times. All visitors entering our space must be registered through our members’ portal, mobile app or tablet in reception. This applies at all times but is particularly important at night.

Sleeping #

Sleeping is not permitted in the space, regardless of time of day. While there is often a temptation to just put the head down to work overnight, “You don’t have to go home, but you can’t stay here.”

Pet Policy #

West Quay Offices is responsible for assuring the health and safety of all members. In keeping with this objective, West Quay Offices does not permit members to bring their household pets to work. Animals may pose a threat of infection and may cause allergic reactions in other members. The presence of animals, particularly dogs, may cause some members to feel threatened or distracted. In addition, West Quay Offices wishes to prevent pets from fouling the office space or damaging the company’s and its members’ property.

Service Animals #

A member or visitor who requires the help of a service animal (as defined in section 1(1) of the Accessible Transportation for Persons with Disabilities Regulations) “a dog that has been individually trained by an organization or person specializing in service dog training to perform a task to assist a person with a disability with a need related to their disability. (chien d’assistance“) will be permitted to bring a service animal to the office, provided that the animal’s presence does not create a danger to others and does not impose an undue hardship upon us and all the businesses operating on our premises.

Such individuals:

1. Have a disability.
2. A service animal is a necessary accommodation for that disability.
3. A service animal is properly trained and certified in accordance with BC’s Guide and Service Dog Act.

An animal may be excluded from the office if it:

• causes any person to experience allergic reactions, fear, or any other physical or psychological discomfort;
• distracts any member from their work; or
• reduces any member’s productivity or quality of work.

Any individual with a grievance regarding an animal at the office should bring the matter to the attention of the owner’s immediate supervisor.

In addition, the following animals may not be brought to the workplace:

• sick animals;
• animals with fleas or any disease that is communicable to other animals in the office or to humans;
• animals that have not been properly vaccinated or that have internal or external parasites;
• dogs that bark or behave aggressively, or animals that foul the inside or outside of the building.

Animals that have not been spayed or neutered will not be permitted to come to the office in season.

All dogs must be leashed at all times. All animals must be under the continuous, full control of their owners. They should be in the physical presence of the owner, in the owner’s office, or in the space around the owner’s desk at all times. Owners are expected to clean up, completely and immediately, after their animals.

The contract owner is responsible for their members, employees, or visitors who bring an animal to the office. They are completely and solely liable for any injuries or damage to personal property caused by the animal. Any repair, cleaning, or maintenance costs incurred by an animal will be charged in full to the contract owner.

If the service animal belongs to a member and needs to come to our premises frequently, West Quay Offices may, at its discretion, require the animal owner to maintain a liability insurance policy covering damage or injuries caused by the animal while at the office. The company may specify minimum coverage amounts under such a policy and may require the owner to pay for such coverage. West Quay Offices shall not be liable for the loss of, or injury to, any animal brought to the office.

The Golden Rule #

There are a number of different aspects to coworking etiquette, but it can really all be boiled down to the ‘Golden Rule’: treat others as you would like to be treated. If you use the shared space of a coworking environment in a way that respects the personal and professional needs of everyone who uses it, you are going to find that it is a much more comfortable and productive place for you to work in.