Third Party Advertiser

Activities that do not involve spending money, such as discussions or expressing an opinion about a candidate (or an answer to a question on the ballot) are not considered to be third party advertising. 

Examples include: 

• speaking to friends and neighbours
• posting on social media, such as Facebook or Instagram
• sending an email to a group or mailing list

Internal communications from an employer to their employee, a corporation to its shareholders, directors, members or employees or by a trade union to its members or employees are not considered to be third party advertising.

Only those who have registered can spend money on third party advertising. The following are eligible to register as a third party advertiser:

• any person who is a resident in Ontario
• a corporation carrying on business in Ontario
• a trade union that holds bargaining rights for employees in Ontario

If two or more corporations are owned or controlled by the same person or people, or if one corporation controls another, they are considered to be a single corporation. If the same person or people own or control multiple corporations, only one of those corporations may register to be a third party advertiser in a municipality.

There is no restriction against family members or campaign staff of candidates registering to be third party advertisers. However, third party advertising must be done independently of the candidate. If a person with close ties to a candidate wants to register they should consider how these activities may look to the public and how they would be able to demonstrate that they were not working in co-ordination with the candidate.

A candidate running for any municipal council or school board office cannot register to be a third party advertiser in any municipality.

Groups, associations or businesses that are not corporations are not eligible to register and may not spend money on third party advertising in municipal elections. For example, neighbourhood associations, clubs or professional associations cannot register and cannot make contributions to third party advertisers. Members may register as individual third party advertisers and may contribute individually.

Candidates in the provincial election cannot register. They may register after the provincial election, when they are no longer candidates.

Federal and provincial political parties cannot register to be third party advertisers. Political parties are not permitted to be financially involved in municipal elections.

The Municipal Elections Act, 1996 sets out a restricted period for third party advertising. For the 2026 election, the restricted period is May 1, 2026, to the close of voting on October 23, 2026.

Candidates can begin filing their nominations on May 1. If any individual or group wanted to spend money before May 1 on signs or advertisements supporting someone who intended to become a candidate, or someone who they hoped would become a candidate, the third party advertising rules would not apply. However, once the restricted period begins on May 1, any signs or other advertisements would have to be taken down or discontinued.