All Third Party Advertisers are required to file a Financial Statement – Auditor’s Report, Third Party – Form 8 by 2 p.m. on March 31, 2023.

All registered third party advertisers must file an initial Financial Statement – Auditor’s Report, Third Party – Form 8 by March 31, 2023. This statement details all campaign finances from the day the Notice of Registration was certified until January 3, 2023.

Registered third party advertisers who submitted a Notice of Extension of Campaign Period – Form 6 to extend their campaign must also file a supplementary financial statement by 2 p.m. on Friday, September 29, 2023.

Registered third party advertisers who miss a filing deadline can still submit their statement up to 30 days later if they pay a $500 late filing fee.

Correcting an Error on a Financial Statement

Registered third party advertisers 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 31, 2023.

If the withdrawn financial statement was accompanied by an auditor’s report, the corrected financial statement must be accompanied by a new/updated auditor’s report.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.

If a third party advertiser has raised or spent more than $10,000 on your campaign, they must have the financial statement audited by an auditor licensed under the Public Accounting Act, 2004. The auditor’s report must be submitted with the financial statement.

If a registered third party advertiser’s campaign ends with a surplus, they can refund the value of contributions that they made to their own campaign. If the registered third party advertiser is an individual, they can also refund the value of any contributions made by their spouse. Third party advertisers are not permitted to refund any other eligible contributions except their own or, in the case of individuals, their spouse.

If a surplus still remains, this surplus must be paid to the City Clerk when filing the financial statement. The third party (or their agent) must file the financial statement in-person at our City Hall office.

The surplus can be paid via cash, certified cheque, bank draft or money order payable to “Treasurer, City of Toronto”. Please note that personal cheques are not accepted.

If an eligible elector believes a third party advertiser has broken election finance rules, they may apply for a compliance audit of the campaign finances. The application must set out the reasons why they believe the third party advertiser has 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. You may appeal the committee’s decision to the Superior Court of Justice within 15 days of their decision.

Public documents can only be viewed at Toronto Elections Office, City Hall (100 Queen St West) during regular business hours (Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., excluding holidays).

Financial Statements

  • Filed financial statements are public documents and will be posted on the City’s website in their entirety, including the names and addresses of all those who contributed over $100.

Under the Municipal Elections Act, 1996, an individual, corporation, or trade union will not be eligible to register as a third party advertiser until after the 2026 municipal if:

  • The registered third party advertiser fails to file a financial statement by the end of the 30-day grace period or fails to apply to the court for an extension by the filing deadline.
  • The financial statement shows that the registered third party advertiser has exceeded a spending limit.
  • The registered third party advertiser fails to turn over their surplus to the City Clerk when they file their financial statement.

Other penalties are listed in the Municipal Elections Act, 1996.