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Political Financing Handbook for Nomination Contestants and Financial Agents (EC 20182) – December 2023

1. Reference Tables and Timelines

This chapter presents quick reference tools for nomination contestants and financial agents. It covers the following topics:

  • Important deadlines for the nomination contestant's campaign
  • Limits on contributions, loans and loan guarantees
  • Transfers—types and rules
  • Important reminders for nomination contestants and their financial agents

Important deadlines for the nomination contestant's campaign

Start of the campaign

  • The contestant must appoint a financial agent before accepting contributions, transfers or loans, or incurring expenses. If there are no such transactions, a financial agent does not have to be appointed.
  • The financial agent must open a campaign bank account before accepting funds (by way of contributions, transfers or loans) or spending funds.
  • The contestant may appoint an auditor right away, but it is not a requirement. An auditor must be appointed if the campaign accepts contributions totalling $10,000 or more, or incurs nomination campaign expenses totalling $10,000 or more.*

Start of the contest

No deadlines during the contest period

Selection date

30 days after selection date**

The entity that organized the contest, either the party or association, submits the Nomination Contest Report to Elections Canada.

3 months after selection date**

The contestant must provide the financial agent with the Nomination Contestant's Statement of Expenses and all supporting documents (unless no financial agent has been appointed because the campaign had no financial transactions).

4 months after selection date**

If the campaign accepted contributions totalling $1,000 or more, or incurred nomination campaign expenses totalling $1,000 or more,* the financial agent must submit to Elections Canada:

  • Nomination Contestant's Campaign Return and all supporting documents
  • Nomination Contestant's Statement of Expenses and all supporting documents
  • auditor's report, if the campaign reached the $10,000 threshold to appoint an auditor

19 months after selection date**

If the campaign still has unpaid claims or loans 18 months after the selection date, the financial agent must submit the Nomination Contestant's Statement of Unpaid Claims and Loans 18 or 36 Months After the Selection Date.

37 months after selection date**

If the campaign still has unpaid claims or loans 36 months after the selection date, the financial agent must submit the Nomination Contestant's Statement of Unpaid Claims and Loans 18 or 36 Months After the Selection Date.

Variable dates

If a claim or loan is paid in full after the campaign return is filed, the financial agent must submit an updated return within 30 days after the final payment.

Variable date

The financial agent must dispose of any surplus of funds within 60 days after receiving the notice of estimated surplus from Elections Canada, then close the bank account. They must submit the Nomination Contestant's Statement of Surplus / Amended Campaign Return and all supporting documents within seven days after disposing of the surplus.

*Transfers that the contestant sends to affiliated political entities are not nomination campaign expenses.

**If the selection date falls within an election period or within 30 days before it, a reference to the selection date in this section is to be read as election day.

Limits on contributions, loans and loan guarantees

Limits on contributions, loans and loan guarantees
Political entity 2024 annual limit Limit per election called between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2024
To each registered party $1,725* n/a
In total to all the registered associations, nomination contestants and candidates of each registered party $1,725* n/a
In total to all leadership contestants in a particular contest $1,725* n/a
To each independent candidate n/a $1,725*

Notes

  • Only individuals who are Canadian citizens or permanent residents can make contributions.
  • The contribution limits apply to total contributions, the unpaid balance of loans made during the contribution period, and the amount of any loan guarantees made during the contribution period that an individual is still liable for. The sum of these three amounts cannot exceed the contribution limit at any time during the relevant contribution period.
  • A nomination contestant is permitted to give an additional $1,000 in total per contest in contributions, loans and loan guarantees to their own campaign.
  • A candidate is permitted to give a total of $5,000 in contributions, loans and loan guarantees to their campaign. A candidate is also permitted to give an additional $1,725* in total per year in contributions, loans and loan guarantees to other candidates, registered associations and nomination contestants of each party. (This includes contributions to the registered association in the candidate's electoral district and contributions to the candidate's own nomination campaign.)
  • A leadership contestant is permitted to give a total of $25,000 in contributions, loans and loan guarantees to their campaign. A leadership contestant is also permitted to give an additional $1,725* in total per year in contributions, loans and loan guarantees to other leadership contestants.

*The limits increase by $25 on January 1 in each subsequent year.

Transfers—types and rules

This table shows the allowable monetary and non-monetary transfers between related registered political entities.

TO
FROM Nomination Contestant Leadership Contestant Candidate Registered Electoral District Association Registered Party
Monetary Non- monetary Monetary Non- monetary Monetary Non- monetary Monetary Non- monetary Monetary Non- monetary
Nomination Contestant No No No No YesNote 1 No YesNote 2 No Yes No
Leadership Contestant No No No No No No Yes No Yes No
Candidate YesNote 3 YesNote 3 No No NoNote 4 NoNote 4 Yes Yes Yes Yes
Registered Electoral District Association No YesNote 5 No YesNote 5 YesNote 6 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Registered Party No YesNote 5 NoNote 7 YesNote 5 YesNote 6 Yes YesNote 8 YesNote 8 n/a n/a

Note 1 A nomination contestant may transfer funds (but not property or services) to a candidate of the same party in the electoral district in which the nomination contest was held. After election day, monetary transfers are allowed only to pay claims and loans related to the candidate's campaign.

Note 2 A nomination contestant can only transfer funds to the registered electoral district association that held the nomination contest.

Note 3 Candidates may transfer property, services and funds to their own nomination contestant campaign for the same election.

Note 4 Candidates in a superseded by-election may transfer property, services and funds to their campaign for the general election.

Note 5 Non-monetary transfers must be offered equally to all contestants.

Note 6 Monetary transfers other than trust funds are allowed. After election day, monetary transfers are allowed only to pay claims and loans related to the candidate's campaign.

Note 7 Directed contributions are the only exception: they may be transferred to the leadership contestant.

Note 8 Registered parties may transfer property, services and funds to electoral district associations, whether registered or not.

Note: Independent candidates may not send or accept transfers of funds, property or services to or from other political entities.

Important reminders for nomination contestants and their financial agents

This infographic presents some of the basic rules for a nomination contestant's campaign.

Roles Within Your Campaign

  • Appoint a financial agent before doing any financial transactions. Appoint an auditor once you reach $10,000 in contributions or expenses (or earlier).
  • Replace the financial agent or auditor without delay if they can't continue in their role.
  • Check the eligibility rules in Chapter 2 before appointing or replacing the financial agent or auditor.
  • Different people can incur and pay different types of expenses. Check the rules in Chapter 8 before entering into contracts or spending funds.
  • Only the financial agent can accept contributions and send or accept transfers.


Expenses Limit

  • Know the nomination contest expenses limit for your electoral district. It is posted on the Elections Canada website in the Political Entities section.

Bank Account

  • The financial agent must open a separate bank account for the nomination campaign (if transactions are expected).
  • The bank account can be opened before the nomination contest is called.
  • Every monetary transaction must go through the bank account, except some payments of litigation and personal expenses.

Contributions and Other Resources

  • Don't accept contributions:
    • from any source other than a Canadian citizen or permanent resident
    • over an individual's contribution limit
    • in cash over $20
  • Issue receipts for contributions over $20.
  • Different sources can give different amounts of loans and loan guarantees. Check the rules in Chapter 4 before accepting loans or guarantees.
  • Don't accept transfers from the registered party or a registered association, except property or services that are offered equally to all contestants.

Record Keeping

  • For any expense under $50, keep proof of payment plus a record of the nature of the expense.
  • For any expense of $50 and over, keep a copy of the invoice (or other document evidencing the expense) and proof of payment.
  • Save electronic bank statements and other paperless records that you might lose access to later.
  • Check Chapter 14 for the full list of supporting documents to keep.

Reporting After the Selection Date

  • Your campaign has to submit reports:
    • 3 months after the selection date (contestant's statement of expenses to the financial agent)
    • 4 months after the selection date,* if required (financial return, contestant's statement of expenses and auditor's report)
    • 19 and 37 months after the selection date* (if you have unpaid claims and loans)
    • within 30 days after paying a claim or loan in full (updated financial return)
  • Submit a financial return and contestant's statement only if you reached $1,000 in contributions or expenses.
  • Submit an auditor's report only if you reached $10,000 in contributions or expenses.
  • Submit supporting documents with your returns.
  • Check Chapter 14 for details on reporting.

*If the selection date falls within an election period or within 30 days before it, these deadlines change to 4, 19 and 37 months after election day.


Closing Out the Campaign

  • If you have unpaid claims and loans, pay them within 36 months after the selection date.*
  • Don't pay a claim or loan past 36 months unless you have authorization from Elections Canada or a judge.
  • Close the bank account after completing all financial transactions.
  • Within 60 days after receiving a notice of surplus funds from Elections Canada:
    • dispose of the surplus to an eligible political entity and notify Elections Canada within 7 days
    • close the bank account and send the final bank statement to Elections Canada

*If the selection date falls within an election period or within 30 days before it, this deadline changes to 36 months after election day.