Filing Guidelines for Candidates
If you are registered as a candidate in Ontario, you must follow rules according to the Election Finances Act.
Below is a summary of the most important filing requirements. For a full list and complete details, please see the CFO Handbook for Candidates.
When you fill out a form please ensure:
- all information is accurate and complete (inaccurate information will cause delays and may be a contravention of the Election Finances Act); and
- information is typed or printed clearly on the form.
Please note that filling out these forms is not a replacement for your responsibility to follow auditable bookkeeping practices.
Please refer to the Completion Guide in each form and the CFO Handbook for Candidates for more information.
As a candidate, you must appoint a chief financial officer (CFO) before registering with Elections Ontario. Your CFO has many legal responsibilities, including to record, report and keep financial information.
For guidelines about a CFO’s roles and responsibilities, including how to open a bank account, loans for the campaign and when a campaign can be financially active, please see our CFO Handbook for Candidates.
Within six months after election day, your CFO must file Form CR-1 Candidate Campaign Period Financial Statements in person, by mail or email.
The CFO for a candidate must file signed financial statements and supporting documentation with this CR-1 form. The financial statements must include all financial activity that occurred during the campaign period.
For complete information on election filing requirements for a candidate, please see the CFO Handbook for Candidates.
Use our Political Financing and Party Information application to find details on publicly disclosable contributions made to registered entities. Our tool allows you to search by:
- political party;
- constituency association;
- candidate;
- leadership contestant;
- third party advertiser;
- contribution reports; and
- financial statements.