Site MenuPolitical Financing Handbook for Registered Parties and Chief Agents (EC 20231) – August 2024
About This Document
Introduction to the handbook
This handbook is designed to help eligible and registered parties, chief agents and registered agents in the financial administration of the registered party.
This document is a general guideline issued pursuant to section 16.1 of the Canada Elections Act. It is provided for information and is not intended to replace the Act.
Elections Canada will review the contents of this handbook on a regular basis and make updates as required.
Note: In this handbook, the term "individual" refers to a Canadian citizen or permanent resident when used in the context of contributions or loans.
What's new in this release?
| Release | Where | Title | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| August 2024 | All | n/a | Updated form names to match new registry and contest forms published on the website. |
| Chapter 3 | Accepting and recording contributions | Added details about recording a contributor's home address. | |
| Chapter 13 | Directed contributions received for leadership contestants | Added details on the treatment of directed contributions that the party withholds, in whole or in part, to cover leadership campaign expenses. | |
| December 2023 | All | n/a | Contribution limits for 2024 updated in tables and examples. |
| Chapter 2 | Eligible parties–reporting requirements and activities | New content on political financing activities of an eligible party. | |
| Roles and appointments within the party | Updated residency requirement (now less restrictive) for officers and agents of the party. | ||
| Chapter 3 | Volunteer labour is not a contribution | Content added from OGI 2019-01, Volunteer Labour, about conditional compensation. Standardized with compensation of workers in Chapter 9. | |
| Accepting and recording contributions | Clarified that a contributor's business address cannot be recorded in place of their home address. | ||
| Remitting anonymous contributions that cannot be acceptedReturning ineligible or non-compliant contributions | Added the option to remit contributions by bank transfer. | ||
| Chapter 5 | Transfers sent by the registered party | Clarified what it means for property or services to be "offered equally." | |
| Irregular transfers | New section on consequences of irregular transfers, as per OGI 2022-02, Irregular Transfers Between Affiliated Political Entities. | ||
| Chapter 6 | Regulated fundraising events | Added details on reporting an event location and returning contributions, as per OGIs 2022-04, Disclosing the Location of a Regulated Fundraising Event and 2023-01, Regulated Fundraising Events. | |
| Chapter 9 | Limit on election expenses after a candidate's withdrawal | New section on how a candidate's withdrawal affects the party's final expenses limit. | |
| Traditional election advertising Election signs | Clarified that the blackout period does not apply to putting up signs or non-web banners on election day. | ||
| Websites and web content | Clarified that web content shared by an affiliated political entity is reported by only one entity. | ||
| Cell phones | New section on election expenses related to personal and campaign cell phones. | ||
| Voter databases, surveys and research | New position that use of existing voter database software is an election expense. Added content as per OGI 2022-03, Voter Databases and Election Expenses. | ||
| Campaign workers and related expenses | Standardized with volunteer labour in Chapter 3. Added content on providing gifts cards to cover incidental expenses. | ||
| Chapter 11 | Campaigning by a parliamentarian or a candidate | New example of reporting expenses when a candidate goes on tour for the party. | |
| Chapter 13 | Leadership and nomination contest fees | Clarified how different types of fees are reported by the party and contestants. | |
| Chapter 14 | Reporting timeline | Clarified that a leadership contest report must be submitted before or immediately after the contest starts. | |
| Chapter 16 | Redistribution of Electoral Districts | New chapter about the impacts of electoral redistribution on registered parties and associations. |
Contact information
| Website | elections.ca |
|---|---|
| Political Entities Support Network |
Telephone |
| Elections Canada General Enquiries |
Telephone |
30 Victoria Street |