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This is a little bit complicated, but bear with me.
You’re right in that you can’t be expected to pay for enhancements but then there were repairs required to be done anyway.
First of all, this work would require a special resolution by-law and if you have one quarter of the unit entitlements, you could block that from the get-go. Even without that, they should shouldn’t do the work without a by-law and you could challenge it if it isn’t fair or reasonable (i.e. you are being asked to pay to enhance someone else’s unit).
Now, what you want is a by-law under which the upstairs owners accept ongoing responsibility for the maintenance and repairs of the enhancements to the stairs. Then the owners corp can agree to pay the amount that would have been required simply for the repairs, towards the improvements.
You will need a specialist strata lawyer to draw up the by-law (which the OC should pay for, to save confusion). Under no circumstances allow this to go forward on a nod and a wink as you could end up paying for other owners errors for years to come.