Commissioner of Canada Elections announces compliance and enforcement measures under the Canada Elections Act and the Criminal Code

GATINEAU, QC, July 10, 2025 /CNW/ - The Commissioner of Canada Elections (CCE), Caroline J. Simard, announced today the publication of compliance and enforcement measures to address contraventions under the Canada Elections Act (the Act) and the Criminal Code, including three charges, 11 administrative monetary penalties (AMPs), and two undertakings.

To maintain transparency, details related to these measures are published on the CCE's website.

On June 26, 2025, in the City of Windsor, Ontario, the CCE laid three charges. The charges relate to an investigation into an individual who acted as the official agent of a candidate during the 2021 federal general election. Under the Act, the individual is accused of submitting an incomplete campaign return and depositing an election campaign reimbursement cheque issued by Elections Canada in their personal bank account. The individual is also charged under the Criminal Code for committing theft of a value of more than $5,000 while acting in their role of official agent.

Notices of violation imposing AMPs were also issued to:

• A union that failed to provide its interim expense return within the required deadline.
• The official agent for a candidate during the 2021 federal general election who failed to report on the payment of a claim or loan and the source of the funds used to pay the claim, within the required deadline.
• An electoral district association that failed to provide, within the required deadline, the annual statement certifying the validity of its information in the registry of electoral district associations.
• The leader of a political party who made an ineligible loan that exceeded the limit set by the Act. The AMP amount was confirmed upon the CCE's review.
• The leader of a political party who made a contribution that exceeded the limit set out by the Act. The AMP amount was confirmed upon the CCE's review.
• An individual who voted during the 2021 federal general election even though they were not a Canadian citizen. The AMP amount was confirmed upon the Chief Electoral Officer's review.
• An individual who voted twice in the same electoral district during the 2021 federal general election. The AMP amount was confirmed upon the Chief Electoral Officer's review.
• The official agent for a candidate during the 2019 general federal election who accepted contributions that exceeded the limit set out in the Act.
• The official agent for a candidate for the 2019 general federal election who did not dispose of the surplus of electoral funds as required by the Act.
• An official agent for a candidate from the 2019 federal general election who failed to dispose of the campaign's surplus within 60 days as required by the Act.
• The official agent of a candidate during the 2019 federal general election who failed to provide documents evidencing the expenses in the campaign's financial return.

The CCE also accepted an undertaking from the official agent of a candidate during the 2019 general federal election who failed to pay a claim related to a campaign expense within the required deadline. The official agent also failed to provide an updated version of the statement of unpaid claims.

Furthermore, the CCE accepted an undertaking from the financial agent of an electoral district association for failing to provide a financial return within the required deadline following the 2021 general federal election.

Related information

• The CCE is responsible for ensuring compliance with, and enforcement of, the Act and the Referendum Act. The Office of the Commissioner of Canada Elections is distinct from Elections Canada and carries out a different mandate.
• AMPs are administrative tools that the CCE can use to address violations under the Act and they aim to promote compliance with the Act. More information about AMPs can be found in the CCE's Policy for the Administrative Monetary Penalty Regime.
• An undertaking is a pledge made by a person or entity that did not comply with a requirement of the Act, and accepted by the Commissioner, aimed at ensuring compliance with the Act.
• The Public Prosecution Service of Canada (PPSC) is responsible for prosecuting offences under federal jurisdiction. The PPSC is also responsible for providing prosecution-related advice to federal law enforcement agencies across Canada.

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SOURCE Commissioner of Canada Elections

For media enquiries, please contact: [email protected]; For media enquiries related to the charges, please contact the Public Prosecution Service of Canada: [email protected]