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Niagara Compliance Audit Committee

Niagara Compliance Audit Committee

The Municipal Elections Act, 1996 requires each municipality and school board in Ontario to establish a compliance audit committee to consider compliance audit applications.

In 2022, Niagara's municipalities and school boards again partnered to establish the joint Niagara Compliance Audit Committee. The participants include: 

  • Local Area Municipalities: Town of Fort Erie, Town of Grimsby, Town of Lincoln, City of Niagara Falls, Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake, Town of Pelham, City of Port Colborne, City of St. Catharines, City of Thorold, Township of Wainfleet, City of Welland and Township of West Lincoln
  • Region: Regional Municipality of Niagara
  • School Boards: District School Board of Niagara and Niagara Catholic District School Board

The Purpose of the Committee is to:

  • Consider whether to grant or reject a compliance audit application made by an eligible elector;
  • Appoint an auditor if the application is granted;
  • Receive and consider the auditor's report and decide whether legal proceedings should be commenced;
  • Consider reports from the Clerk identifying contributors who appear to have contravened election contribution limits and decide whether legal proceedings should be commenced.

The powers and functions of the committee are found under Sections 88.33 - 88.37 of the Municipal Elections Act, 1996.

Compliance Audit Applications

If an elector entitled to vote believes on reasonable grounds that a candidate or registered third party advertiser has contravened any of the campaign finance rules, the elector may apply for a compliance audit and file their Application with the Town Clerk.

Application for Compliance Audit 

Eligible Elector

  • A Canadian citizen
  • At least 18 years of age;
  • Resides in the municipality, or is the owner or tenant of land, or the spouse of such owner or tenant