Third Party Advertisers

A third party advertiser is an individual, corporation or trade union that pays for advertisements or other materials that support, promote or oppose a candidate or issue.

Any eligible individual, corporation or trade union that intends to spend money on advertising must register as a third party advertiser.

You can register as a third party advertiser as of May 1, 2026.

• Notice of Nomination and Third Party Registration 

You're eligible to register as a third party advertiser if you are:

• An individual resident of Ontario
• A corporation carrying 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 in the municipal or provincial election
• A group, association or business that is not a corporation
• A federal or provincial political party
• The Crown in right of Canada or Ontario, a municipality or local board

Requirements

Individuals

If you’re registering as an individual, you must provide a piece of identification that proves your identity and that you live in Ontario. 

There is no restriction against family members or campaign staff of candidates registering to be third party advertisers. However, third party advertising must be done independently of the candidate. 

If you are a person with close ties to a candidate, you should consider the following:

• How would these activities appear to the public?
• How would you demonstrate that you are not working in co-ordination with the candidate?

Corporations

If you’re registering on behalf of a corporation, you must provide:

• Proof that the corporation operates in Ontario and that you are the director. This could include a corporate search or incorporating documents.
• A piece of government-issued identification

If the corporation has more than one director, provide a resolution from the board authorizing you to act as the corporation’s representative.

Between multiple corporations owned by the same people or person or controlled by a single corporation, only one can register as a third party advertiser.

Trade unions

If you are registering on behalf of a trade union, you must provide:

• Proof the union exists
• Proof you have been appointed to act on the trade union’s behalf

More information on Third Party Advertisers can be found on the Ministry of Municipal Affairs website.

Forms and Resources