Skip to content
You are here > Home > Your Ministry > Local Government > Municipal Elections

Your Ministry

Email this pageMunicipal Elections

The Municipal Elections 2010 Guide

Reforms to the Municipal Elections Act, 1996 are in effect for the 2010 municipal election. They:

  • make local elections more transparent, accountable and efficient
  • create a more level playing field for all candidates
  • promote greater accessibility for voters and candidates with disabilities
  • apply to the election of municipal officials and school board trustees.

Reforms

Specifically, legislative reforms:

  • move the election date forward to the fourth Monday of October (October 25, 2010)
  • improve the accuracy of voters’ lists by providing the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation and municipalities with potential access to additional personal information
  • require voters where voting occurs at a voting place to provide identification
  • mandate that each voting place is accessible to persons with disabilities.

The financing of municipal elections has been reformed through these measures:

  • a new contribution limit of $5,000 per contributor in each jurisdiction
  • for future elections, candidates will not be able to carry forward surplus campaign funds
  • expenses related to a candidate’s disability will be campaign expenses that are excluded from the candidate’s spending limit.

There also are strengthened compliance and enforcement measures:

  • a firm deadline for filing financial statements
  • municipalities and school boards are required to appoint audit committees to hear and decide on applications for compliance audits
  • strengthened penalties for contravention of the Act (up to $25,000 fine for individuals and up to $50,000 for corporations and trade unions).

Reviews

Following each local election in Ontario, the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing undertakes a review of that election and the Municipal Elections Act, 1996.

The purpose of these reviews is to identify issues related to the municipal election and then develop options for improvements based on this information.

The review at the 2006 municipal election helped bring about the changes that were recently approved by the Legislature.

Links: