Third party advertisements must contain the following information:
Once your Notice of Registration has been certified, and before spending any money or accepting any contributions, you must visit a financial institution to open a bank account for your campaign.
All contributions must be deposited into your campaign account and all expenses must be paid from your campaign account. Do not use a personal bank account for third party advertising campaign purposes.
When opening your bank account, you may need to present the financial institution with a copy of your certified Notice of Registration and the Letter to Banks.
All registered third party advertisers are subject to limits on the amount of money they can spend on their advertising campaign. The spending limit is $8,702.60.
Registered third party advertisers can accept contributions from individuals, corporations, and trade unions. However, there are limits to the amount of money that these contributors can give:
Third party advertisers should make sure that their contributors are aware of these contribution limits.
There is no limit on how much a registered third party advertiser (and, if the third party advertiser is an individual, their spouse) can contribute to their own advertising campaign.
Fundraising functions are events or activities held for the primary purpose of raising money for a third party’s advertising campaign.
If a third party has created brochures or other advertising materials that include a sentence asking people to make a contribution or providing information about how to contribute, this would not be a fundraising event or activity since its primary purpose is to persuade voters to vote a certain way, not to raise money.
Campaign expenses are the costs that you incur during a campaign. For example, costs related to producing, publishing or distributing advertisements.
You can incur expenses only during the campaign period, except for expenses related to the preparation of an auditor’s report. If you are required to include an auditor’s report with your financial statement, you may incur these expenses after the campaign period has ended. These expenses must also be reported on your financial statement.
If your payment processor charges you processing fees on contributions received, these count as campaign expenses and should not be deducted from a contributor’s contribution. For example, if someone contributes $100 to your campaign but you only receive $98 because of $2 in processing fees, that person should be recorded as having contributed $100 to your campaign and the $2 in processing fees should be recorded as a campaign expense.
You and your contributors should also be aware of prompts by some donation platforms that suggest to contributors that they increase their contribution amount to compensate for processing fees charged to you. If a contributor agrees to these prompts, both you and the contributor should ensure that the newly increased contribution does not now exceed any contribution limits.
The campaign period begins on the day the City Clerk certifies the third party advertiser’s Notice of Registration and ends on or before December 19, 2024. A registered third party advertiser cannot raise or spend any money after this date unless they file a Notice of Extension of Campaign Period – Form 6 to extend their campaign.
Third Party Advertisers who extend their campaign will be required to file two financial statements:
The City Clerk determines what locations will be used as voting places. On voting days, canvassing of any nature is not permitted in or on these premises, including the entire building and the property on which it is located.
While an elector is in a voting place, no one shall attempt, directly or indirectly, to influence how the elector votes or shall display a candidate’s campaign material or literature.
Third party advertisers may campaign in subway stations, but outside the fare-paid areas. They may also campaign outside TTC station entrances and at bus and streetcar stops. Third Party Advertisers can also hold news conferences outside TTC stations provided access and safety of TTC customers and TTC vehicles is maintained.
Third party advertisers may not campaign on TTC vehicles, on subway platforms or any area where a fare is required. Third party advertisers are also not allowed to erect signs unless through paid advertising.
Refer to the T.T.C. By-Law No. 1, ss3.16 and the Use of TTC Resources during an Election policy for relevant information.
If third party advertisers have questions regarding the TTC policy, they should contact the Toronto Transit Commission directly.
Third Party Advertisers are prohibited from using the City of Toronto’s logo, graphics or any other item of City intellectual property for any campaign-related purposes. This includes, but is not limited to, signs, printed and electronic publications, flyers, brochures, e-mail, website, business cards, postcards, letterheads, leaflets, posters, fridge magnets and promotional items.
The City of Toronto policy on Use of City Resources during an Election Period provides direction on how City resources can and cannot be used during municipal, school board, provincial and federal election campaigns or campaigns on a question on a ballot.
The policy states that:
Third party advertisers are permitted to distribute campaign materials on public right of way sidewalks and thoroughfares, at public parks and at the following City-managed public squares: Nathan Phillips Square, Mel Lastman Square, Albert Campbell Square and David Pecaut Square.
The first day you may display election signs for your campaign is October 10, 2024.
Election Signs must comply with the Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 693, Article II – Election Signs.
Third party advertiser election signs may be displayed on private property or public property, provided that:
Third party advertisers have access to an application called MyCampaign that allows access campaign information. Third party advertisers can also provide contact information through MyCampaign that will be posted on the City’s website.
The Electronic Financial Filing System (EFFS) is a system that allows third party advertisers to input and track all contributions and expenses. The system will provide contribution receipts and can produce the required financial statement.
Third party advertisers can access EFFS through the MyCampaign application.
Troubleshooting
If experiencing technical difficulties, call 416-395-0025 during regular business hours (8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) or email thirdpartyinfo@toronto.ca.
It is the responsibility of the registered third party advertiser to protect any personal information collected for the purpose of filing election forms (such as financial statements) until the forms are filed with the City Clerk.
Once filed, all documents and materials submitted to the City Clerk are subject to access and privacy provisions of the Municipal Elections Act, 1996 and other applicable legislation.