2022 Municipal Election

The Municipal Elections Act, 1996, requires that every municipality appoint a compliance audit committee prior to October 1 of an election year.

The City of Brantford, County of Brant, Haldimand County and Norfolk County have appointed a joint Municipal Elections Compliance Audit Committee for the 2022 Municipal Election. The term of office for this committee is four years beginning on November 15, 2022.

The powers and functions of MECAC are set out in subsections 88.33 through 88.36 of the Municipal Elections Act, 1996, as amended (Act). MECAC is a quasi-judicial body and does not report to Council. MECAC will be required to:

• Review and consider a compliance audit application submitted by an elector ad decide whether it should be granted or rejected.
• If the application is granted, appoint an auditor to conduct a compliance audit.
• Receive the auditor's report.
• Consider the auditor's report and if the report concludes that the candidate appears to have contravened a provision of the Municipal Elections Act, 1996, as amended, relating to election campaign finances, the committee may commence legal proceedings against the candidate for the apparent contravention.
• Review and consider any reports prepared by the Clerk pursuant to subsection 88.34 or 88.36 of the Act.
• In the case where the Clerk's report identifies that a contributor has contravened the Act as described in subsection 88.34 or 88.36, the committee may commence legal proceedings against the contributor for the apparent contravention.

An eligible elector who believes that a candidate or registered third party advertiser has contravened the election campaign finance rules the under Municipal Elections Act, 1996 may apply for a compliance audit of their campaign finances.

To apply for a compliance audit of a councilor candidate, mayoral candidate, or registered third party advertiser:

1. Submit an application in writing, to the clerk of the municipality, setting out that the reasons of their belief that a candidate or registered Third Party advertiser has contravened a provision of the Municipal Elections Act, 1996 relating to election campaign finances.

The submission should include:

• Applicants name and contact information (mailing address, contact phone number and an email (if available))
• Candidate Details:
  • Canidate's First and Last Name
  • Electoral position: Mayor or Councilor (indicated Ward)
• Registered Third Party Advertiser Details:
  • Organization Name (if corporation or trade union): Indicate who the Third Party was Registered for : Mayor or Councilor (indicated Ward)

The County Clerk Must recieve the compliance audit application by th following dates:

• For the initial financial filing deadline of March 31, 2023, the County Clerk must recieve the compliance audit application form by June 29, 2023.
• For the supplementary financial filing deadline of Septemeber 29, 2023, the County Clerk must recieve the compliance audit application form by Devemeber 28, 2023.
• For financial statements filed during the 30-day grace period or a court-ordered extension, the County Clerk must receive the compliance audit application within 90 days of the extension filing date.

The Compliance Audit Committee will consider the application and, if granted, will appoint an auditor to audit the campaign finances. The Committee will consider the audit results and decide whether to commence legal action.

Compliance audit applications can be submitted to the County Clerk or [email protected].