Canada Elections Act (S.C. 2000, c. 9)

Offences under Division 3 of Part 17 (Third Parties’ Bank Accounts, Registry of Third Parties and Third-Party Expenses Returns)

Marginal note:Strict liability offences — summary conviction

• 496.1 (1) Every person is guilty of an offence who, being a third party, contravenes

  • (a) section 358.1 (failure to satisfy bank account requirements);

  • (b) subsection 359(1) (failure to file third-party expenses return) or 359(9) (failure to provide documents evidencing expenses on request);

  • (c) paragraph 359.1(b) (filing third-party expenses return that is substantially incomplete);

  • (d) subsection 361(3) (failure to provide corrected or revised return within specified period); or

  • (e) subsection 361.2(3) (failure to provide corrected or revised return within 30-day period or any extension of that period).

• Marginal note:Offences requiring intent — dual procedure

  (2) Every person is guilty of an offence who, being a third party,

  • (a) knowingly contravenes subsection 359(1) (failure to file third-party expenses return);

  • (b) contravenes paragraph 359.1(a) or knowingly contravenes paragraph 359.1(b) (filing third-party expenses return that contains false or misleading information or one that is incomplete);

  • (c) knowingly contravenes subsection 361(3) (failure to provide corrected or revised return within specified period); or

  • (d) knowingly contravenes subsection 361.2(3) (failure to provide corrected or revised return within 30-day period or any extension of that period).

Offences under Part 17.1 (Prohibitions in Relation to Voting at a Nomination Contest or Leadership Contest)

Marginal note:Offences requiring intent — dual procedure

• 496.2 (1) Every person is guilty of an offence who

  • (a) contravenes subsection 362.2(1) (undue influence by foreigners);

  • (b) knowingly contravenes subsection 362.2(4) (collusion);

  • (c) knowingly contravenes subsection 362.2(5) (selling advertising space);

  • (d) knowingly contravenes subsection 362.3(1) (offering bribe);

  • (e) knowingly contravenes subsection 362.3(2) (accepting bribe); or

  • (f) knowingly contravenes paragraph 362.4(a) or (b) (intimidation, etc.).

• Marginal note:Offences requiring intent — dual procedure

  (2) Every entity is guilty of an offence that

  • (a) contravenes subsection 362.2(1) (undue influence by foreigners);

  • (b) knowingly contravenes subsection 362.2(4) (collusion); or

  • (c) knowingly contravenes subsection 362.2(5) (selling advertising space).

Offences under Part 18 (Finance)

Offences under Division 1 of Part 18 (General Financial Provisions)

Marginal note:Strict liability offences — summary conviction

• 497 (1) Every person is guilty of an offence who

  • (a) being a person or entity, contravenes subsection 363(1) (making contribution while ineligible);

  • (b) being the chief agent of a registered party, the financial agent of a registered association, the official agent of a candidate or the financial agent of a nomination contestant or leadership contestant, contravenes subsection 363(2) (failure to return or pay amount of ineligible contribution);

  • (b.1) being a person or entity, contravenes subsection 364(9) (paying convention fees while ineligible);

  • (c) being a registered party or an electoral district association of one, contravenes subsection 365(1) (making prohibited transfer);

  • (d) being a person who is authorized to accept contributions on behalf of a registered party, a registered association, a nomination contestant, a candidate or a leadership contestant, contravenes section 366 (failure to issue receipt);

  • (e) being a person or entity, contravenes subsection 368(1) (circumventing contribution limit);

  • (f) being a person or entity, contravenes subsection 368(2) (concealing source of contribution);

  • (g) being an individual, contravenes section 370 (making indirect contributions);

  • (h) being a person authorized under this Act to accept contributions, contravenes section 372 (failure to return or pay amount of contribution);

  • (h.1) being the chief agent of a registered party, the financial agent of a registered association, the official agent of a candidate, or the financial agent of a nomination contestant or leadership contestant, contravenes section 372.1 (accepting a contribution that is in the form of a cryptoasset, money order or payment product);

  • (h.2) being the chief agent of a registered party, the financial agent of a registered association, the official agent of a candidate, or the financial agent of a nomination contestant or leadership contestant, contravenes section 372.2 (failure to return a contribution that is in the form of a cryptoasset, money order or payment product);

  • (i) being a person or entity, contravenes subsection 373(1) or (2) (making a loan, guaranteeing a loan or borrowing money);

  • (j) being an individual, contravenes section 374 (making indirect loans);

  • (k) contravenes subsection 380(1) or (2) (failure to document payment); or

  • (l) being a person authorized to pay petty expenses, contravenes subsection 381(3) (failure to provide documentation of petty expenses) or 381(4) (paying more than the maximum amount of petty expenses).

• Marginal note:Offences requiring intent — dual procedure

  (2) Every person is guilty of an offence who

  • (a) being a person or entity, knowingly contravenes subsection 363(1) (making contribution while ineligible);

  • (b) being a registered party or an electoral district association of one, knowingly contravenes subsection 365(1) (making prohibited transfer);

  • (c) being a person who is authorized to accept contributions on behalf of a registered party, a registered association, a nomination contestant, a candidate or a leadership contestant, knowingly contravenes section 366 (failure to issue receipt);

  • (d) being an individual, knowingly contravenes subsection 367(1) or (6) (exceeding contribution limit);

  • (e) being a person or entity, knowingly contravenes subsection 368(1) (circumventing contribution limit);

  • (f) being a person or entity, knowingly contravenes subsection 368(2) (concealing source of contribution);

  • (g) being a person entitled to accept contributions under this Act, knowingly contravenes subsection 368(3) (accepting excessive contribution);

  • (h) being a person or entity, knowingly contravenes subsection 368(4) (entering prohibited agreement);

  • (i) being a person or entity, contravenes subsection 369(1) (soliciting or accepting contribution);

  • (j) being a person or entity, contravenes subsection 369(2) (collusion);

  • (k) being an individual, knowingly contravenes section 370 (making indirect contributions);

  • (l) being an individual, knowingly contravenes section 371 (exceeding cash contribution limit);

  • (m) being a person authorized under this Act to accept contributions, knowingly contravenes section 372 (failure to return or pay amount of contribution);

  • (m.1) being the chief agent of a registered party, the financial agent of a registered association, the official agent of a candidate, or the financial agent of a nomination contestant or leadership contestant, knowingly contravenes section 372.2 (failure to return a contribution that is in the form of a cryptoasset, money order or payment product);

  • (n) being a person or entity, knowingly contravenes subsection 373(1) or (2) (making a loan, guaranteeing a loan or borrowing money); or

  • (o) being an individual, knowingly contravenes section 374 (making indirect loans).

Offences under Division 1.1 of Part 18 (Regulated Fundraising Events)

Marginal note:Strict liability offences — summary conviction

497.01 Every person is guilty of an offence who

• (a) [Repealed, 2026, c. 20, s. 61]

• (b) [Repealed, 2026, c. 20, s. 61]

• (b.1) [Repealed, 2026, c. 20, s. 61]

• (c) [Repealed, 2026, c. 20, s. 61]

• (d) [Repealed, 2026, c. 20, s. 61]

• (e) [Repealed, 2026, c. 20, s. 61]

• (f) [Repealed, 2026, c. 20, s. 61]

• (g) [Repealed, 2026, c. 20, s. 61]

• (h) [Repealed, 2026, c. 20, s. 61]

• (i) [Repealed, 2026, c. 20, s. 61]

• (j) [Repealed, 2026, c. 20, s. 61]

• (k) [Repealed, 2026, c. 20, s. 61]

• (l) being a chief agent or the leader of a registered party, contravenes subsection 384.7(3) (failure to provide corrected or revised report within 30-day period or any extension of that period).

Offences under Division 2 of Part 18 (Political Parties)

Marginal note:Strict liability offences — summary conviction

• 497.1 (1) Every person is guilty of an offence who

  • (a) being a registered party, contravenes section 392 (failure to provide statement of assets and liabilities or related documents);

  • (b) being a registered party, contravenes subsection 396(2) or, being a registered party or an eligible party, contravenes subsection 395(4), section 399, subsection 400(1) or (2) or section 401 (failure to comply with requirements re: officers, chief agent, registered agents or auditor);

  • (c) being a registered party, contravenes subsection 405(1) or (4) (failure to report changes to registered party information);

  • (d) being a registered party, contravenes section 407 (failure to confirm validity of information on party);

  • (e) being a chief agent of a deregistered political party, contravenes section 420 (failure to provide financial transactions return or election expenses return or related documents);

  • (f) being a chief agent of a merging registered party, contravenes section 424 (failure to provide financial transactions return or related documents);

  • (g) being a chief agent, contravenes section 428 (failure to pay recoverable claim within three years);

  • (g.1) being a chief agent, contravenes subsection 429.2(1) (exceeding partisan advertising expenses limit);

  • (g.2) being a registered party, contravenes subsection 429.2(2) (circumventing partisan advertising expenses limit);

  • (g.3) being a third party, contravenes subsection 429.2(3) (colluding to circumvent partisan advertising expenses limit);

  • (g.4) being a registered party or a person acting on behalf of a registered party, contravenes section 429.3 (failure to indicate authority for partisan advertising);

  • (h) being a chief agent, contravenes subsection 431(1) (exceeding election expenses limit);

  • (h.1) being a third party, contravenes subsection 431(2) (colluding to circumvent election expenses limit);

  • (i) being a chief agent, contravenes subsection 432(1), (2), (3) or (5) (failure to provide financial transactions return or related documents);

  • (j) being a chief agent, contravenes section 433 (failure to provide quarterly return);

  • (k) being a registered agent, contravenes section 434 (failure to pay excess contributions);

  • (l) being a chief agent, contravenes paragraph 436(b) (providing document that is substantially incomplete);

  • (m) being a chief agent, contravenes subsection 437(1), (2) or (3) (failure to provide election expenses return or related documents);

  • (n) being a chief agent, contravenes paragraph 439(b) (providing document that is substantially incomplete);

  • (o) being a chief agent, contravenes subsection 440(3) (failure to provide corrected or revised document within specified period);

  • (p) being a chief agent or the leader of a registered party, contravenes subsection 442(3) (failure to provide corrected or revised document within 30-day period or any extension of that period); or

  • (q) being the chief executive officer of a provincial division, contravenes subsection 446(5) (failure to report provincial division changes).

• Marginal note:Offences requiring intent — summary conviction

  (2) Every person is guilty of an offence who

  • (a) being a person or entity other than a registered agent or a person authorized under subsection 381(1), knowingly contravenes subsection 426(1) or (2) (paying or incurring registered party’s expenses);

  • (b) being a person or entity other than a registered agent, knowingly contravenes subsection 426(3) (accepting contributions or borrowing while ineligible); or

  • (c) being a person or entity other than a registered agent, knowingly contravenes subsection 426(4) (while ineligible, accepting provision of goods or services or transfer of funds or providing goods or services or transferring funds).

• Marginal note:Offences requiring intent — dual procedure

  (3) Every person is guilty of an offence who

  • (a) being a registered party, knowingly contravenes section 392 (failure to provide statement of assets and liabilities or related documents);

  • (b) knowingly contravenes subsection 403(1), (2) or (3) (ineligible person acting as officer, chief agent, registered agent or auditor);

  • (c) being an officer of a party, contravenes section 404 (officer knowing party not a political party);

  • (d) being a leader of a party, contravenes subsection 408(1), (3) or (4) (providing or certifying false or misleading information or making false or misleading declaration);

  • (e) being a registered party or an eligible party, contravenes subsection 408(2) (providing false or misleading information);

  • (f) contravenes subsection 408(5) (making false or misleading declaration);

  • (g) being a chief agent of a deregistered political party, knowingly contravenes section 420 (failure to provide transactions return or election expenses return or related documents);

  • (h) being a chief agent of a merging registered party, knowingly contravenes section 424 (failure to provide financial transactions returns or related documents);

  • (h.1) being a registered agent other than the chief agent, knowingly contravenes subsection 426(2.1) (failure to obtain written authorization to incur registered party’s expenses or incurring them contrary to authorization);

  • (h.2) being a chief agent, knowingly contravenes subsection 429.2(1) (exceeding partisan advertising expenses limit);

  • (h.3) being a registered party, knowingly contravenes subsection 429.2(2) (circumventing partisan advertising expenses limit);

  • (h.4) being a third party, knowingly contravenes subsection 429.2(3) (colluding to circumvent partisan advertising expenses limit);

  • (i) being a chief agent, knowingly contravenes subsection 431(1) (exceeding election expenses limit);

  • (j) being a registered party or a third party, knowingly contravenes subsection 431(2) (colluding to circumvent election expense limit);

  • (k) being a chief agent, knowingly contravenes subsection 432(1), (2), (3) or (5) (failure to provide financial transactions return or related documents);

  • (l) being a chief agent, knowingly contravenes section 433 (failure to provide quarterly return);

  • (m) being a registered agent, knowingly contravenes section 434 (failure to pay excess contributions);

  • (n) being a chief agent, contravenes paragraph 436(a) (providing document that contains false or misleading information);

  • (o) being a chief agent, knowingly contravenes subsection 437(1), (2) or (3) (failure to provide election expenses return or related documents);

  • (p) being a chief agent, contravenes paragraph 439(a) (providing document that contains false or misleading information);

  • (q) being a chief agent, knowingly contravenes subsection 440(3) (failure to provide corrected or revised document within specified period); or

  • (r) being a chief agent or the leader of a registered party, knowingly contravenes subsection 442(3) (failure to provide corrected or revised document within 30-day period or any extension of that period).