2025 CCSD By-election: third party advertising
Third party advertisers during the Calgary Catholic School District (CCSD) By‑election must follow the rules in the Local Authorities Election Act Part 8.
Who is a third party advertiser?
A third party advertiser (TPA) can be:
- an individual,
- a corporation, or
- a group, and
- does not include a candidate.
A third party advertiser promotes or opposes a candidate's election during the election advertising period.
Advertising period
The 2025 CCSD By‑election advertising period is:
Oct. 24, 2024 to Jan. 31, 2025
When should a third party advertiser register?
Third parties should register with Elections Calgary when they have:
- spent (or plan to spend) $1,000 or more for election advertising,
- accepted (or plan to accept) contributions of $1,000 or more, or
- advertised or plan to advertise during the election advertising period.
Contributions and expenses
What is considered a contribution?
Advertising contributions include any money and non-monetary contributions (i.e.,properties, goods or services) for the benefit of the third party. See the Local Authorities Election Act 162(1)(b) for the complete definition of advertisingcontributions.
A TPA must issue a receipt for every election advertising contribution that includes the following information:
- date of contribution;
- name of contributor;
- address of contributor; and
- amount contributed.
What is the contribution limit?
The maximum amount allowed per contributor is $5,000 across all third party advertisers during the election advertising period.
Who can contribute?
Only Alberta residents and Alberta trade unions, employee organizations and corporations that do business in Alberta may contribute to a third party advertiser. You, or your representative, are responsible for informing prospective contributors of the limits and restrictions for contributing. Contributors are responsible for ensuring that they are eligible and that they do not exceed their contribution limits.
Who cannot contribute?
The following shall not make an election advertising contribution:
- an individual ordinarily resident outside Alberta;
- a prohibited corporation as defined in the Election Finances and Contributions Disclosure Act,
- a trade union or employee organization that is not an Alberta trade union or Alberta employee organization;
- a registered charity;
- a group of which any member of the group is ineligible under clause (a), (b) or (c).
What is considered an expense?
Advertising expense is any expense incurred in relation to the production and transmission of an election advertising message. See section 162(1)(c) of the Local Authorities Election Act for the complete definition of advertising expenses.
All election advertising expenses must be paid from the TPA's advertising account.
Every TPA must appoint a Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and all expenses must be authorized by the CFO or their delegate.
All election advertising expenses must be recorded in the advertising return.
What are the disclosure requirements?
All registered third party advertisers for the CCSD by-election must file:
- Form 28 Third Party Advertising Contribution Statement, and
- an advertising return,
on or before the deadline of June 2, 2025, at 4:30 p.m.
| Requirements | Description | Resources |
|---|---|---|
|
Form 28 Third Party Advertising Contribution Statement |
Third Party Advertising Contribution Statement includes: Total amount of contributions of $250.00 or less. Total amount of contributions of $250.01 and greater. Itemized list of contributions of $250.01 and greater, including:
|
|
| Provide an election advertising return |
The Chief Financial Officer of a registered third party advertiser must file an election advertising return including:
How to handle advertising account funds A third party advertiser may: Continue to hold funds to be used in the next election advertising period OR Decide not to use the funds for the next election advertising period, in which case the funds must be either:
|
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| Submit disclosure statements to Elections Calgary |
File your disclosure statement with original signatures and documents. Emails and scanned documents will not be accepted. Retain a copy for your own records.
Elections Calgary must receive the disclosure statement by the deadline of June 2, 2025. Allow for mailing time. Mailing dates or postmarks do not qualify as meeting legislative deadlines. Submit the statement to the Elections Calgary office in-person or by mail or courier. For addresses, contact Elections Calgary. |
Maintaining records
All TPAs must retain all records for a period of three years following the deadline to file according to the Section 185 of the Local Authorities Election Act.
