Political Financing

Most political entities collect contributions and spend money in their efforts to influence the decisions that Canadians make when participating in the democratic process, including when thinking about voting in federal elections. Knowing how political entities are funded and how they use their resources can help voters make informed decisions at the polls.

To support fairness, accountability and transparency in federal elections, the political financing regime of the Canada Elections Act sets rules on the ways that political entities can raise and spend money. The regime also requires entities to register with Elections Canada and report on their finances annually and/or after an electoral event. This financial reporting allows Canadians to see for themselves how money comes into the political system and how it is used.

Understanding the political financing regime

The political financing regime of the Canada Elections Act regulates the ways that federal political entities can get resources and spend money and how they report their financial transactions.

Political financing data

Under the political financing regime of the Canada Elections Act requires all political entities must track and report their financial transactions. To support transparency, Elections Canada publishes the financial returns of all political entities online.

You can search for information about the political entities registered with Elections Canada and view their financial reports.