Compliance Audits

Joint Compliance Audit Committee

The City of Burlington, the Town of Halton Hills, the Town of Milton, the Town of Oakville and the Regional Municipality of Halton have established a Joint Compliance Audit Committee for 2022-2026.

This Committee is required by the Municipal Elections Act, 1996 (the Act) to:

• Consider applications for compliance audit of the campaign finances of Candidates and/or Registered Third Parties and decide whether they should be granted or rejected. If an application is granted, appoint an Auditor to conduct a compliance audit of the Candidate’s and/or Registered Third Party’s election campaign finances
• Consider the Auditor’s report and if the report contains a conclusion of apparent contravention of the Act, decide whether to commence a legal proceeding against the Candidate and/or Registered Third Party for the apparent contravention
• Receive and consider report(s) from the Clerk identifying any contributors to a Candidate and/or Registered Third Party who appear to have contravened established contribution limits and decide whether to commence a legal proceeding against the contributor for the apparent contravention.

The Act provides that an application for a compliance audit for the October 24, 2022 election must be made within 90 days after the latest of the following dates:

• The filing date under section 88.30 – Friday March 31, 2023, by 2 p.m.
• The date the Candidate and/or Registered Third Party filed a financial statement, if the statement was filed within 30 days after the March 31, 2023, filing date
• The Candidate and/or Registered Third Party’s supplementary filing date, if any, under section 88.30 – Friday Sept. 29, 2023, by 2 p.m.
• The date on which Candidate and/or Registered Third Party’s extension, if any under subsection 88.23(6) or 88.27(3) expires.

Dates and details on filing of financial statements, including grace periods and extensions can be found in the 2022 Candidates’ Guide.

Request a compliance audit

Eligible electors who believe a candidate has contravened the Act may request a compliance audit request of the candidate’s campaign during the legislated period (June 29, 2023) for statements filed on or before March 31, 2023. 

How to submit an application for a compliance audit of one of the candidates or third party advertisers

Following the election, please complete and submit the compliance audit application form no later than 90 days after the deadline for filing financial statements (March 31, 2023). If a candidate or third-party advertiser received a filing extension, the 90-day period to apply for a compliance audit begins the day after the extension expires (May 1, 2023).

Compliance Audit application form

Steps for a compliance audit

1. If an application is received, a meeting of the Committee will be scheduled. This meeting will be held publicly. Both the applicant and the subject of the application (candidate, or candidate’s agent) will have the opportunity to make a presentation to the Committee. Delegations by other parties are not permitted.
2. Within 30 days of receiving the application, the Committee shall consider whether to grant or to reject it. The Committee shall provide written reasons for its decision, which shall be provided to the applicant and the candidate and posted on the Town’s website. 
3. If the application is granted, the Committee may elect to appoint an Auditor to review the financial statement of the Candidate. The Auditor’s report will be considered at a subsequent meeting of the Committee. Based on the report, the Committee may elect to begin legal proceedings against the Candidate.

Submit completed applications for Compliance Audits to the Clerk’s department: elections@oakville.ca.