Become a Registered Third Party Advertiser

About Third Party Advertising

A third party advertiser is a person, corporation or trade union intending to spend money between May 1, 2026 and October 26, 2026 on advertisements or other materials that support, promote or oppose a candidate in the 2026 municipal election.

Third party advertisers must register with the City Clerk—and their registration must be certified—before they can accept any contributions or spend any money on advertising.

What is not third party advertising

• Advertisements by or under the direction of a candidate
• Issues-based advertising during the election period
• Advertising that does not cost money to post or broadcast, such as comments made on social media
• Messages distributed by:
  • An individual to their employees
  • A corporation to its shareholders, directors, members or employees
  • A trade union to its members or employees

Eligibility

You are eligible to register as a third party advertiser if you are:

• An individual who is normally resident in Ontario
• A corporation that carries on business in Ontario
• A trade union that holds bargaining rights for employees in Ontario

You are not eligible to register as a third party advertiser if you are:

• A candidate who has filed a nomination to run in the 2026 municipal election
• A federal political party registered under the Canada Elections Act or any federal constituency association or registered candidate at a federal election endorsed by that party
• A provincial political party, constituency association, registered candidate or leadership contestant registered under the Election Finances Act
• The Crown in right of Canada or Ontario, a municipality or local board
• A group, association or business that is not a corporation
• A registered third party advertiser who failed to file the necessary financial statement or exceeded any of the spending limits in the last municipal election or by-election

Registering as a Third Party Advertiser

To become a third party advertiser, you must file a Notice of Registration with the City Clerk. The third party advertiser registration period is May 1 to October 23, 2026.

Notices of Registration can be filed in-person at the Toronto Elections office at City Hall (100 Queen St. W., first floor).

The Notice of Registration must be certified by the City Clerk before any money can be raised or spent on advertising. There is no fee required to register as a third party advertiser.

Documents Required at the Time of Filing

Filing as an individual registrant:

• Completed Notice of Registration form
• Acceptable identification showing your name, address with your Ontario residence and signature

Filing as an agent on behalf of an individual registrant:

• Completed Notice of Registration form
• A copy of the individual registrant’s acceptable identification
• Acceptable identification showing your name and signature

Filing as the official representative of a corporation or trade union registrant:

• Completed Notice of Registration form
• A board resolution from the corporation or trade union authorizing you to act on behalf of the corporation or trade union
• Acceptable identification with your name and signature

Candidate Involvement in Third Party Advertising

Third party advertising must be done independently of candidates, who are not able to direct a third party advertiser. If a candidate wishes to purchase or direct their own election campaign advertising, they must follow rules under the Municipal Elections Act, 1996 and identify themselves on their advertisements.

Acceptable Identification for Third Party Advertisers

If you are filing as an individual registrant, you must present original acceptable identification (ID) 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:

• 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:

• 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

Campaign Finance

As a registered third party advertiser, you must follow campaign finance rules set out in the Municipal Elections Act, 1996. You will also be required to file a financial statement after the election that reflects the money you raised and spent on your campaign.

Some important finance rules to keep in mind include:

• You cannot raise or spend any money on your campaign until you file a Notice of Registration and it has been certified by the City Clerk.
• You must open a bank account for your campaign for the money you spend and contributions you accept.
• You can accept money from individuals, corporations, and trade unions. The maximum amount that any of these can contribute to your campaign is $1,200.
• You must collect the full name and address of everyone who contributes money or goods/services to your campaign.
• You must follow spending and contribution limits provided to you when your registration is certified.