Candidates

Council Member Time Commitment

General information on time commitment can be found as referenced on page 13 of the Candidate Information Package (in the drop down below) which states the following:

"The time commitment can be significant. In addition to two council meetings per month, this may include sitting on committees, public meetings and events to take part in, as well as considerable time spent talking with and responding to the residents.

The amount of time required to prepare for a Council or committee meeting can be several hours per week due to the number of lengthy reports to be read in advance. The Mayor and Deputy Mayor also sit on Grey County Council which requires additional meetings and research time.

The Grey Highlands Council current time commitment consists of (but is not limited to):

• • Council Meetings held the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month at 1 pm;
  • Committee of the Whole Meetings held the 4th Wednesday of each month at 9am or as required;
  • -Budget Meetings & Workshops as required (generally in the fall);
  • Statutory Public Planning Hearings held the 4th Monday of each month at 5 pm;
  • Attendance at extra Committees that a Councillor can be expected to be appointed to by Council (OACA, PSB, etc.);
  • Telephone calls and contact with constituents; and  
  • Reading agendas and research time (draft agendas generally provided to Council 1 week in advance of the Council meeting)."

The above list is required for all members of Council, however individual members may be appointed to other committees and organizations on behalf of Council. In addition to what is included in the Candidate Information Package, information is provided below based on appointments as of May 2022. 

The number of Grey Highlands appointments varies based on interest and the number of Committees that Council deems required. Appointments are divvied up among the Council members.

The current list of Committees and Boards includes:

• Grey Highlands Police Services Board (bi-monthly on Tuesdays @ 10 am)
• Grey Highlands Public Library Board
• Committee of Adjustment (monthly on Tuesdays @ 5 pm)
• Museum and Heritage Advisory Committee (quarterly on Thursdays @ 1pm)
• Community Development Advisory Group (quarterly – Mondays @ 5pm)
• Joint Waste Disposal Site Committee (minimum 4 meetings/year)
• Seniors Advisory Committee (minimum 4 meetings/year – usually bi-monthly)
• Sign By-law Sub-Committee (generally held every 2 weeks until task is complete on Tuesdays @ 2 pm)
• Natural Gas Expansion Task Force (as called by the Chair – generally monthly on Mondays @ 2 pm)
• Financial Assistance Program Committee (bi annually to review CGP)

Council also appoints members to external organizations. If appointed to an external organization, meeting dates, times and locations will vary. The current list of external appointments by different members of Council include:

• Saugeen Valley Conservation Authority
• Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority
• Grey Sauble Conservation Authority
• Joint Community Safety and Well Being Program Committee
• Grey Highlands Chamber of Commerce
• Grey County Farm Safety Council
• Grey Highlands Community Endowment Fund Committee (Community Foundation Grey Bruce)
• Kimberley Forest Steering Committee
• South East Grey Community Health Centre (if approved)
• Multi-Municipal Wind Turbine Working Group
• Blue Mountain Physician Recruitment Committee
• Local Immigration Partnership

Candidate Information Package

Notice of Nomination/Registration - Candidates and Third Party Advertisers

Click here for Nomination Papers.

Click here for Endorsement Papers. 

Note: Nomination Papers must be accompanied by at least 25 signatures of endorsement. See the Candidate Information Package for more information.

Understand Candidate Campaign Finances 

Election Sign By-Law

Use of Corporate Resources Policy A-09-C-04 

Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing - 2022 Candidates Guide

Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing - 2022 Third Party Advertisers Guide

2022 Municipal Election, Candidate and Third Party Advertiser Information Session

On April 20, Clerks from Grey County and the local municipalities hosted an information session for potential municipal candidates. The session included presentations from the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC), and Grey County.

You can find a full recording of the session here or for more information check the County of Grey's website.

Council Member Compensation

On April 20, 2022 Council updated the Council Compensation Policy as well as the Council Conference, Education and Training Policy to come into effect upon the commencement of the new term of Council. 

For the 2022-2026 Council Term, Members are provided with an annual base salary based on position. The annual base salary is provided to members to compensate for the work of the member in order to discharge the official duties including but not limited to attendance at meetings related to Departmental Liaison duties; up to 60 meetings inclusive of Council, Committee of the Whole, Special Council, Public Planning Hearings; optional special events, engagements, functions; constituent meetings; and invited attendee meetings.

The annual base salary for 2022-2026:

Mayor: $39,500

Deputy Mayor: $29,500

Councillor: $22,500

*Note: The Mayor and Deputy Mayor also sit on Grey County Council and are provided additional compensation from the County. 

In addition to the annual base salary, Members also receive mileage and a per diem amount for attendance at meetings of committees, boards and external organizations to which they are appointed by Council and mileage for attendance at meetings included in the annual base salary. 

The full policies are available below:

Council Compensation Policy

Council Conference, Education and Training Policy

Am I eligible to run as a Candidate in this election?

You must be eligible to vote in the municipality in order to run for a position on council. (See Voters page for eligibility)

On the day you file your nomination, you must be a Canadian citizen aged 18 or older, and qualify as a resident or non-resident elector. 

You must be eligible to hold office on the day you file your nomination. For example, a person who is 17 years old but will turn 18 before the end of the nomination period must wait until they have turned 18 to file their nomination.

You must file Form 1 (nomination paper) and Form 2 (25 endorsements) when you submit your nomination along with the appropriate fee.

Running for School Board Trustee

In order to run for a trustee position on a school board you must be a resident within the jurisdiction of the board, and you must be eligible to vote in a school board election. 

On the day you file your nomination, you must be a Canadian citizen aged 18 or older, and you must meet any other qualifications to vote for the school board (for example, being a Roman Catholic, or holding French language rights). 

You must file Form 1 (nomination paper) and pay the appropriate fee when you submit your paperwork. 

Nominations for specific schoolboards can be filed at the following Municipal Offices:

• English Public (Bluewater District School Board) - Grey Highlands
• English Separate (Bruce Grey Catholic District School Board)- Hanover
• French Public (Conseil Scolaire Viamonde) - Barrie
• French Separate (Conseil Scolaire Catholique Providence) - Sarnia

Running for Election as a School Board Trustee Information Package

When and how is nomination done?

Candidates who intend to run in the 2022 Municipal Election must file all of the necessary documentation along with the required filing fee during the nomination period, which runs from Monday, May 2, 2022 through Friday August 19, 2022 at 2 pm. 

Nomination Day on Friday, August 19, 2022 is the last day to file a nomination, by 2:00 pm sharp. 

Filing must be done in person or by an agent (not by mail, email or fax) with the Clerk at 206 Toronto Street South Markdale, ON during regular business hours (Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.).  

Nomination forms are now available on our website.

Please ensure you bring your completed Form 1 and Form 2 when you attend the office to file your nomination. When filing, we will also request that the following forms are filled out:

• Declaration of Qualifications - to be signed in front a commissioner
• Candidate's declaration - proper use of voters list
• Consent to release personal information 

What positions can I run for?

The 2022 Municipal Election is for the following positions: 

• 1 Mayor 
• 1 Deputy Mayor 
• 5 Councillors 
• 1 Trustee for the English Language Public District School Board
• 1 Trustee for the English Language Catholic District School Board
• 1 Trustee for the French Language Public School Board
• 1 Trustee for the ​French Language Catholic School Board

Can I nominate myself?

Yes, you may nominate yourself. Even if another person recommends you for the position, you must complete all the paperwork and be present to file your nomination or file through an agent. You must also obtain and submit the signatures of 25 people eligible to vote in the 2018 Grey Highlands elections who support your nomination.

What if I change my mind after I have submitted my nomination paperwork and want to withdraw or switch to a different position?

A person may withdraw his or her nomination by filing a written Withdrawal of Nomination in the Clerk's Office before Friday August 19, 2022 at 2 pm. 

If you wish to run for a different position, you must re-file your nomination paperwork in the Clerk's Office before Friday august 19, 2022 at 2 pm, which will trigger your original nomination to be withdrawn. ​You do not need to submit different signatures from the ones you submitted with your initial nomination.

What do I need to know about campaigning?

Can I use the Grey Highlands logo or photos from a Municipal website or social media site on my campaign materials?

No, candidates may not use the municipal logo or other corporate images on their own websites (including social media), campaign literature, lawn signs, buttons, clothing or other campaign material. 

Candidates MAY re-tweet/share a municipal social media post or share a link from the Grey Highlands websites on their own websites including social media. Candidates wishing to share information/pages from the Grey Highlands official websites must do so by providing links rather than screen captures.

Can I campaign at public events?

You may not campaign at events that are hosted by the Municipality. These include but are not limited to  public information sessions or open houses.  Wearing a campaign T-shirt, hat, button or other apparel is considered campaigning. You may campaign at private events hosted on rented public property with the permission of the event organizer. 

Can I have a campaign office?

You may set up a campaign office on private property. Please be aware that you may not put up signs on the exterior or in the windows of the office that promote your candidacy prior to the date when signs are permitted. Prior to that date, signs may state your name only.

When can I begin campaigning?

Your campaign period begins as soon as you file your nomination papers with the Municipal Office. After your paperwork is filed you can commence your campaign, however you cannot place your election signs in the Municipality until after Nomination Day on August 19th as per the Election Sign By-law.  

Forms

All Forms

Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing Forms

Form 1 - Nomination Paper

Form 2 - Endorsement of Nomination

Form 4 - Financial Statement - Auditor's Report Candidate

Form 5 - Financial Statement - Subsequent Expenses

Form 6 - Notice of Extension of Campaign Period

Form 7 - Notice of Registration - Third Party

Form 8 - Financial Statement - Auditor's Report Third Party

Form 9 - Declaration of Identity

Grey Highlands Forms

GH-EL02 - Declaration of Qualifications - School Board Trustee

GH-EL12(A) - Appointment of Scrutineer by Candidate

GH-EL12(B) - Oral Oath of Secrecy

GH-EL14 - Candidate's Declaration - Proper Use of Voters' List

GH-EL15 - Application of Amend Voters List

GH-EL19 - Withdrawl of Nomination

GH-EL35 - Notice of Offence - Notice of Corrupt Practice

GH-EL37(All est) - 2022 Max Campaign Expenses Estimate

GH-EL37(Be) - 2022 Estimates Max Campaign Contribution Own

GH-EL37(Be) - 2022 Estimates Max Campaign Contribution Own - Mayor

GH-EL37(Ce) - 2022 Estimates Max amount of expenses for parties

GH-EL37(Ce) - 2022 Estimates Max amount of expenses for parties - Mayor

GH-EL51(Ae) - 2022 Estimated Max Campaign Expenses - 3rd party 

GH-EL51(Be) - 2022 Estimated Max amount of expenses for parties - 3rd party 

GH-EL52 - Consent to Release Personal Information

Candidate Q & A - Responses to Candidate Questions

What is involved in being on Municipal Council?

As a Councillor, you have representative, policy-making and stewardship roles to play in your municipality. Often these roles will overlap. You will be called on to consider and make decisions on issues that will sometimes be complex and controversial. Most of those decisions will have long-term consequences for your municipality that extend beyond your four-year term of office, and should be made in the context of your municipality’s directions for the long-term health and welfare of your community. 

The time commitment can be significant. In addition to two council meetings per month, this may include sitting on committees, public meetings and events to take part in, as well as considerable time spent talking with and responding to the residents. The amount of time required to prepare for a Council or committee meeting can be several hours per week due to the number of lengthy reports to be read in advance.

The Mayor and Deputy Mayor also sit on Grey County Council.

I know that candidates are not allowed to campaign on municipal property, however, am I allowed to rent a municipal facility for a meet and greet?

Policy A09-C-04 provides that no candidates shall use the facilities, equipment, supplies,
services, staff or other resources of the Municipality for any election campaign or campaign
related activity, nor can any candidate undertake any campaign related activities on Municipal
property during regular working hours (not including privately rented facilities).

Are the completed Nomination Forms and Endorsement Forms public information?

According to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, both of these forms must be made available for public inspection. These forms will not be posted on the municipal website, however they are available for viewing at the Municipal office. 

Can businesses display my campaign signs without registering as a third-party advertiser? 

There is no restriction on who can display one of your signs. Third Party Advertisers are those that spend money and do their own campaign for or against a candidate running in the election. 

Do we needed to include information on who is responsible for signs and other advertisements on our campaign material?

After consulting with the Ministry, some municipalities are requesting specific information to be included on candidate election signs, however it is not necessary based on the wording of the legislation.

The additional wording was put into the legislation in order to ensure distinguishing between third party advertising and candidate signs.

Third party advertisers are required to put specific information on their signs: specifically
“Mandatory information in third party advertisements
88.5 (1) No registered third party shall cause a third party advertisement to appear during the restricted period unless the advertisement contains the following information:
1. The name of the registered third party.
2. The municipality where the registered third party is registered.
3. A telephone number, mailing address or email address at which the registered third party may be contacted regarding the advertisement. 2016, c. 15, s. 48.”

This requirement is not spelled out for candidate election signs. The Municipal Elections Act S. 88.3 states:

Mandatory information in advertisement

(2) An election campaign advertisement purchased by or under the direction of a candidate shall identify the candidate. 2016, c. 15, s. 47.

Candidate Information Emails

The Municipality provides equal information to all candidates. If one candidate asks a question, all candidates will receive the information provided. The information contained below was emailed to all candidates through the email address on file on the date indicated.  

2022-09-16

Good afternoon Candidates,

Today’s email provides some information that may be of use to you.

• Locating information on properties: The Municipality uses the County of Grey GIS system to locate information on properties in Grey Highlands. It can provide you with Zoning information, roads and addresses and more. You can access the link here: Grey County GIS
• Social Media: You are all responsible for your own social media and whether you want to respond or reply to posts that you may have been “tagged” in. Sometimes, however, people can get tagged in posts that they may not want to be tagged in, or are improperly tagged (i.e. your personal social media account is tagged instead of your campaign account or page). I have attached a document that can assist you in removing unwanted tags from posts and how to ensure you receive notification of posts you may be tagged in.

 << File: Tagging on Social Media.pdf >>

• A candidate posed the following question: If a person rents a commercial enterprise in Grey Highlands are they entitled to vote in Grey Highlands if they reside somewhere else? Response: I can not provide a legal opinion, however I can provide information on what the Municipal Elections Act states:
  s. 17 (2) A person is entitled to be an elector at an election held in a local municipality if, on voting day, he or she,

(a) resides in the local municipality or is the owner or tenant of land there, or the spouse of such owner or tenant;

(b) is a Canadian citizen;

(c) is at least 18 years old; and

(d) is not prohibited from voting under subsection (3) or otherwise by law. 2002, c. 17, Sched. D, s. 5 (2); 2005, c. 5, s. 46 (1).
s. 1(1) Definition: “owner or tenant”, in relation to an election, means a person who is the owner or tenant shown on the assessment roll of land assessed under the Assessment Act and a non-residential tenant of land assessed under the Assessment Act, whether or not the tenant is shown on the assessment roll, but does not include an owner or tenant of land who is entitled to use the land under a time share contract unless the person is entitled to use the land,
Furthermore, it is up to the elector to ensure they are aware of their own rights related to voting and s. 89of the Act provides that a person is guilty of an offence if they vote without being entitled to do so.

• Voter Information Letters (VILs) will be mailed out sometime between September 21st – 27^th. If anyone has not received their VIL by October 5^th, they can attend the Municipal Office or an advanced voting location with ID to receive their voting credentials or to vote by paper ballot.
• We have had a request from a member of the community who travels by way of Horse and Buggy along our roadsides. He has inquired if it was possible for candidates to make sure that their election signs are as far back from the gravel portion on highway 10 as they can be (while still being visible) so that they do not interfere with that portion of the road way. Oftentimes the horse and buggies need to travel the gravel portion to avoid other traffic on the road and if the signs are sticking out onto the gravel portion it can spook the horses. 
• Some of you have already been in to receive your Voter’s Lists. Please remember that you must return your copies back in to the office after the election.
• Withdrawal from the Election – Candidates are not able to formally withdraw from the election after Nomination Day at 2 pm. Should any member wish to withdraw after that time, there is no mechanism to do so under the Act and their name will still remain on the ballot. If anyone wishes to withdraw, they are responsible for informing the general public that they are no longer seeking election.
• We will be scheduling Logic and Accuracy testing of the voting equipment prior to the open of voting. When we have the date scheduled, all candidates will receive an email invitation to attend and verify the system works as it should. Stay tuned for more information on this.
• For Council Candidates: Reminder that November will be a month filled with training for the Council Elect. We know for sure that November 30 and December 1 is booked for joint Council Orientation hosted by the County of Grey for all of the Lower tier Council-elects. We are trying to keep our local training dates to Wednesdays which is our regular Council days, but nothing is finalized yet and we will be sure to keep you in the loop on that front.
• You may have noticed that the call for volunteers to serve on Grey Highlands Committees and Boards is currently active. Please be advised that we will be accepting applications through to the first week of November. This will allow time for any candidates that may not have been elected to submit their interest to serve the community in another way. 
• Some Dates to Remember:
• Friday, October 7 – 10 am electronic voting opens and continues 24/7 until Monday, October 24 @ 8pm.
• Saturday, October 8 – Advance Voting at Feversham Community Centre 10 am – 2 pm (for Paper Ballots)
• Sunday, October 9 – Advance Voting at Markdale Community Centre 10 am – 2 pm (for Paper Ballots)
• Wednesday, October 12 – Grey Gables Advanced Voting for Residents
• Saturday, October 15 - Advance Voting at Rocklyn Community Centre 10 am – 2 pm (for Paper Ballots)
• Sunday, October 16 - Advance Voting at Flesherton Kinplex 10 am – 2 pm (for Paper Ballots)
• Monday, October 24 – Paper ballots can be cast at the Municipal Office from 10 am to 8 pm.
• Wednesday, November 2, 2022 – potential Training Day for Council Elect
• Wednesday, November 9, 2022 - potential Training Day for Council Elect
• Wednesday, November 23, 2022 - potential Training Day for Council Elect
• Wednesday, November 30 – Joint Council Orientation Day 1 - hosted by Grey County
• Thursday, December 1, 2022 – Joint Council Orientation Day 2 - hosted by Grey County
• Monday, December 5, 2022 @ 7pm – Inaugural Council Meeting (Ceremonial Swearing in of Office)
• Wednesday, December 7, 2022 @ 1 pm – First regular Council meeting of the new term of Council. 

2022-09-07

The following question was asked by a candidate:

Question: When paying for promotional materials, etc. is it okay to pay via personal credit card, and then pay that credit card from my candidate's account? Or do I need a new and separate credit card?

Response:

The following information can be found in the MMAH 2022 Candidates guide: “Expenses must be paid from your campaign bank account. If you use a credit card to pay for purchases you should make sure that you keep clear records showing that the expense on the credit card was reimbursed from the campaign account.”

I have included a link to the 2022 MMAH Candidate guide for reference.

2022 Candidates’ Guide – Ontario municipal council and school board elections

2022-08-25

Good afternoon Candidates,
I have received some inquires over the last couple of days and wanted to provide the information to all of you.

1. Can a Candidate campaign on Municipal Property i.e. Fall Fairs, town events and farmers markets (arenas and parking lots etc)
1. If the property is rented by a private body and not hosted by the Municipality, you will need to obtain permission from that person or body to permit campaigning during their event. If the event is hosted by the Municipality, no campaigning is permitted. You should be aware that campaigning would not be permitted to overflow onto Municipal Property that is not part of the privately rented facility.
2. The Use of Corporate resources Policy provides: (c) Candidates may not use any municipally-provided facilities for any election related purposes. Neither campaign related signs nor any other election related material will be displayed in any municipally-provided facilities;
2. When is Voterlookup.ca available until?
1. Voterlookup is only available until August 31. (there is a part in the Voter information Package that states September 15, as that was the original date provided by MPAC, however that had been changed to August 31^st and I missed updating the FAQ portion of the Voter Notification Package.
3. Are there limits to how much a single person can donate?
1. Yes. As per S. 88.22 (1)(r) of the MEA: A Candidate shall ensure that: (r) each contributor is informed that a contributor shall not make contributions exceeding, (i) subject to subsection (2), a total of $1,200 to any one candidate in an election, and

(ii) a total of $5,000 to two or more candidates for offices on the same council or local board.

1. Can I pay for signs from my personal account and reimburse once I get donations?
1. Please review section. 88.22 (1) (b) and (d) of the MEA: A Candidate shall ensure that: (b) all contributions of money are deposited into the campaign accounts; and (d) all payments for expenses are made from the campaign accounts.
   The certificate of maximum expenses you received provides an amount to which you can contribute to your own campaign.
2. If you contribute to your own campaign, you must deposit the contribution to your campaign account and pay your expenses from that account.
2. Can I state that I am running for Grey Highlands Councillor as long as I do not use the Municipal Logo?
1. Yes. You are definitely permitted to use the name of the Municipality in your campaign, however you may not use the Municipal Logo.
2. The Use of Corporate Resources Policy states (l) The municipality’s logo, crest, coat of arms, slogan, etc may not be printed or

distributed on any election materials or included on any election campaign related website, except in the case of a link to the Municipal web site to obtain information about the municipal election;

1. Does the Municipality provide any financial or other support to Candidates?
1. No. The Municipality does not contribute in any way to any candidates campaign endeavours. S. 88.8(4)5 of the MEA states: Who cannot contribute and this includes:  The Crown in right of Canada or Ontario, a municipality or a local board
2. A contribution may take the form of money, goods or services and therefor the Municipality is not permitted to provide these supports to candidates.

I cannot stress how important it is for you all to familiarize yourselves with the Municipal Elections Act. I will be away until September 7^th, 2022. If you have any questions, please email clerks@greyhighlands.ca.
Also, please ignore the SharePoint email you may have received. The group was inadvertently created when it was simply supposed to be an email contact group. The sharepoint site has been deleted. 

2022-08-22

Good afternoon Candidates,
Please see below. This is how your name will appear on the ballot and Voter Information Letter.

Please let me know if there are any issues.

2022-08-22

Good morning Candidates,

Now that nomination period has completed, I would like to confirm that you have been certified to be included on the ballot for the 2022 Municipal Election.

A few reminders and information links for you to review:

• The Election
• Voters will have the option to vote either online or in person.
• Online voting opens at 10 am on October 7^th through to 8 pm on October 24^th
• In Person - at one of the advance voting centres or at the Municipal Office on October 24, 2022 from 10 am – 8 pm
• Advance Voting Dates and Locations:
• Sat. Oct. 8 – Feversham Community Centre 10 am – 2 pm
• Sun. Oct. 9 – Markdale Community Centre Arena 10 am – 2 pm
• Sat. Oct. 15 – Rocklyn Community Centre 10 am – 2 pm
• Sun. Oct. 16 – Flesherton Kinplex 10 am – 2 pm

• Campaign Finances
• You are responsible for administering your campaign in accordance with the Municipal Elections Act. I have linked the Act below for your reference.
• You will be refunded your nomination fee after you have filed your financial statement. (Blank financial statement is attached)
• Even if you have not spent any money on your campaign, you are still required to file a statement.
• You will be receiving an updated campaign spending limit after the voter’s list is prepared for 2022.
• The campaign period runs until January 3, 2023.
• The deadline to file a financial statement is March 31, 2023.

• Campaigning:
• Campaign signs that may be placed, must be placed in accordance with By-law 2018-030.
• The use of the Municipal logo on any candidate election material is prohibited, however candidates can link directly to Municipal Websites and share Municipal Social Media Posts, but can not screen capture and re-post as their own content.
• Candidates are not permitted to use the facilities, equipment, supplies, services or other resources of the Municipality for any campaign related activity.
• Campaigning is not permitted to occur on Municipal property during business hours (this includes arenas when they are open and staffed). *This does not include privately rented facilities)
• Candidates may not campaign at any event that is hosted by the Municipality.
• For greater certainty, wearing a campaign t-shirt, hat, button, discussing your campaign to groups of people or handing out information is all considered campaigning.

• Voter’s List
• Residents can still check to see if they are on the Voter’s List up until August 31 by visiting www.voterlookup.ca and add themselves if they are not. After that date, they will have to attend the Municipal Office.
• The Voter’s List will be provided to all candidates in the manner they requested on September 1, 2022. Candidates will also be provided with an interim list of changes that have occurred between September 1^st and September 26^th.
• As per a legal opinion received from the Municipal Solicitor regarding the Voter’s List access to candidates, candidates will receive “the part of the voters’ list that contains the names of the electors who are entitled to vote for that office” as per section 23(4) of the Municipal Elections Act.

Questions from a Candidate:

• A candidate inquired whether a fundraising event could be classified as a party.
• Response:  S. 88.19(3) paragraph 6 provides the following:  The cost of holding parties and making other expressions of appreciation after the close of voting.
• What constitutes a contribution at a fundraising event?
• Response: There is specific references in the Act to Fundraising Events and what constitutes a contribution. You should read s. 88.15(3) and (4). 

Please note that I am unable to provide any legal interpretation of the legislation for specifics related to your campaign expenses. The Ministry Candidate guide (linked below) is a great source of reference for you to use to determine what is and isn’t a contribution.

Useful Links:

ELECTION SIGN BY-LAW

USE OF CORPORATE RESOURCES POLICY A-09-C-04

MINISTRY OF MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS AND HOUSING – CANDIDATE GUIDE

MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS ACT – (The campaign information starts at s. 88.1)

RUNNING FOR ELECTION AS A SCHOOL BOARD TRUSTEE

-A Third Party Advertisement is a message in any medium, i.e., signs, billboard, newspaper, radio, etc. promoting or opposing a candidate, or a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to a question, referendum, or an issue associated with a person or political party participating in an election. 

Advertising that does not cost money to post or broadcast, such as comments made on social media or email, is not considered a Third Party Advertisement.​

Ontario's 2022 Third Party Advertisers' Guide