Info
Parties and Candidates
PC001
Registration requirements for parties (Chamber 1)
Question: What are the registration requirements for political parties running for national elections (Chamber 1)?
Answer(s):
a . Signature requirement (specify requirement) e . Minimum number of candidates f . Other
Comments: The Canada Elections Act requires a statement that the party has appointed a leader and three other officials, along with their names, addresses; the names, addresses and at least 250 signed supportive declarations of members of the party; a signed declaration by the leader that one of the fundamental purposes of the party is to “participate in public affairs by endorsing one or more of its members as candidates and supporting their election”. The Chief Electoral Officer must be satisfied that the information in the application is accurate and that the organization is a political party, and may ask for additional documents (including the party's constitution, by-laws and program) if he or she deems it necessary. A party that meets these administrative requirements becomes eligible for registration and its registered status is granted when it nominates at least one candidate in an election.
Source: The Canada Elections Act (2015)
http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/PDF/E-2.01.pdf
Elections Canada: Backgrounders: Registration of Federal Political Parties (http://www.elections.ca/content.asp?section=gen&document=ec90530&dir=bkg&lang=e&textonly=false)
Verified: 2025/03/28
PC003
Registration requirements for candidates (Chamber 1)
Question: What are the legal qualifications to become a candidate at legislative elections (Chamber 1)?
Answer(s):
a . Age b . Citizenship d . Residence
Comments: Any person qualified as an elector may run for an election in the House of Commons. More precisely, any candidate must be a Canadian citizen and be at least 18 years old on election day.
A person who is disentitled under paragraph 502(3)(a) while they are so disentitled, a member of the legislature of a province, the Council of the Northwest Territories or the Legislative Assembly of Yukon or Nunavut, a sheriff, clerk of the peace or county Crown Attorney in any of the provinces, a person who is not entitled under section 4 to vote, a judge appointed by the Governor in Council, other than a citizenship judge appointed under the Citizenship Act, a person who is imprisoned in a correctional institution, an election officer and a person who was a candidate in a previous election and for whom a return, report, document or declaration has not been provided under subsection 451(1), if the time and any extension for providing it have expired.
-Canada Elections Act, Part 3 (Candidates), Clause 65
Source: The Canada Elections Act (2015), Part 3
http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/PDF/E-2.01.pdf
Verified: 2025/03/28
PC008
Independent candidates
Question: Can independent candidates compete in presidential or legislative elections?
Answer(s):
c . In legislative elections (Chamber 1)
Comments: Only the legislative chamber (Chamber 1) has elected seats. Non-affiliated candidates may chose to have a designation as “independent” (or no designation) under their name on the ballot, where affiliated candidates would have the name of their affiliated political party.
Source: Elections Canada (http://www.elections.ca/content.asp?section=faq&document=faqpol&lang=e&textonly=false#elec7)
The Canada Elections Act (2015), Clauses 3,4 & 65
http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/PDF/E-2.01.pdf
Verified: 2025/03/28
PC012
Public funding of parties
Question: Do political parties receive direct/indirect public funding?
Answer(s):
b . Direct c . Indirect
Comments: Political parties that become registered under the Canada Elections Act become entitled to various sources of direct and indirect public funding. Registered political parties that receive at least 2% of the valid votes cast nationally in a general election, or 5% in the ridings where they endorsed a candidate, become entitled to a reimbursement of 50% of their allowable election expenses, and to an annual allowance of $1,75 CAN per valid vote obtained in that general election. Candidates that receive at least 10% of the valid votes cast in their riding become entitled to a reimbursement of 60% of their allowable election expenses. In terms of indirect public funding, registered political parties can give receipts for tax credits on political contributions. All political parties receive a certain amount of broadcasting time at no cost (television and radio broadcast) for conveying their message to the electorate.
Source: Elections Canada: Backgrounders: Financing of Registered Political Parties – New Rules on January 1, 2004 (http://www.elections.ca/content.asp?section=gen&document=ec90532&dir=bkg&lang=e&textonly=false)
Verified: 2025/03/28
PC015
Question: What is the basis of the public funding?
Answer(s):
b . Based on result of previous election c . Based on current legislative representation d . Based on number of candidates put forward in present election
Comments: Annual allowances for registered political parties are based on the number of valid votes obtained nationally in the previous general election the party must receive at least 2 percent of the valid votes cast, or at least 5 percent of the valid votes cast in the electoral districts in which the party endorsed a candidate. The apportionment of broadcasting time among political parties is based on a formula that gives equal weight to the percentage of seats in the House of Commons and the share of the popular vote in the previous general election, and half weight to the number of candidates endorsed by each of the registered parties at the previous general election, expressed as a percentage of all candidates endorsed by all registered parties at that election.
Source: Elections Canada:Backgrounders:Financing of Registered Political Parties – New Rules on January 1, 2004 (http://www.elections.ca/content.asp?section=gen&document=ec90532&dir=bkg&lang=e&textonly=false)
Verified: 2025/03/28
PC017
Question: Are political parties entitled to private funding?
Answer:
a . Yes
Comments: Individuals who are Canadian citizens or permanent residents, corporations that carry on business in Canada, trade unions that hold bargaining rights for employees in Canada and unincorporated associations may contribute up to a certain annual ceiling.Any individual who is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada may contribute up to $5,000 in total in a calendar year to a particular registered party
Source: Backgrounders:Financing of Registered Political Parties – New Rules on January 1, 2004 (http://www.elections.ca/content.asp?section=gen&document=ec90532&dir=bkg&lang=e&textonly=false)
Verified: 2025/03/28
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