Political Financing Handbook for Electoral District Associations and Financial Agents (EC 20089) – June 2017 – DRAFT guideline OGI 2017-02

6. Registered Association's Expenses

This chapter takes a broad look at a registered association's expenses and how they are administered. It covers the following topics:

• Who can incur and pay the registered association's expenses?
• Prohibition on election advertising expenses
• How do expenses relate to non-monetary contributions and transfers?
• What invoices have to be kept?
• Repaying and reporting unpaid claims
• Auditor's fee

Note: The financial agent is responsible for recording expenses and keeping receipts and invoices, as required by the Canada Elections Act.

Who can incur expenses?

Only the financial agent and authorized electoral district agents can incur registered association expenses.

There is no limit to the amount of expenses a registered association may incur for property or services it uses, but the expenses must be reported in the association's annual financial return.

Who can pay expenses?

Only the financial agent and authorized electoral district agents can pay registered association expenses.

There is one exception to this rule. Expenses from the petty cash can be paid by a person authorized in writing by the financial agent. The financial agent must set the maximum amount that may be paid from the petty cash.

Prohibition on election advertising expenses

During an election period, the registered association is prohibited from transmitting election advertising or incurring expenses for election advertising.

The registered association can conduct election advertising only if it is done on behalf of a candidate or the party, and if it receives prior written authorization from the candidate's official agent or a registered agent of the party. For more information, see Chapter 7, Working with Other Entities.

Non-monetary contributions and transfers are also expenses or assets

The registered association incurs an expense or acquires an asset when it accepts a non-monetary contribution or a non-monetary transfer.

When property or services are…

Received from an individual at no charge	The full commercial value is a non-monetary contribution.*
Purchased from an individual for less than commercial value	The difference between the purchase price and the commercial value is a non-monetary contribution.*
Received from an affiliated political entity at no charge	The full commercial value is a non-monetary transfer.**
Purchased from an affiliated political entity for less than commercial value	The difference between the purchase price and the commercial value is a non-monetary transfer.**

Invoices

If an expense of $50 or more was incurred and paid on behalf of the registered association, either the financial agent or the authorized electoral district agent who made the payment has to keep a copy of the supplier invoice setting out the nature of the expense and proof of payment.

If an expense of less than $50 was incurred and paid on behalf of the registered association, either the financial agent or the authorized electoral district agent who made the payment has to keep a record of the nature of the expense and proof of payment.

For payments made from the petty cash, the person who is authorized to pay petty expenses has to provide the invoices and proof of payment within three months after the date the petty expense was incurred.

Repaying and reporting unpaid claims

All invoices for claims have to be submitted to the financial agent or authorized electoral district agents. Claims have to be paid within 36 months after payment is due.

The registered association's annual financial return must include the following schedules related to unpaid claims:

• statement of unpaid claims
• previously reported claims that have been paid in full since the last fiscal period
• statement of claims that remain unpaid 18 or 36 months after their due date

Auditor's fee

The registered association's auditor will receive a subsidy from Elections Canada, paid directly to the auditor, for their work auditing the annual financial return. Elections Canada authorizes the payment once it receives the return, the auditor's report and a copy of the auditor's invoice.

The subsidy is equal to the invoiced amount of audit expenses, up to a maximum of $1,500. If the auditor's fee exceeds the maximum allowable subsidy, the registered association is responsible for the difference.

Note: The subsidy is provided only when an audit of the association's annual financial return was required by the Canada Elections Act.

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