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Please refer to the Municipal Elections Act for complete and accurate information at:
Municipal Elections Act, 1996, S.O. 1996, c. 32, Sched. | ontario.ca
What are the maximum contributions amounts that can be made to candidates?
As per 88.9 (1) of the Ontario Municipal Elections Act, a contributor shall not make contributions exceeding a total of $1,200 to any one candidate in an election. 2016, c. 15, s. 51; 2017, c. 10, Sched. 4, s. 8 (8).
(2) If a person is a candidate for more than one office, a contributor’s total contributions to him or her in respect of all the offices shall not exceed “$1,200. 2016, c. 15, s. 51; 2017, c. 10, Sched. 4, s. 8 (9).
Exception, mayor of City of Toronto
(3) Despite subsections (1) and (2), for the purposes of those subsections the maximum total contribution that a contributor may make to a candidate for the office of mayor of the City of Toronto is $2,500. 2016, c. 15, s. 51.
Multiple candidates
(4) A contributor shall not make contributions exceeding a total of $5,000 to two or more candidates for office on the same council or local board. 2016, c. 15, s. 51.
Exception, candidates and spouses
(5) This section does not apply to contributions made to a candidate’s own election campaign by the candidate or his or her spouse. 2016, c. 15, s. 51.
How can candidates determine which addresses are in which wards?
The clerk shall provide copy of voters’ list to certified candidates on or before September 1, 2026, who have made a written request. The list will provide only the part of the voters' list that contains the name of the electors who are entitled to vote for that office
Will the list of electors provide the electors’ addresses and phone numbers?
The list will provide the electors names and qualifying addresses but not their mailing address or phone numbers.
For the installation of election campaign signs, what's the first day we can put them up and how long do we have to take them down?
No election campaign advertisements shall be erected prior to 8:00 a.m. on September 1, 2026. All election campaign advertisements shall be removed prior to 4:00 p.m. on October 31, 2026.
Do candidates have to wait until September 1st to leave door hanger / pamphlets at elector residences?
No. The September 1st date applies to signs.
What is the process if a candidate decides to withdraw and/or change the position they have submitted their nomination for?
Since our councillor offices are elected by ward (not at large), the two campaigns would need to remain completely separate. The Municipal Elections Act does not allow campaign finances to be transferred between the campaigns when one or both of the offices are elected by ward.
This means:
Any contributions received while you were a ward councillor candidate cannot be transferred to the mayoral campaign. Any expenses incurred for the councillor campaign cannot be transferred either. The first campaign ends when the second nomination (for mayor) is filed, because the first nomination is deemed to be withdrawn.
You would need to also:
Pay a new nomination fee for the mayoral nomination.
File two separate campaign financial statements:
one for the ward councillor campaign (from the original nomination date until the mayoral nomination is filed), and one for the mayoral campaign (from the date the mayoral nomination is filed until the end of that campaign).
You would not be allowed to use the councillor contributions for the mayoral campaign. The contributions remain part of the ward councillor campaign and must be accounted for in that campaign’s financial statement. If there is a surplus after all eligible expenses and liabilities for that campaign are paid, it must be dealt with under the Municipal Elections Act (typically by being paid to the municipality), not carried over to the new campaign.
Is the Alfred and Plantagenet Township located in sector 4 or sector 5 of the French-language public school board?
The Township of Alfred and Plantagenet is in sector 4.
Can candidates claim fuel as an election campaign expense?
Possibly. Follow this link for details:
Are the nomination fee and other campaign expenses tax deductible?
No. The nomination fee is a personal expense rather than a campaign expense. It should not be reported on your campaign financial statement.
Where can election signs be posted?
Election campaign signs may be installed on private property with the permission of the property owners or tenants, as well as near roads, provided that they do not interfere with vehicle or pedestrian traffic. However, they are not permitted on Township properties, such as community halls, fire stations, parks, libraries, or the Town Hall.
Here is an excerpt from the municipal elections act of Ontario:
Display of signs at residential premises:
88.2 (1) No landlord or person acting on a landlord’s behalf may prohibit a tenant from displaying signs in relation to an election on the premises to which the lease relates. 2016, c. 15, s. 46.
(2) No condominium corporation or any of its agents may prohibit the owner or tenant of a condominium unit from displaying signs in relation to an election on the premises of his or her unit. 2016, c. 15, s. 46.
Exception
(3) Despite subsections (1) and (2), a landlord, person, condominium corporation or agent may set reasonable conditions relating to the size or type of signs in relation to an election that may be displayed on the premises and may prohibit the display of signs in relation to an election in common areas of the building in which the premises are found. 2016, c. 15, s. 46.
(4) Despite subsection (3), no landlord, person, condominium corporation or agent may prohibit the display of signs in relation to an election in common areas of the building if space in the building is being used as a voting place. 2016, c. 15, s. 46.
https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/96m32#BK96
As far as the maximum number of signs allowed, there is no set number. (However, your maximum campaign expenses must be taken into consideration. )
Is holding a fundraiser for a cancer-related cause allowed or prohibited during an election campaigning period? (For example, collecting donations door-to-door)
We haven't found any provision in the law that directly addresses this question. However, there's a concern that some people might question the collecting or use of the funds raised. There's also a risk that a compliance audit request could be filed early in the year by someone wanting clarification on where the money went.
Are companies allowed to vote?
No.
How can candidates determine who has the right to vote?
Candidates can check the voters' list which can be provided if requested in writing and after agreeing to take an oath.
You are eligible to vote in the election for municipal council if you meet all of the following requirements:
• you are a Canadian citizen
• you are aged 18 or older
• you qualify to vote in the municipality
There are three ways that you can qualify to vote in a municipality:
1. As a resident elector if you live in the municipality. You may own, rent, live in shared accommodation where you do not pay rent or live in the municipality but do not have a fixed address. Being a resident elector is the most common type of eligibility.
2. As a non-resident elector if you own or rent property in a municipality, but it’s not the one where you live. While you can be a resident elector in only one municipality (with the exception of students), you can be a non-resident elector in any other municipality (or municipalities) where you own or rent property.
3. As the spouse of a non-resident elector if your spouse owns or rents property in the municipality or municipalities other than the one where you live.
Neither you nor your spouse qualify as a non-resident elector if you do not personally own or rent the property in the municipality. For example, if the property is owned by your business or your cottage is owned by a trust, you would not qualify as a non-resident elector.
If you are not certain whether you qualify as a non-resident elector, you should check with the municipal clerk. Under the Municipal Elections Act, 1996, municipal clerks are responsible for conducting elections, and must be satisfied that a person is eligible to vote before adding their name to the voters’ list. Municipal clerks may seek legal advice if they are not certain of a person’s eligibility to vote.
There is a special rule for students who may be living away from home while they attend school. If you are a student and consider your “home” to be the place where you live when you are not attending school (that is, you plan on returning there), then you are eligible to vote in both your “home” municipality and in the municipality where you live while attending school.
If you qualify to vote in more than one municipality, you can vote in all of those municipal elections. For example, if you qualify as a resident elector in one municipality, and a non-resident elector in three other municipalities, you can vote in all four of those municipal elections.
You must vote in the ward where you live. If you are also the owner or tenant of a property in another ward or your spouse owns or rents a property in another ward, you are not permitted to vote in that ward instead.
If you are a non-resident elector and you own or rent properties in more than one ward in the municipality, you must choose one ward to vote in. Make sure that you are on the voters’ list for that qualifying address.
What must someone do if they are not on the voters' list?
They can make sure they're ready to vote in Ontario's municipal and school board elections by contacting the clerk's office directly to register or update their information. If they must be added to the list or if changes need to be made, Form AP105E [PDF/232KB] must be filled out and proper photo identification must be provided.
What were the average amounts of campaign expenses being spent during the last municipal elections? Is this information public? (Answer pending)