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Supplementary Information Tables – Details on Transfer Payment Programs2021–22 Departmental Plan

Details on Transfer Payment Programs

Total planned spending: less than $5 million

Reimbursements to eligible candidates and political parties (2020–21) and subsidies to auditors of candidates (2020–21) and registered associations (ongoing)

Start date

1974

End date

Ongoing

Type of transfer payment

Other (not grants or contributions)

Type of appropriation

The program is appropriated through the statutory authority for electoral expenditures.

Fiscal year for terms and conditions

Not applicable

Link to departmental result(s)

Canada maintains a fair, secure, and transparent electoral process free of undue influence

Link to the department's Program Inventory

Electoral Integrity and Regulatory Oversight

Purpose and objectives of transfer payment program

Elections Canada's role is to administer the Canada Elections Act (the Act), which has three main objectives: fairness, transparency and participation.

To promote fairness and participation, the Act provides for partial reimbursement of paid election expenses, personal expenses of candidates and accessibility expenses (for by-elections and general elections), partial reimbursement of paid election expenses of registered parties and paid accessibility expenses (for general elections only) and a subsidy for audit fees of eligible political entities. To be eligible for partial reimbursement of election expenses, candidates must be elected or obtain at least 10% of the valid votes cast in their electoral district. Registered parties must obtain at least 2% of the valid votes cast nationally or 5% of the valid votes cast in electoral districts where the party has endorsed candidates.

A subsidy not exceeding $2,143.50 is sent directly to the external auditors of eligible political entities (candidates, registered associations, nomination contestants and leadership contestants). To qualify for an audit subsidy, an eligible entity must have accepted contributions or incurred expenses totalling $10,000 or more during the year.

This Transfer Payment Program does not include any refundable contribution.

Expected results

Eligible political entities and auditors will receive statutory reimbursements and subsidies provided by law.

Fiscal year of last completed evaluation

Not applicable (statutory payments as determined by Parliament)

Decision following the results of last evaluation

Not applicable

Fiscal year of next planned evaluation

Not applicable

General targeted recipient groups

Eligible political entities and auditors

Initiatives to engage applicants and recipients

Elections Canada provides targeted recipient groups with tools, detailed information and training that explain the terms and conditions for eligibility to statutory reimbursements and subsidies.

Financial information (dollars)
Type of transfer payment 2020–21 forecast spending 2021–22 planned spending 2022–23 planned spending 2023–24 planned spending
Total grants 0 0 0 0
Total contributions 0 0 0 0
Total other types of transfer payments (5,408,621)* 1,620,000 1,620,000 1,620,000
Total program (5,408,621)* 1,620,000 1,620,000 1,620,000

*Negative amount is due to an adjustment related to an overestimation of reimbursements to political parties for the 2019 general election, recorded in 2019–20, as election returns for most parties were received after the closing of the fiscal year.