The Municipal Elections Act, 1996 includes a framework for third party advertising. A third party advertiser is any individual, corporation or trade union that causes an election campaign advertisement to appear. All third party advertisers are required to register with the City Clerk.
Registration for third party advertisers opens beginning May 2 to October 21, 2022. Your registration must be filed in person or by an agent at the Clerk's Office at City Hall.
If you want to advertise in more than one municipality, you must register in each municipality where you want to advertise.
Download the Third Party Advertiser Information Package
Eligibility
You are eligible to register as a third party advertiser if you are:
- An individual who is normally resident in Ontario
- A corporation that carries on business in Ontario
- A trade union that holds bargaining rights for employees in Ontario
You are not eligible to register as a third party advertiser if you are:
- A candidate whose nomination has been filed under section 33 of the Municipal Elections Act, 1996
- 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
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is a third party advertiser? |
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A third party advertiser is any individual, corporation or trade union that causes an election campaign advertisement to appear. A third party advertiser is required to register with the City Clerk. |
What is a third party advertisement? |
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A third party advertisement is a message in any medium (billboard, newspaper, radio, etc.) that supports or opposes a candidate or a “yes” or “no” vote on a question on the ballot. Third party advertising does not include issues-based advertising, so groups that do public outreach can continue their issued-based advocacy work throughout the municipal election period. Advertising that does not cost money to post or broadcast, such as comments made on social media, will not be considered to be third party advertising. |
Who can register as a third party advertiser? |
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Individuals, corporations and unions can register as third party advertisers and can also make contributions to third party advertisers. Third party advertisers will need to register with the municipality where they want to advertise. If they want to advertise in more than one municipality, they have to register in each municipality. Registration allows a third party advertiser to promote or oppose any candidate that the electors in the municipality can vote for (local council, school board trustee positions and regional or county council offices). Third party advertising must be done independently of candidates, who are not able to direct a third party advertiser. Candidates are not able to register as third party advertisers. |
What are the requirements for third party advertising? |
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If approached by third party advertisers, it is very important that broadcasters and publishers adhere to the following mandatory rules:
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What Information must third party advertisers include? |
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Third party advertisers must identify themselves and provide mandatory information on all advertising beginning May 1 until the close of voting on October 22, 2018. Third party advertisements must contain the following information:
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Do campaign finance rules apply to third party advertisers? |
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Yes, campaign finance rules for third party advertisers are similar to the rules for candidates.
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How much does it cost to register as a third party advertiser? |
| There is no registration fee for third party advertisers. |
Where can I find a list of registered third party advertisers? |
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A list of registered third party advertisers will be made available on the City of Owen Sound website. |
Resources
NOTE: Forms 7 and 8 are Ministry of Ontario forms. If you have difficulty opening these forms, please try saving the form and then opening it in Adobe Reader. If you have difficulty with any other forms, please contact elections@owensound.ca.
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