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Political Financing Handbook for Candidates and Official Agents (EC 20155) – November 2019 – Archived content

This document is Elections Canada's archived guideline OGI 2019-09 and is no longer in effect.

Click on the link for the latest Political Financing Handbook for Candidates and Official Agents.

13. Other Electoral Campaign Expenses

This chapter discusses electoral campaign expenses other than election, personal, travel and living, litigation and accessibility expenses. It provides examples of typical expenses in this category. It covers the following topics:

  • What are "other" electoral campaign expenses?
  • Partisan advertising during the pre-election period
  • Compensation paid to the candidate
  • Fundraising expenses
  • Unused inventory
  • Interest on loans before and after the election period
  • Cost of preparing reports

What are "other" electoral campaign expenses?

Certain electoral campaign expenses that are reasonably incurred as an incidence of the election are not to be included as election expenses or any other specific category of expense, and are not subject to the expenses limit. These expenses are called "other" electoral campaign expenses.

Property or services used before or after the election

Expenses for property or services used before or after the election period are only electoral campaign expenses to the extent that they were incurred as an incidence of the election.

When property or a service is used before the election is called, the campaign should ask: if the candidate was not planning to participate in a future election, would the expense have been incurred? If the answer is no, and the expense is not a personal expense (see Chapter 9) or a travel and living expense (see Chapter 10), then it is an other electoral campaign expense.

When property or a service is used after election day, the campaign should ask: did the expense reasonably serve some purpose related to the election? If the answer is yes, and the expense is not a personal expense (see Chapter 9), a travel and living expense (see Chapter 10) or a litigation expense (see Chapter 11), then it is an other electoral campaign expense.

Examples
  1. The campaign rents an office on March 1, a month before the election is called. The rental agreement is for three months and the rent is $300 a month. The election period is 37 days, starting from April 1. The portion of the rent that has to be recorded as an other electoral campaign expense is $532.26. That is the amount remaining after the election expense, $367.74, is subtracted from the rent total. Calculation: $900 – ($300 + (7 / 31 x $300)) = $532.26.
  2. After election day, the candidate invites volunteers to a thank-you party. Although the event is outside the election period, the expense is incurred as an incidence of the election. Accordingly, the expense has to be reported as an other electoral campaign expense.

Who can incur and pay "other" electoral campaign expenses?

The official agent, the candidate or a person authorized in writing by the official agent can incur other electoral campaign expenses.

Only the official agent is allowed to pay other electoral campaign expenses, other than petty expenses paid from the petty cash with the official agent’s written authorization.

Typical "other" expenses

Partisan advertising during the pre-election period

Candidates may conduct advertising to promote themselves or oppose other candidates in the months before an election period begins.

When this advertising takes place in the year of a fixed-date general election, starting from June 30 until the election period begins, it is called partisan advertising. Unlike registered parties, candidates are not subject to a limit on their partisan advertising expenses.

The expense to distribute advertising before the election period is an other electoral campaign expense rather than an election expense. The expense to produce the advertising is also an other electoral campaign expense, as long as the advertising is not also distributed during the election period.

Note: A candidate must not collude with a registered party by engaging in partisan advertising to help the party circumvent its partisan advertising expenses limit.

Compensation paid to the candidate

Reasonable compensation may be paid to the candidate from the campaign bank account. It is an other electoral campaign expense.

It is advisable to include a written contract or other documentation with the candidate's return about any compensation paid because, in the absence of evidence, the payment of salaries may be considered an inappropriate use of campaign funds that would need to be returned.

Fundraising expenses

Some fundraising expenses are other electoral campaign expenses rather than election expenses, even if the fundraising takes place during the election period. See Fundraising expenses in Chapter 6, Fundraising, for more information.

Note: Expenses associated with the production and distribution of advertising and promotional materials related to a fundraising activity are election expenses to the extent that the advertising and promotional materials are used during the election period.

Example

The campaign holds a ticketed fundraising dinner during the election period. The expenses incurred for the venue rental, food, drinks and entertainment are other electoral campaign expenses. The expenses incurred to promote the event are election expenses.

Unused inventory

After election day, the candidate's campaign may have promotional items that were never used during the election period and remain in inventory.

The expense for these unused items is not an election expense but an other electoral campaign expense. This is the case except for unused election signs, which are always treated as election expenses. See Election signs in Chapter 8, Election Expenses, for more information.

Unused inventory should be sold at commercial value, or transferred to the registered association or the registered party.

Example

During the election period, 18,000 flyers are distributed and 2,000 remain in the campaign office unused. The purchase price of the 2,000 flyers is reported as an other electoral campaign expense.

Interest on loans before and after the election period

Interest accrued on loans before and after the election period is an other electoral campaign expense.

Preparation of reports

Expenses associated with fulfilling the various reporting obligations set out in the Canada Elections Act are other electoral campaign expenses.

Example

The expense for a courier service used two months after election day to send the candidate's return has to be reported as an other electoral campaign expense.