2026 Municipal Election
The City of Brantford must establish a Municipal Election Compliance Audit Committee (MECAC) on or before October 1st of an election year.
The City has created a committee in collaboration with the County of Brant, Haldimand County and Norfolk County.
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.
Submit a Compliance Audit Request Form and any supporting documents online or in person at City Hall (58 Dalhousie Street). The City Clerk must receive your application by the deadlines below:
- For financial statements due March 30, 2027, the Clerk must receive your compliance audit application by June 28, 2027.
- For financial statements filed during the 30-day grace period or under a court-ordered extension, the Clerk must receive your compliance audit application within 90 days of the financial statement filing date.
After you make a request
Here are the steps completed after you request a compliance audit:
- 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
- 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.
Decisions
Municipal Election Compliance Audit Committee - May 23, 2024
Municipal Election Compliance Audit Committee - August 14, 2023
Municipal Election Compliance Audit Committee - July 26, 2023