Political Financing Handbook for Candidates and Official Agents (EC 20155) – February 2019 – draft guideline OGI 2019-02

About This Document

Introduction to the handbook

This handbook is designed to assist candidates and their official agents. It is a tool that will help in administering the candidate's campaign during the electoral campaign process.

This document is a general guideline issued pursuant to section 16.1 of the Canada Elections Act. It is provided for information and is not intended to replace the Act.

Elections Canada will review the contents of this handbook on a regular basis and make updates as required.

Note: The term "individual" used in this handbook refers to a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.

What's new in recent releases?

What's new in recent releases?

Release	Where	Title	Summary
February 2019	All	n/a	New contribution limits for 2019 updated in tables and examples.
		n/a	No longer required to appoint an auditor below certain financial and vote thresholds, as per Bill C-76.
	Chapter 2	Volunteer labour is not a contribution	New content and examples added as per OGI 2017-04, Volunteer Labour.
		Accepting contributions of cryptocurrency	New content added as per OGI 2018-10, Cryptocurrencies.
	Chapter 3	Types of loans	New way to report a line of credit in some circumstances.
	Chapter 6	Regulated fundraising events	Concept of regulated events (definition, requirements and examples) introduced, as per Bill C-50.
		Ticketed fundraising events	Clarified what is included in the benefit for a ticketed fundraiser.
	Chapters 7–13	All	New and redefined expense categories, payment options and reimbursement levels, as per Bill C-76.
	Chapter 8	Who can incur and pay election expenses?	Candidates now require authorization to incur election expenses, as per Bill C-76.
		Limits on election expenses	Election expenses limit no longer prorated for elections over 37 days, as per Bill C-76.
		Election advertising on the Internet	Blackout rule clarified for Internet advertising on election day. New text on the ad registry maintained by online platforms.
		Election signs	Uninstalled signs no longer discounted from election expenses, as per court ruling. New text on treatment of expenses related to vandalized signs.
		Websites and web content	Election expense associated with websites, web content and pre-existing material clarified.
		Website and social media accounts of a parliamentarian	Clarified that a parliamentarian's social media content may also be an election expense.
	Chapter 13	Partisan advertising during the pre-election period	New section on partisan advertising expenses of candidates and related rules.
	Chapter 14	Use of the registered party's online contribution system	New section on conditions for parties to collect contributions on behalf of candidates, as per OGI 2018-06.
	Chapter 16	Reimbursements and overpayments	New reimbursement levels, limits and repayment of certain personal expenses to candidates, as per Bill C-76.
	Chapter 18	What is a surplus?	New formula for calculating surplus funds, as per Bill C-76.
		Repayment of a surplus to independent or non-affiliated candidates	Independent or non-affiliated candidates now able to have surplus refunded in some circumstances.
	Chapter 19	How a by-election becomes superseded	Added a time limit after which vacancies are not filled before a fixed-date election, as per Bill C-76.

Contact information

Internet	elections.ca
Telephone	Political Entities Support Network 1-800-486-6563 Regular Hours Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Eastern time) Elections Canada General Enquiries 1-800-463-6868
Fax	Political Financing 1-888-523-9333 (toll-free) 1-819-939-1803
Mail	Elections Canada 30 Victoria Street Gatineau, Quebec K1A 0M6
Email	General Enquiries info@elections.ca Political Financing Enquiries political.financing@elections.ca Electronic Financial Return (EFR)—Enquiries and Submissions efr-rfe@elections.ca

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