- Must be done by an elector who is entitled to vote in an election
- Reasonable grounds that a candidate has contravened a provision of the Municipal Elections Act
- Must be for a candidate in the municipal election within the applicable Municipality
- Financial Statements must be filed prior to the submission of an application
- Applications concerning election campaign finances for candidates in an area municipality need to be made to the appropriate Municipal Clerk
Municipal Election Compliance Audit
What is a Compliance Audit Committee?
The Compliance Audit Committee (CAC) is responsible for reviewing and considering compliance audit applications submitted by an elector who believes that a Candidate or Registered Third Party Advertiser has contravened a provision of the Municipal Elections Act (MEA) relating to election campaign finances. The CAC is also responsible for reviewing reports submitted by the City Clerk with respect to any contributor who appears to have contravened any of the contribution limits to a candidates’ election campaign or to a Registered Third Party Advertiser. The Committee has the authority to:
- Grant or reject a compliance audit application;
- Appoint an auditor to conduct an audit where the application is granted;
- Consider the auditor’s or Clerk’s report within 30 days of receiving it; and
- Decide whether to commence legal proceedings against the Candidate, a contributor or Registered Third Party for any apparent contravention.
2026-2030 Compliance Audit Committee
The City of Stratford, the Town of St. Marys, the Township of Perth East, the Township of Perth South, the Municipality of North Perth and the Municipality of West Perth are working together to establish a Joint Compliance Audit Committee (JCAC).
This Committee will review candidate or registered third-party 2026 election campaign finances. When an application is made to the JCAC, the municipality will strike a committee and invite members from a pool of accepted applicants to participate in the review of the relevant campaign finances.
Applying to be a Member
We are looking for individuals to join the committee membership pool for a 4-year term ending November 2030. Interested candidates who have financial, accounting, or legal expertise and knowledge of the municipal election process are invited to apply.
Applications must be submitted to the Office of the City Clerk for the City of Stratford on or before Friday, August 28, 2026.
Joint Election Compliance Audit Committee Application Form (printable)
Terms of Reference and Rules of Procedure
Joint Election Compliance Audit Committee Terms of Reference
Joint Election Compliance Audit Committee Rules of Procedure - 2026
Submitting an application for a compliance audit of a candidate's election campaign finances
The application must be made within 90 days after the submission of:
- the candidate's financial statement and auditor's report reflecting the candidate's election finances
- the candidate's supplementary filing date, if any
- the filing date for the final financial statement, or
- the date on which the candidate's extension, if any, expires
What happens after I submit an application to the City?
- Within 10 days of receiving the application, the City Clerk forwards the application to the Joint Compliance Audit Committee (JCAC).
- Within 30 days of receiving the application, the JCAC reviews it and decides whether it should be granted or rejected.
- The decision of the JCAC may be appealed to the Superior Court of Justice within 15 days of the decision and the Court may make any decision the JCAC could have made.
- If the JCAC decides to grant the application, an auditor -- who is licensed under the Public Accounting Act, 2004 or prescribed persons -- is appointed to conduct a compliance audit of the candidate's election campaign finances.
- The auditor will conduct an audit of the candidate's election campaign finances and will prepare a report outlining any apparent contravention by the candidate. The report is provided to the candidate, the applicant and the City Clerk.
- Within 10 days of receiving the report, the City Clerk forwards the report to the JCAC. The committee considers the report within 30 days and may commence any legal proceeding against the candidate for any apparent contravention.
For additional information on compliance audits, please see section 88 of the Municipal Elections Act
Subscribe, and stay up to date
Subscribe now to receive news releases, public notices and road closure announcements.