
Campaign Disclosure & Financials
The candidates for mayor, councillor and school board trustee, or any person acting on behalf of a candidate, are responsible for ensuring they understand all campaign financial rules. Candidates, or their official agent(s), are encouraged to review Part 5.1 of the Local Authorities Election Act (LAEA) that outlines all campaign finance rules and seek their own legal advice when needed.
Please review the Municipal Affairs Campaign Financing Fact Sheet for additional information.
Campaign Disclosure Statements
- 2024 Campaign Disclosure Statement: If you have accepted contributions or incurred expenses in 2024 you must file the required campaign disclosure forms by March 1, 2025.
- 2025 Campaign Disclosure Statement: If you have accepted contributions or incurred expenses in 2025 you must file the required campaign disclosure forms by March 1, 2026.
For additional information, please refer to the Local Authorities Election Act (the “LAEA”) and visit the Municipal Affairs website.
View filed Candidate Disclosure Statements
How to Submit Your Disclosure Statement
- Download and complete the Campaign Disclosure Statement (Form 26)
- Submit your Campaign Disclosure Statement form and attachments:
- Via email: election@stalbert.ca
- Drop off, mail or courier to the following address:
City of St. Albert
Attention: Election Office
3rd Floor, 5 St. Anne Street
St. Albert, AB T8N 3Z9
Duties & Responsibilities of Candidates
Candidates are individuals who have been nominated to run for election in a local jurisdiction as a councillor or school board trustee; and individuals who intend to be nominated to run for election in a local jurisdiction as a councillor or as a school board trustee that have given written notice of their intent to run.
Candidates must ensure the following:
Candidates must ensure that:
(section 147.22 and 147.3 LAEA)
- a campaign account in the name of the candidate or the candidate’s election campaign is opened at a financial institution for the purposes of the election campaign at the time the candidate gives written notice of intent (pursuant to section 147.22 of the LAEA) or as soon as possible after the total amount of contributions first exceeds $1,000 in the aggregate (s.147.3(1)(a) of the LAEA);
- if a campaign account has been opened, all contributions of money are deposited into the campaign account.
- money in the campaign account shall only be used for the payment of campaign expenses.
- contributions of real property, personal property and services are valued.
- receipts are issued for every contribution and obtained for every expense.
- records are kept of contributions and campaign expenses and are retained by the candidate for a period of 3 years following the day of the election to which they relate.
- proper direction is given to the candidate’s official agent and any other person who is authorized to incur campaign expenses and accept or solicit contributions on behalf of the candidate.
A candidate shall not knowingly make a false or misleading statement in any disclosure statement or financial statement or other information required to be filed.
Duties & Responsibilities of Campaign Contributions
A contribution is any money, personal property, real property, or service that is provided to or for the benefit of a candidate’s election campaign without fair market value compensation from that candidate.
Responsibility of Contributors (section 147.13(1) LAEA)
A prospective contributor is responsible for ensuring, before making a contribution under the LAEA, that the contributor is not prohibited from making a contribution and is not making a contribution that is in excess of the limit prescribed in the LAEA.
Every candidate and every person acting on behalf of a candidate shall make every reasonable effort to advise prospective contributors of the provisions of the LAEA relating to contributions.
Contribution Limits
Municipal Candidates | School Board Candidates | |
Candidate | $10,000 per campaign period. | $10,000 per campaign period. |
Individuals | $5,000 per year to all candidates in a particular municipality. | $5,000 per year to all candidates of a particular public school division. |
Corporation, trade union or employee organization | $5,000 per campaign period to all candidates in a particular municipality. | $5,000 in the aggregate during the campaign period to all candidates of a particular public school division. |
Limitations on contributions (section 147.2(1) LAEA)
- No prohibited organization (please review the LAEA for information regarding a prohibited organization), individual ordinarily resident outside Alberta, or trade union or employee organization other than an Alberta trade union or Alberta employee organization shall make a contribution to a candidate.
- Contributions by an individual ordinarily resident in Alberta shall not exceed, in the case of a general election, in a calendar year during the campaign period.
- $5000 in the aggregate to all candidates for election as a councillor in a particular municipality.
- $5000 in the aggregate to all candidates for election as a school board trustee of a particular public school division under the Education Act.
- $5000 in the aggregate to all candidates for election as a school board trustee of a particular separate school division under the Education Act.
- Contributions by a corporation other than a prohibited organization, by an Alberta trade union or by an Alberta employee organization shall not exceed during the campaign period
- $5000 in the aggregate to all candidates for election as a councillor in a particular municipality.
- $5000 in the aggregate to all candidates for election as a school board trustee of a particular public school division under the Education Act.
- $5000 in the aggregate to all candidates for election as a school board trustee of a particular separate school division under the Education Act.
- A candidate may contribute an amount of up to $10,000 during the campaign period that is not reimbursed to the candidate from the candidate’s campaign account by the end of the campaign period to the candidate’s own campaign expenses.
- Any amount paid by a candidate for campaign expenses from the candidate’s own funds that is not reimbursed to the candidate from the candidate’s campaign account by the end of the campaign period is a contribution to the candidate’s own campaign for the purposes of the Act.
- No candidate and no person acting on behalf of a candidate shall, directly or indirectly, solicit or accept a contribution if the candidate or person knows or ought to know that the prospective contributor is a prohibited organization, an individual ordinarily resident outside Alberta or a trade union or employee organization that is not an Alberta trade union or Alberta employee organization.
- No candidate and no person acting on behalf of a candidate shall solicit or accept a contribution if the candidate or person knows or ought to know that the amount of the contribution will exceed the contribution amounts referred to above.
A Prohibited Organization
A prohibited organization means a municipality, a corporation that is controlled by a municipality and meets the test set out in section 1(2) of the MGA, any non-profit organization that has received since the last general election any of the following from the municipality in which the election will be held:
- a grant.
- real property.
- personal property.
a provincial corporation as defined in the Financial Administration Act, including a management body within the meaning of the Alberta Housing Act, a Metis settlement, a board of trustees under the Education Act, a public post-secondary institution as defined in the Post-secondary Learning Act, a corporation that does not carry on business in Alberta, a registered party as defined in the Election Finances and Contributions Disclosures Act or the Canada Elections Act, or an organization designated by the Lieutenant Governor in Council as a prohibited organization.
Notice Required Regarding Contributions and Expenses (section 147.22 LAEA)
- No individual and no person acting for the individual shall accept a contribution or incur a campaign expense unless the individual has given written notice in accordance with this section.
- An individual who intends to be nominated or has been nominated to run for election in a local jurisdiction as a candidate must give written notice to the local jurisdiction in which the individual intends to be or has been nominated.
- A written notice under subsection (2) must include, in respect of the individual’s candidacy.
- the full name, address and contact information of the individual.
- the address of the place or places where records of the individual are maintained and of the place to which communications may be addressed.
- the names and addresses of the financial institutions to be used by or on behalf of the individual as depositories for campaign contributions made to that individual.
- the names of the signing authorities for each depository referred to above.
- No candidate and no person acting for a candidate shall accept a contribution in respect of an election outside the campaign period for that election.
Anonymous and Unauthorized Contributions (section 147.23 LAEA)
Any anonymous contributions and any contribution or portion of a contribution made in contravention of the LAEA that is accepted by a candidate or a person acting on behalf of a candidate must not be used or expended, and the candidate or the person acting on behalf of the candidate must:
- return the contribution to the contributor if the contributor’s identity can be established.
- if the contributor’s identity cannot be established, pay an amount equivalent to the contribution to a registered charity or to the local jurisdiction for which the candidate is running for the election.
Contributions Not Belonging to Contributor (section 147.24 LAEA)
- No individual, corporation, trade union or employee organization shall contribute to a candidate:
- funds not belonging to that individual, corporation, trade union or employee organization.
- funds given or furnished to the individual, corporation, trade union or employee organization by another individual, corporation, trade union or employee organization or a prohibited organization for the purpose of making a contribution of those funds to a candidate.
- No individual, corporation, trade union, employee organization or prohibited organization shall give or furnish funds to another individual, corporation, trade union or employee organization for the purpose of having that other individual, corporation, trade union or employee organization make a contribution of those funds to a candidate.
- No candidate and no person acting on behalf of a candidate shall solicit or accept a contribution if the candidate or person knows or ought to know that the contribution is contrary to the above.
Value of Contributions other than money (section 147.1 LAEA)
The value of advertising contributions, other than money, provided to a candidate is the fair market value of the contribution at the time it was provided.
If any personal property, real property or service or the use of personal property or real property is provided to a candidate for a price that is less than the fair market value at the time it is provided, the amount by which the value exceeds the price is a contribution for the purposes of the LAEA.
Receipts (section 147.32 LAEA)
Every candidate or a person acting on behalf of the candidate must issue a receipt for every contribution accepted, in a form acceptable to the local jurisdiction.
Fundraising
A fundraising function includes any social function held for the purpose of raising funds for the candidate’s election campaign. The gross income from any fundraising function must be recorded.
Fundraising Functions (section 147.31(1) LAEA)
A fundraising function includes any social function held for the purpose of raising funds for the candidate’s election campaign. The gross income from any fundraising function must be recorded.
If a fundraising function is held though the sale of tickets, the following rules around contributions must be followed:
- If the individual charge is $50 or less, it is not considered to be a contribution unless the individual who pays the charge specifically requests that it be considered as part of their contribution. If the individual requests this, half of the amount is allowed for expenses and half is considered a contribution. The candidate may still choose to issue a receipt and keep a record of the transaction even if the amount is not considered a contribution.
- If the individual charge is more than $50, but less than $100, $25 is allowed for expenses and the balance is to be considered a contribution.
- If the individual contribution is more than $100, 25% of the amount is allowed for expenses and the balance is considered to be a contribution.
Candidates or a person acting on their behalf must issue a receipt for every contribution they receive that is more than $50. For any contributions over $50, the name and address and the amount of the contribution must be recorded as that information is to be included in the campaign disclosure statements.
Loans
A candidate may borrow money only from a financial institution and shall record all loans and their terms and report to the relevant local jurisdiction.
Loans (section 147.33(1) LAEA)
A candidate may borrow money only from a financial institution and shall record all loans and their terms and report to the relevant local jurisdiction.
Only an individual who is a resident in Alberta, a corporation other than a prohibited organization, an Alberta trade union or an Alberta employee organization may make a payment on or behalf of the borrower (the candidate) in respect of a loan.
Any payment in respect of a loan made by an individual, corporation, trade union, or employee organization becomes, for the purposes of the LAEA, a contribution that is accepted by the candidate if the candidate does not reimburse the payment before the candidate is next required to file a disclosure statement.
Campaign Surplus & Deficits
Surplus funds and deficits must be eliminated within 60 days after filing a disclosure statement with the CAO of the City of St. Albert.
Campaign Surplus & Campaign Deficits (section 147.5(1) LAEA)
Surplus funds must be eliminated within 60 days after filing a disclosure statement with the CAO of the City of St. Albert.
- Any amount $1,000 and over must be donated to a registered charity.
- Any amount under $1,000 can be retained by the candidate or donated to a registered charity.
You must file an amended disclosure statement showing the disposition of funds.
Campaign Deficits (section 147.5(2) LAEA)
Campaign deficits must be eliminated within 60 days after filing a disclosure statement with the CAO of the City of St. Albert. You may:
- Accept contributions within the 60-day period. Contributions must not exceed $5,000 from any single individual, corporation, group or union.
- Use your own funds to a maximum of $10,000.
You must file an amended disclosure statement showing that the deficit has been eliminated.
Please check back regularly as information on this page is subject to change and/or additional information may be posted. This information is provided as a courtesy to candidates and the City of St. Albert is in no way responsible for errors or omissions. Please consult the Local Authorities Election Act as a comprehensive guide to the election and the changes within. It is the responsibility of the candidate to read and understand the legislation and bylaw(s) concerning this election.Related Pages
Last edited: February 13, 2025