Nomination signatures

If your municipality has more than 4,000 electors, candidates running for municipal council must submit 25 endorsement signatures when they file their nomination.

In order to endorse a candidate, you must be eligible to vote on the day that you sign the endorsement. For example, a person who is 17 cannot sign an endorsement even if they will be 18 by voting day and able to vote in the election.

You can provide signatures to as many people as you like – there is no limit on the number of nominations you can endorse, and you can endorse more than 1 person running for the same office.

Signs

The Municipal Elections Act, 1996 does not regulate the size or placement of signs. Your municipality may have rules regarding where signs may be placed and when they may be displayed. Contact your municipal clerk for more information.

Inside a voting place

Campaign materials, including pamphlets, signs, or buttons supporting or opposing a candidate are not permitted inside a voting place.

You are not permitted to show your marked ballot to anyone. This includes taking a picture or video of your marked ballot. The exception to this rule is if someone in the voting place is assisting you to mark your ballot.

Contributions

Any person who is a resident of Ontario may make a contribution to a candidate’s campaign.

Corporations and trade unions are not permitted to make contributions to candidates in municipal elections in Ontario.

Groups such as neighbourhood associations, clubs or professional associations, such as fire or police associations, are not eligible to make contributions. Members may contribute individually.

Contribution limit

You may contribute a maximum of $1,200 to a single candidate ($2,500 to a mayoral candidate in the City of Toronto). This amount includes the value of any goods or services donated to the campaign. You may not contribute more than $5,000 in total to candidates running for offices on the same council or school board.

If you buy a ticket to a candidate’s fundraiser, the cost of the ticket is a contribution.

Any contribution of money must come directly from the contributor. You are not permitted to pool contributions from others and then forward that money to a candidate’s campaign. If a contribution is made from a joint account, it must be clear which person is making the contribution.

Contributions greater than $25 may not be made in cash. All contributions above $25 must be made by cheque, money order, or by a method that clearly shows where the funds came from.

If the total value of the contributions you’ve made to a candidate is greater than $100, your name and address will be recorded in the candidate’s financial statement. The candidate’s financial statement is a public document.

Contributions to municipal council and school board candidates are not tax deductible. Your municipality may have a contribution rebate program in place. You should contact your municipal clerk for more information.

If the candidate has a surplus at the end of their campaign, they must turn that money over to the municipality. They are not permitted to return unused contributions to the contributors.

Review of contributions

Contributions reported on candidates’ financial statements will be reviewed by the municipal clerk to check that they are within the rules.

If the financial statements show that a contributor gave more than $1,200 to a candidate ($2,500 to a mayoral candidate in Toronto), or if they show that a contributor gave more than $5,000 total to candidates running for the same municipality or school board, the clerk will report this to the compliance audit committee.

The compliance audit committee will hold a meeting, and determine whether the municipality (or school board) should begin court proceedings against the contributor.

If you want to contribute to a candidate, you should make sure that you know what the contribution limits are, and keep track of your donations to ensure that you don’t end up giving more than is permitted.