Ontario Proposes Extension of Political Party Subsidy
The Ontario government has proposed amendments to the Election Finances Act to extend the per-vote subsidy for political parties and constituency associations. This proposal, supported by all parties in the Ontario Legislature, aims to continue the quarterly allowances for an additional two years, until December 31, 2026. Currently, these payments are set to expire at the end of 2024.
The Chief Electoral Officer of Elections Ontario is tasked with determining the allowance payable to registered parties each quarter. To qualify, a party's candidates must have received at least two percent of the valid votes cast in the last election or five percent in the districts where they endorsed a candidate.
The proposed changes follow a recommendation from Ontario’s Chief Electoral Officer after the 2022 provincial election, aiming to balance public and private funding for political parties. The allowance rate has been set at $0.636 per vote since 2021 and will remain unchanged under the proposed amendments.