Expense Limits
The Election Finances and Contributions Disclosure Act (EFCDA), Citizen Initiative Act and Recall Act all apply limits on the amount that registered political participants can spend during an election period, contest period or petition period. Penalties apply for over-spending or attempting to evade spending limits.
Limits per political participant are summarized below.
Terms used:
- Writ Day is the date a Writ of Election is issued by the Chief Electoral Officer
- Date of Official Call is the start date of a contest held by a political party
- Order Issue Date is the date an Order is issued by the Lieutenant Governor
Participant |
Election Expense Limit / Petition Expense Limit / Recall Vote Period Expense Limit |
Limit Applies To |
Political Party |
$3,208,127 for the 2023 General Election
$1.16 times the total number of electors in the Register of Electors on the 1st day of the month, three months before election day |
General Election Period – Writ Day to Election Day |
$24,400 per electoral division |
By-Election Period – Writ Day to Election Day |
$106,080 per Senate candidate |
Senate Election Period – Writ Day to Election Day |
Constituency Association |
N/A – but must report election expenses incurred on behalf of a candidate or party, which count toward the party’s or candidate’s expense limit |
N/A |
Candidate |
$53,100 |
Election Period – Writ Day to Election Day |
Senate Candidate |
$530,400 |
Senate Election Period |
Nomination Contestant |
$13,275 |
Nomination Contest Period – Date of Official Call to Selection Date |
Leadership Contestant |
N/A – no expense limit |
Leadership Contest Period – Date of Official Call to Vote Date |
Initiative Petition Proponent (applicant) |
$500,000 |
Initiative petition period |
Recall Petition Authorized Participant (applicant or MLA named in petition) |
$23,000 |
Recall petition canvassing period |
Recall Vote Authorized Participant (applicant or MLA named in petition) |
$23,000 |
Recall vote period |
Political TPA |
N/A – cannot advertise during an election |
Political Advertising Period – N/A |
Election TPA |
General Election Limit
$159,200 January 1st to the day before Writ Day plus
$159,200 from Writ Day to Election Day |
Election Advertising Period – January 1st of the year the General Election is held to the day before Writ Day (“Pre-Writ Advertising Period”) plus Writ Day to Election Day (“Election Advertising Period”) |
By-Election Limit
$3,200 per electoral division |
Election Advertising Period – Writ Day to Election Day |
Senate TPA |
$31,900 |
Senate election held in conjunction with a municipal election – Senate election advertising period starts on May 1st and ends on Election Day. |
Senate election held in conjunction with a provincial election, or on a date fixed by an order in council – Senate election advertising period commences at the beginning of the campaign period for that election and ends on Election Day. |
Referendum TPA |
$530,400 |
Referendum Advertising Period – Order Issue date to Election Day |
Initiative Petition TPA |
$500,000 |
Initiative petition period |
Recall TPA |
$3,000 |
Recall petition advertising period |
$3,000 |
Recall petition vote period |
Previous Limits
Expand All
- January 1, 2020 to March 30, 2022
Terms used:
- Writ Day is the date a Writ of Election is issued by the Chief Electoral Officer
- Date of Official Call is the start date of a contest held by a political party
- Order Issue Date is the date an Order is issued by the Lieutenant Governor
Participant |
Election Expense Limit |
Limit Applies To |
Political Party |
$2,121,368 |
General Election Period – Writ Day to Election Day |
$24,396 per electoral division |
By-Election Period – Writ Day to Election Day |
$106,068 per Senate candidate |
Senate Election Period – Writ Day to Election Day |
Constituency Association |
N/A – but must report election expenses incurred on behalf of a candidate or party, which count toward the party’s or candidate’s expense limit |
N/A |
Candidate |
$53,034 |
Election Period – Writ Day to Election Day |
Senate Candidate |
$530,342 |
Senate Election Period – June 23, 2021 (Writ Day) to October 18, 2021 (Election Day) |
Nomination Contestant |
$10,607 |
Nomination Contest Period – Date of Official Call to Selection Date |
Leadership Contestant |
N/A – no expense limit |
Leadership Contest Period – Date of Official Call to Vote Date |
Political TPA |
N/A – cannot advertise during an election |
Political Advertising Period – N/A |
Election TPA |
General Election Limit
$159,103 from December 1st to the day before Writ Day plus $159,103 from Writ Day to Election Day |
Election Advertising Period – December 1 to the day before Writ Day (“Pre-Writ Period”) plus Writ Day to Election Day (“Election Period”) |
By-Election Limit
$3,182 per electoral division |
Election Advertising Period – Writ Day to Election Day |
Senate TPA |
$31,821 |
Senate election held in conjunction with a municipal election – Senate election advertising period starts on May 1st and ends on Election Day. |
Senate election held in conjunction with a provincial election, or on a date fixed by an order in council – Senate election advertising period commences at the beginning of the campaign period for that election and ends on Election Day. |
Referendum TPA |
$530,342 |
Referendum Advertising Period – Order Issue date to Election Day |
- Prior to 2020
Terms used:
- Writ Day is the date a Writ of Election is issued by the Chief Electoral Officer
- Date of Official Call is the start date of a contest held by a political party
- Order Issue Date is the date an Order is issued by the Lieutenant Governor
Participant |
Election Expense Limit |
Limit Applies To |
Political Party |
$2,000,000 |
General Election Period – Writ Day to Election Day |
$23,000 per electoral division |
By-Election Period – Writ Day to Election Day |
$100,000 per senatorial candidate |
Senate Election Period – Writ Day to Election Day |
Constituency Association |
N/A – but must report election expenses incurred on behalf of a candidate or party, which count toward the party’s or candidate’s expense limit |
N/A |
Candidate |
$50,000 |
Election Period – Writ Day to Election Day |
Senate Candidate |
$500,000 |
Senate Election Period – Writ Day to Election Day |
Nomination Contestant |
$10,000 |
Nomination Contest Period – Date of Official Call to Selection Date |
Leadership Contestant |
N/A – no expense limit |
Leadership Contest Period – Date of Official Call to Vote Date |
Political TPA |
N/A – cannot advertise during an election |
Political Advertising Period – N/A |
Election TPA |
General Election Limit –
$150,000 from December 1st to the day before writ‑day plus $150,000 from writ‑day to election day |
Election Advertising Period – December 1 to the day before Writ Day (“Pre-Writ Period”) plus Election Advertising Period – Writ Day to Election Day (“Election Period”) |
By-Election –
$3,000 per electoral division |
Election Advertising Period – Writ Day to Election Day |
Senate TPA |
$30,000 |
Senate Election Advertising Period – Senate Election held alongside General Election under Local Authorities Election Act, May 1 – Election Day |
Referendum TPA |
$500,000 |
Referendum Advertising Period – Referendum held alongside General Election under Election Act, or as a stand-alone referendum – Order Issue date to Election Day – or – Referendum held alongside General Election under Local Authorities Election Act – Order Issue Date to Election Day |