Municipal Election Compliance Audit

About the Municipal Election Compliance Audit Committee

The Municipal Election Compliance Audit Committee (MECAC) considers applications requesting compliance audits of candidates or third party advertiser election campaign finances, any resulting auditors’ reports, and the Clerk’s Report identifying apparent contribution contraventions under section 88 of the Municipal Elections Act, 1996.

The MECAC is a joint committee between the Region of Waterloo, the Cities of Cambridge, Guelph, Kitchener, Waterloo, and the Townships of North Dumfries, Wellesley, Wilmot and Woolwich. When an application for a compliance audit is received, a meeting is held in the applicable municipality.

Clerk’s Report on Contributions for 2022 Election

Request a Compliance Audit

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

  1. Complete the Compliance Audit Request Form
  2. Submit the form and any supporting documents by the deadline indicated below:
    • In person or by mail to:
      Attention: City Clerk
      Guelph City Hall
      1 Carden Street
      Guelph ON N1H 3A1
    • Or email to [email protected]

The City Clerk must receive the compliance audit application by the following dates:

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

After you make a request

After you request a compliance audit, these steps happen:

  • within 10 days of receiving the application, the City Clerk forwards the application to the Municipal Elections Compliance Audit Committee (MECAC)
  • within 30 days of receiving the application, the MECAC reviews it and decides whether it should be granted or rejected
  • the decision of the MECAC may be appealed to the Superior Court of Justice within 15 days of the decision, and the Court may make any decision the MECAC could have made
  • if the MECAC decides to grant the application, an auditor (licensed under the Public Accounting Act, 2004 or prescribed persons) is appointed to conduct a compliance audit of the candidate’s election campaign finances
  • the auditor will conduct an audit of the third party advertiser or candidate’s election campaign finances and will prepare a report outlining any apparent contravention by the candidate
  • the report is provided to the candidate or third party advertiser, the applicant, and the City Clerk
  • within 10 days of receiving the report, the City Clerk forwards the report to the MECAC
  • the committee considers the report within 30 days and may commence any legal proceedings against the candidate or third party advertiser for any apparent contravention

For more information about compliance audits, please see section 88 of the Municipal Elections Act, 1996.