Supplementary Information Tables – Details on Transfer Payment Programs: over $5M – 2020–21 Departmental Plan

Ongoing

Other (not grants or contributions)

The program is appropriated through the Electoral Expenditures statutory authority

Not applicable

Canada maintains a fair, secure, and transparent electoral process free of undue influence

Electoral Integrity and Regulatory Oversight

Elections Canada's role is to administer the Canada Elections Act (the Act), which has three main objectives: fairness, transparency and participation.

To promote fairness and participation, the Act provides for partial reimbursement of paid election expenses, personal expenses of candidates and accessibility expenses (for by-elections and general elections), partial reimbursement of paid election expenses of registered parties and paid accessibility expenses (for general elections only) and a subsidy for eligible political entities' audit fees. To be eligible for partial reimbursement of election expenses, candidates must be elected or obtain at least 10% of the valid votes cast in their electoral district. Registered parties must obtain at least 2% of the valid votes cast nationally or 5% of the valid votes cast in electoral districts where the party has endorsed candidates.

A subsidy not exceeding $2,143.50 is sent directly to the external auditors of eligible political entities (candidates, registered associations, nomination contestants and leadership contestants). To qualify for an audit subsidy, an eligible entity must have accepted contributions or incurred expenses totalling $10,000 or more during the year.

This Transfer Payment Program does not include any refundable contribution.

Eligible political entities and auditors will receive statutory reimbursements and subsidies provided by law.

Not applicable (statutory payments as determined by Parliament)

Not applicable

Not applicable

Eligible political entities and auditors

Elections Canada provides targeted recipient groups with tools, detailed information and training that explain the terms and conditions for eligibility to statutory reimbursements and subsidies.