Local Third Party Advertising Rules

Third party advertising sponsors must follow the election advertising rules outlined in the Local Elections Campaign Financing Act.

Third party advertising is any election advertising published during a pre-campaign period or campaign period that is not sponsored by a candidate or elector organization.

Key Resources for local third party advertising sponsors

• Guide for Local Elections Third Party Sponsors in B.C. (PDF)
• 2022 General Local Elections – Campaign Financing Quick Reference for Third Party Sponsors (PDF)
• 2022 General Local Elections – Election Advertising Quick Reference (PDF)

List of third party advertising sponsors

Elections BC maintains a list of third party sponsors currently registered in relation to the 2022 General Local Elections. The list is updated on an ongoing basis and is available at the link below.

• List of third party advertising sponsors (PDF)

New rules for third party sponsors

New rules for third party sponsors are in effect for the 2022 General Local Elections.

There are now limits placed on sponsorship contributions made by eligible individuals to third party sponsors. For 2022, an eligible individual may give a total of $1,250.00 to each third party sponsor. The sponsorship contribution limit is adjusted at the start of each calendar year.

For the 2022 General Local Elections, the pre-campaign period began on July 18, 2022 and ended at the start of the campaign period. Third party advertising rules applied during this period. Third party advertising sponsors must file their disclosure statement for the 2022 General Local Elections by January 13, 2023 at 4:30 p.m. All disclosure statements must be completed on Elections BC forms. If you have questions about filing your disclosure statement, contact electoral.finance@elections.bc.ca or call 1-800-661-8683.

Other requirements

Third party advertising sponsors in local elections must:

• register with Elections BC before conducting any advertising,
• include their name and contact information on all advertising,
• be independent and not sponsor advertising on behalf of, or together with, a candidate or elector organization,
• not spend more than the expense limits, and
• file a disclosure statement.

Campaign and assent voting communications transmitted before the pre-campaign period are not election advertising. These activities are allowed and do not require sponsorship information.

For more information see our Forms, Guides, and Third Party Expense Limits pages, or our factsheet on the history of local third party advertising in B.C.

If you have questions, contact us at electoral.finance@elections.bc.ca or 1-800-661-8683, or watch our Local Elections Third Party Sponsors Information Session video.