Third Party Advertisers

A third party advertiser is an individual, corporation or trade union that spends money on advertisements or other materials that support, promote, or oppose a candidate for election. They are not candidates and operate independently from any candidate's campaign.

Who can register a third party advertiser?

• Any person who is an Ontario resident
• A corporation carrying on business in Ontario
• A trade union with bargaining rights for employees in Ontario

Who cannot register as a third party advertiser?

• A candidate running for any municipal council or school board office
• Groups, associations or businesses that are not corporations
• Federal or provincial parties

Third party advertisers may not spend more than the limit identified on the Certificate of Maximum Permitted Expenses using a formula established by the Minister of Municipal Affairs.

Third party advertisers may incur expenses only during the campaign period, which begins on the day the third party advertiser registers with the City Clerk and ends on December 31, 2026. To learn more key dates for the upcoming municipal and school board elections, visit the Elections webpage.