Inflation Adjustment for Election Limits

Summary#

The House of Commons published a short notice about private bills and contact details for the Private Members’ Business Office. The Office of the Chief Electoral Officer announced the inflation adjustment factor under the Canada Elections Act for the one-year period beginning April 1, 2024: the index numbers are 187.0 and 108.6, giving an adjustment factor of 1.722.

What it does#

• Notes that Standing Order 130 (about notices of intended private bills) was previously published and gives contact information for the Private Members’ Business Office (a procedural notice for people who want to apply for private bills).
• Announces the inflation adjustment factor used under the Canada Elections Act for the year starting April 1, 2024: the ratio of the two index values (187.0 / 108.6) equals 1.722.
• Says that this factor will be used to calculate:
  • limits on election expenses for candidates,
  • limits on partisan advertising and election expenses for registered parties,
  • limits on partisan activity, partisan advertising, election advertising and election survey expenses for third parties,
  • audit subsidy payments for registered associations, nomination contestants, candidates and leadership contestants.

Who's affected#

• Federal election candidates and their campaign teams.
• Registered parties and their financial officers.
• Third parties that do political advertising or run election surveys.
• Registered associations, nomination contestants and leadership contestants who receive audit subsidies.
• People or groups thinking about applying for a private bill (the Private Members’ Business Office contact is listed).

Why it matters#

• The 1.722 factor determines how much the official spending and subsidy limits will be adjusted for the coming year. That changes how much campaigns and political groups may legally spend and how much subsidy they can get for audits.
• The notice itself does not list the new dollar amounts. Officials will use this factor to recalculate the specific limits and payments that campaigns and parties must follow.