Becoming a Registered Third Party
Notices of Registration for Third Party Advertisers are now being accepted. The registration period runs from Friday, May 1, 2026, at 8:30 am until Friday, October 23, 2026 at 4:30 p.m.
Ontario residents, corporations and trade unions that will incur expenses for advertisements related to the promotion, support or opposition of a candidate in any broadcast, print, electronic, or other medium must register as a third party advertiser.
Who can register as a third party advertiser?
Only the following persons and entities are eligible to file a notice of registration:
- An individual who is normally a resident in Ontario.
- A corporation that carries on business in Ontario.
- A trade union that holds bargaining rights for employees in Ontario.
Who cannot register as a third party advertiser?
Persons and entities that are not eligible to file a notice of registration include:
- A candidate whose nomination has been filed under section 33.
- A federal political party registered under the Canada Elections Act (Canada) 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.
Registration Information
An individual, corporation or trade union may register as a third party by filing a Notice of Registration (Form 7) at the Municipality of Meaford’s Administrative Office during regular office hours (8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.), beginning Friday, May 1, 2026, at 8:30 am. The Notice of Registration may not be faxed, mailed or emailed, as an original signature is required.
The individual filing the Notice of Registration will be required to present proof of identity as well as a Declaration of Qualification (Form MEL24) signed by the individual or by a representative of the corporation or trade union, as the case may be.
Things needed for registering:
- A completed copy of the notice of registration (Form 7)
- A declaration of qualification (Form MEL24) signed by the individual or by a representative of the corporation or trade union, as the case may be
- Proof of identity
Note: Notices of Registration are public documents and are available for inspection in the Clerk’s Office.
Note: Form 7 is an Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs forms. If you have difficulty opening it, please try saving the form and then opening it in Adobe Reader. If you have difficulty with any other forms, please contact elections@meaford.ca. Paper copies of the registration forms are available for pickup the Municipal Administration Office, located at 21 Trowbridge St. W, Meaford.
Details
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Registration period |
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Campaign Finances |
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An individual, corporation, or trade union cannot raise or spend any money on third party advertisements that will appear during an election in the Municipality of Meaford until they have registered as a third party and opened a bank account exclusively for the purposes of the election campaign. Registered third parties are responsible for keeping records of the financial activities related to their campaign and are required to keep these records until November 2030, when the next council or school board takes office. |
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Contributions |
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Campaign contributions are any money, goods or services that are given to a registered third party for use in their campaign, including money and goods that a third party contributes to their own campaign. Registered third parties must issue a receipt for every contribution they receive. The receipt should show who made the contribution, the date, and the value of the contribution. The following persons and entities may make a contribution to a registered third party:
The following persons and entities shall not make a contribution to a registered third party:
Individuals may contribute a total of $1,200 to a registered third party in relation to third party advertisements that appear during an election in the Municipality of Meaford. Individuals may not contribute more than $5,000 in total to two or more registered third parties registered in the Municipality of Meaford. Contributions greater than $25 may not be made in cash. All contributions above $25 must be made by cheque, money order, or by a method that clearly shows where the funds come from. Registered third parties are required to inform each of their contributors of these contribution limits. |
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Campaign period |
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The campaign period for a registered third party begins on the day their Notice of Registration is filed and ends on December 31, 2026. On this date, the registered third party's campaign is automatically closed. Registered third parties cannot accept any contributions or incur any expenses after the end of the campaign period. If at the end of the campaign period a registered third party’s campaign expenses are greater than their campaign income, their campaign will be in deficit. The registered third party may take action to extend their campaign in order to do some additional fundraising. If a registered third party’s campaign has a surplus, the registered third party must pay the surplus to the Clerk when filing their financial statement. |
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Extending a campaign |
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If a registered third party has a deficit at the end of the campaign period, they can extend their campaign for an additional six months to attempt to erase the deficit. To extend a campaign, a registered third party must:
A campaign period will continue until the earliest of the following:
Registered third parties that extend their campaign must submit two financial statements by the statutory deadline dates:
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Financial statements |
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Registered third parties are responsible for filing a complete and accurate financial statement by Friday, March 30, 2027, at 2:00 p.m. The statement covers the period from the day the registered third party filed their Notice of Registration until December 31, 2022. A registered third party must notify the Clerk, in writing, of any Court extension by 2:00 p.m. on Friday, March 31, 2023. Penalties will commence at 2:01 p.m. on Friday, March 31,2023. |
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Supplementary Financial Statements |
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The final date for registered third parties, who extended their campaign, to file their supplementary financial statement is Friday, September 24, 2027, at 2:00 pm. The statement covers the period from the day the registered third parties filed their Notice of Registration until June 30, 2027. A registered third party must notify the Clerk, in writing, of any Court extension by 2:00 p.m. on Friday,September 24, 2027. Penalties will commence at 2:01 p.m. on Friday, September 24, 2027. |
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Contribution Rebate Program |
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Registered third parties are not eligible to participate in the Contribution Rebate Program. |
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Campaigning and Sign Restrictions |
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Third party advertisements A third party advertisement is an advertisement in any broadcast, print, electronic or other medium that has the purpose of promoting, supporting or opposing a candidate. This does not include advertisements by or under the direction of a candidate. All individuals, corporations and trade unions must register before incurring any expense related to third party advertisements appearing between Friday, May 1, 2026, and Monday, October 26, 2027. Mandatory information in third party advertisements All third party advertisements must contain the following information:
Mandatory information for broadcasters and publishers Registered third party advertisers must provide the following information to the broadcaster or publisher in writing:
Broadcasters and publishers are prohibited from running a third party advertisement unless the above-noted information is provided. The broadcaster or publisher of a third party advertisement is required to retain the following information for a period of four years after the date the advertisement appears:
The broadcaster or publisher must also permit the public to inspect these records during normal business hours. |
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Election Signs |
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The Municipality’s Election Sign By-law 2018-50 states that the first day an election sign can be placed on public or private property is August 27, 2026. All election signs must be removed by the candidate or the candidate’s representative by Saturday, October 31, 2026. Candidates should also refer to the Grey County Corporate Procedure MS-TS-005-001 for specific details regarding election signs placed on a County right-of-way. A sign permit or a permit application is not required for election signs. Election campaigning or the distribution/posting of election campaign material at municipally-owned or leased facilities is not permitted, with the exception of road allowances. |
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