If a person, corporation or trade union intends to spend money between May 1, 2026 and Voting Day (October 26, 2026), on advertisements or other materials that support, promote or oppose a candidate in the municipal election they are required to register as a third party advertiser with the City Clerk.
How to Register |
Notice of Registration - Third Party (Form 7)
Financial Statement - Auditor's Report Third Party (Form 8)
The registration period for a third party advertiser is May 1, 2026 to October 23, 2026. The Notice of Registration Form will be available shortly before the registration period opens.
Potential third party advertisers are required to make an appointment with the City Clerk to ensure availability to receive the nomination. Please call or email the City Clerk to make an appointment to file your registration form.
The following are not permitted to register:
- Municipal election candidates;
- Federal and Provincial political parties, constituency associations, registered candidates and leadership contestants;
- Federal and Provincial government, a municipality or local board;
- Groups, associations or businesses that are not corporations, i.e. neighbourhood associations, clubs or professional associations.
If third party advertisers want to advertise in more than one municipality, they will have to register in each of the municipalities where they intend to advertise.
There is no registration fee for third party advertising, but the City Clerk must examine the registration and then certify the notice of registration if deemed compliant, or reject the registration.
When filing as a Third Party Advertiser, you must present acceptable identification (expand below for more details).
If you are filing as an individual registrant, you must present original acceptable identification showing your name, qualifying Ontario address and signature. This can be one piece of ID or a combination of two pieces of ID.
One piece of ID showing name, qualifying Ontario address and signature:
- Ontario driver’s licence
- Ontario Health Card (photo card with address)
- Ontario motor vehicle permit (plate portion)
- Cancelled personalized cheque
- Mortgage, lease or rental agreement
- Insurance policy
- Loan or financial agreement with a financial institution
- Document issued or certified by a court in Ontario
- Any other document from the government of Canada, Ontario or a municipality in Ontario or from an agency of such a government
- Any document from a Band Council in Ontario established under the Indian Act (Canada)
OR
Two pieces of ID:
First piece of ID showing name and signature:
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- Ontario driver’s licence
- Ontario Health Card
- Ontario motor vehicle permit (plate portion)
- Canadian passport
- Certificate of Canadian Citizenship
- Certificate of Indian Status
- Veterans Affairs Canada Health Card
- Social Insurance Number Card
- Old Age Security Card
- Credit card
- Debit card
- Employee Identification card
- Student Identification card issued by a post-secondary institution
- Union Identification card or professional licence card
- Cancelled personalized cheque
- Mortgage, lease or rental agreement for property in Ontario
- Insurance policy
- Document issued or certified by a court in Ontario
- Any other document issued by the government of Canada, Ontario or a municipality in Ontario or from an agency of such a government
- Any document from a Band Council in Ontario established under the Indian Act (Canada)
Second piece of ID showing name and qualifying Ontario address:
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- Ontario motor vehicle permit (vehicle portion)
- Income tax assessment notice
- Child Tax Benefit Statement
- Statement of Employment Insurance Benefits Paid T4E
- Statement of Old Age Security T4A (OAS)
- Statement of Canada Pension Plan Benefits T4A (P)
- Canada Pension Plan Statement of Contributions
- Statement of Direct Deposit for Ontario Works
- Statement of Direct Deposit for Ontario Disability Support Program
- Workplace Safety and Insurance Board Statement of Benefits T5007
- Property tax assessment
- Insurance statement
- Mortgage, lease or rental statement for property in Ontario
- Credit card, bank account, RRSP, RRIF, RHOSP or T5 statement
- CNIB Card or a card from another registered charitable organization which provides services to persons with disabilities
- Hospital card or record
- Document showing campus residence issued by the office or officials responsible for student residence at a post-secondary institution
- Utility bill for hydro, water, gas, telephone or cable TV or a bill from a public utilities commission
- Cheque stub, T4 or pay receipt issued by an employer
- Transcript or report card from a post-secondary school
- Document issued or certified by a court in Ontario
- Any other document issued by the government of Canada, Ontario or a municipality in Ontario or from an agency of such a government
- Any document from a Band Council in Ontario established under the Indian Act (Canada)
If you are filing as an agent of an individual registrant, or, as the official representative of a corporation or trade union registrant, you must present original acceptable identification showing your name and signature.
- Any of the documentation listed above showing name and signature
- Any piece of government-issued identification showing name and signature
Rules for Third Party Advertising |
Requirements and Restrictions
No individual, corporation or trade union is permitted to incur expenses for a third party advertisement that appears during the restricted period unless they are a registered third party. Restricted period is the date registration is filed and ends at the close of voting on Voting Day.
Contributions by corporations and trade unions to candidates are banned, however, corporations and trade unions can contribute to third party advertisers. Money, goods and services are considered contributions.
The following are permitted to contribute:
- An individual who is normally a resident of Ontario;
- A corporation that carries on business in Ontario;
- A trade union that holds bargaining rights for employees in Ontario; and
- The registered third party and in the case of an individual, his or her spouse (subject to s.88.12(5)).
Contributions:
- Cannot be made or accepted unless registered as a third party
- Maximum contribution from a single contributor is $1,200 to a registered third party and $5,000 to two or more registered third parties in a municipality.
These contribution limits do not apply to the registered third party if the contribution is made by themselves and the same for an individual third party advertiser, along with his or her spouse.
Expenses:
- Subject to maximum expense limit (prescribed formula based on the number of electors entitled to vote);
- Required to record expenses and file a financial statement.
A fundraising function relating to third party advertisements that are to appear during an election cannot be held for an individual, corporation or trade union that is not registered as a third party in a municipality and cannot be held outside the campaign period.
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Mandatory Information in Advertisements
The third party advertiser must be registered at the time of the advertisement.
The ad must contain the following:
- The legal name of the registered third party advertiser (if the third party advertiser is a corporation or trade union, the name of the corporation or trade union must appear, not the name of the representative who filed the registration);
- The municipality where the third party is registered;
- A telephone number, mailing address or email address at which the third party may be contacted regarding the advertisement.
A registered third party is not permitted to allow a third party advertisement to appear during the restricted period unless the broadcaster/publisher has been provided the following in writing:
- Name of the registered third party;
- Municipality where third party is registered; and
- Name, business address and telephone number of individual under direction of registered third party.
- The broadcaster/publisher retains records with respect to the above, copy of the advertisement/means of reproducing it and the cost. They must retain the record for four years after the date of the appearance of the advertisement and permit inspection during normal business hours.
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Municipal Authority to Remove Advertisements
A municipality may require the following to remove to discontinue the advertising:
- a person who has contravened the provisions for third party advertisers or caused/permitted the contravention;
- the owner or occupier of the land on which the contravention occurred;
- a third party advertiser in contravention with the City's Election Sign By-Law.
Third party advertisers are required to identify themselves on campaign advertisements and signs so that it is clear who is responsible for each sign and advertisement that appears or is broadcast.
There is no spending cap on signs.
For more information view the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing's Registered Third Party Guide
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What is considered a Third Party Advertisement?
Considered a Third Party Advertisement:
- An advertisement in any medium that has the purpose of promoting or supporting or opposing a candidate(s) or a 'yes' or 'no' to a question on a ballot.
Not considered a Third Party Advertisement:
- An advertisement by and under the direction of a candidate;
- Where no expenses are incurred by the person/entity in relation to the advertisement;
- When given or transmitted by an individual to employees, by a corporation to its shareholders, directors, members or employees or by a trade union to it's members or employees;
- Advertising that does not cost money to post or to broadcast, such as comments made on social media, will not be considered to be third party advertising
Contacts