Candidates are responsible for keeping records of the financial activities related to their campaign.
You are responsible for keeping records of all financial activities related to your campaign. You may want to consult with an auditor or an accountant early in your campaign to make sure that you are using a bookkeeping and accounting system that will suit your needs.
You should also look through the financial statement (Form 4) that you will be required to file after your campaign to make sure that you are keeping records of all the information that must be included on the statement.
More information can be found in the Finances section of Manage a Campaign.
You are required to file a Financial Statement – Form 4 for each campaign, even if you did not spend any money and even if you withdrew your nomination.
Candidates who submit a financial statement and later identify an error may withdraw their original statement and submit a new one by 2 p.m. on March 30, 2027.
If the withdrawn financial statement was accompanied by an auditor’s report, the corrected financial statement must be accompanied by a new/updated auditor’s report.
If the corrected financial statement identifies an additional surplus amount, the difference must be paid to the City Clerk at the time the corrected financial statement is filed. If the surplus amount is lower, the City Clerk will remit any difference owing with interest.
Thursday, December 31, 2026
Tuesday, March 30, 2027 at 2 p.m.
Thursday, April 29, 2027 at 2 p.m.
Wednesday, June 30, 2027
Friday, September 24, 2027 at 2 p.m.
Monday, October 25, 2027 at 2 p.m.
You must have your financial statement audited by a licensed auditor under the Public Accounting Act, 2004 and include the auditor’s report when you submit your financial statement if:
If your campaign ends with a surplus, you can refund the value of contributions that you and your spouse made from the surplus. You are not permitted to refund eligible contributions made by anyone other than you or your spouse.
If a surplus still remains once you have refunded your contributions, the surplus must be paid to the City Clerk when you file your financial statement. You (or your agent) must file your financial statement in-person at our City Hall office.
The surplus can be paid via cash, certified cheque or money order payable to ‘Treasurer, City of Toronto’. Personal cheques, credit cards, and debit cards are not accepted
If an eligible voter believes a candidate has broken election finance rules, they may apply for a compliance audit of their campaign finances. The application must set out the reasons why they believe the candidate contravened the rules.
An application for a compliance audit must be submitted to the City Clerk within 90 days of the deadline to file a financial statement.
A compliance audit committee will decide whether to grant or reject the application. The committee’s decision can be appealed to the Superior Court of Justice within 15 days of the decision.
Public documents can only be viewed at the Toronto Elections Office, City Hall, 100 Queen St. West, first floor (Permit Alley) during regular business hours (Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., excluding holidays)
Under the Municipal Elections Act, 1996, a candidate will automatically receive penalties if:
Penalties include ineligibility to run for office or fill a vacancy until after the 2030 election and, if elected, forfeiture of office.