Local political parties and slates contributions and expenses
Registered local political parties and slates must follow the rules in the Local Political Parties and Slates Regulation (LPPSR).
Duties of registered slates
No contributions can be made to a registered slate. Contributions are only allowed to be made to a registered local political party. Slates cannot have an account at a financial institution.
Records of shared campaign expenses that are incurred and allocated to candidate members must be kept for three years after the election they relate to.
The candidate members of a registered slate must make sure the slate follows its obligations under the LPPSR.
Expenses incurred by slates
If a slate pays for shared campaign expenses for its candidates, the total amount of those expenses must be divided equally among the candidates and included in their campaign expenses.
No slate and no person acting for a slate shall incur share campaign expenses in the first two years of a campaign period in respect of a general election.
Duties of registered local political parties
No local political party or any person acting on behalf of a local political party shall accept a contribution or incur a campaign expense unless the local political party is registered with Elections Calgary.
Keep finances separate from endorsed candidates
A registered local political party must:
- collect contributions separately from its endorsed candidates,
- incur campaign expenses separately from its endorsed candidates, and
- maintain separate organization financing.
Set up a campaign account
A local political party must open a campaign account at a financial institution once total contributions exceed $1,000. All contributions must be deposited into the campaign account.
Money in the account can only be used to pay campaign expenses.
Campaign contributions and receipts – registered local political parties
Contributions can only be accepted from eligible contributors.
Eligible contributors
- Alberta residents.
- Alberta trade unions or Alberta employee organizations.
- Corporations that do business in Alberta.
Contributors are responsible for ensuring that they are eligible and that they do not exceed their contribution limits.
Every registered local political party and anyone acting for them must try their best to inform potential contributors about the rules in the LPPSR regarding contributions.
Ineligible contributors include:
- A registered charity.
- A municipality.
- A Provincial corporation, including a housing management body created by the Minister, a health agency, regional health authority, and subsidiary health corporation.
- A Métis settlement.
- A board of school trustees.
- A public post-secondary institution.
- An individual who ordinarily lives outside Alberta.
- A trade union or employee organization outside of Alberta.
- A corporation that does not carry out business in Alberta.
- An organization designated by the Lieutenant Governor in Council as a prohibited organization.
What is considered a contribution?
Under the Local Authorities Election Act, campaign expenses are any expense or non-monetary contribution used to directly promote or oppose a candidate during a campaign period. This includes:
- the production of advertising/promotional material and any distribution, broadcasting or publication in the media,
- the salary or expenses for services of a chief financial officer;
- meeting place rentals, and
- conducting election surveys/research.
What are the contribution limits for a registered local political party?
The maximum amount allowed per contributor is $5,000 per year in the aggregate to all registered local political parties. For example, an individual may contribute $2,500 to one local political party and $2,500 to another local political party, or $5,000 to one local political party.
Contribution receipts
For every contribution a local political party must issue a receipt that includes:
- date of contribution;
- name of the individual contributor;
- address of individual contributor; and
- amount contributed.
Registered local political parties must keep records of contributions and campaign expenses for a period of three years following the election day to which they relate.
Anonymous and unauthorized contributions
Anonymous contributions or any contributions in violation of the LPPSR accepted by a local political party or person acting on its behalf must not be used or expended, and the registered local political party or the person acting on its behalf must:
- Return the contribution to the contributor if they can be identified, or
- If the contributor cannot be identified, give an amount equal to the contribution to a registered charity or to The City of Calgary.
Campaign expenses and receipts – registered local political parties
Expense limits for election years
Upon registration, during a local election year in Alberta:
Registered local political parties are permitted to spend up to $1 per person based on the average population of the wards in the municipality, for each ward in which the local political party has endorsed candidates running.
Receipts for expenses
A local political party must obtain a receipt for every expense incurred.
Expense limits for non-election years
Registered local political parties are allowed to spend up to $0.50 per person based on the average population of all wards in the municipality, for each ward in which the party has candidates who have committed to run for election as of November 1.
No registered local political party and no person acting on its behalf shall incur shared campaign expenses in the first two years of a campaign period in respect of a general election. For example, in preparation for the next general election in 2029, a local political party would not be able to incur shared campaign expenses between Jan. 1, 2026 to Dec. 31, 2027.
Fund-raising functions – registered local political parties
A fund-raising function includes any social function held for the purpose of raising funds for a registered local political party for an election.
The gross income from any fund-raising function must be recorded by the registered local political party on whose behalf the function was held.
If a fund-raising function is held though the sale of tickets, the following rules around contributions must be followed:
- If the ticket cost is $50 or less, it is not considered to be a contribution unless the individual who pays the charge specifically requests that it be considered as part of their contribution. If the individual requests this, half of the amount is permitted as expenses and half is considered a contribution. The local political party may still choose to issue a receipt and keep a record of the transaction even if the amount is not considered a contribution.
- If the ticket cost is more than $50, but less than $100, $25 is permitted for expenses and the balance is to be considered a contribution, and;
- If the ticket cost is more than $100, 25% of the amount is permitted for expenses and the balance is considered to be a contribution.
The price paid at a fund-raising function in excess of the fair market value at the time for goods and services received is considered to be a contribution to the registered local political party.
The registered local political party or a person acting on their behalf must issue a receipt for every contribution received. For any contributions over $50, the name and address and the amount of the contribution must be recorded as that information is to be included in the campaign disclosure statements.
Note: Information on this website is provided for reference only. It is not legal advice and should not be relied on as such. All political participants including candidates, local political parties, slates and third party advertisers are subject to further requirements. Political participants should refer to the Local Authorities Election Act and associated regulations and obtain legal advice regarding the full extent of their obligations.
