Federal election pay and allowances

Summary#

The government replaced the existing Federal Elections Fees Tariff: SOR/2021-22 under the Canada Elections Act. It sets pay rates, overtime rules, travel reimbursements and small allowances for people who run and staff federal elections. The tariff took effect on March 1, 2021 (with special timing rules if that date fell during an election).

What it does#

• Repeals and replaces the previous Federal Elections Fees Tariff to align rules with changes made by the Elections Modernization Act and current election practices of Elections Canada.
• Sets specific pay and allowance levels for election administrators and workers, including:
  • Returning officers: monthly rate $429.28, election-period base fee $22,483.54, post‑election base fee $6,975.80, hourly rate for extra work $53.66.
  • Assistant and additional assistant returning officers: election-period base fee $16,550.50, post‑election base fee $3,160.00, hourly rate $39.50.
  • Field liaison officers: monthly rate $925.80, election-period base fee $25,860.68, post‑election base fee $7,406.40, hourly rate $61.72.
  • Hourly rates for general election workers (Table 2): Level 1 $15.29, Level 2 $17.59, Level 3 $20.23, Level 4 $23.27, Level 5 $29.09.
  • Small allowances (Table 3): storing materials $40.00 per month, personal phone $10.00 per day (up to $50.00 per election period), personal modem/Internet $20.00 per month.
• Changes to working‑time pay:
  • Converts many flat fees into hourly rates for flexibility.
  • Overtime pay at 1.5 times the regular rate when workers (other than some office staff) work more than 8 hours in a day.
  • Office staff get overtime after 40 hours in a week.
  • Time‑and‑a‑half for work on designated holidays.
• Travel and expense rules:
  • Travel and living expenses follow the National Joint Council Travel Directive, with reimbursements for receipts and allowances for private vehicle use.
  • A travel threshold for training: pay for travel beyond 32 km round trip.
  • Returning officers and some staff may receive accountable advances up to $2,000 per advance and per officer for office/incidental expenses.
• Other administrative rules:
  • Fees may be prorated for partial periods of work.
  • Annual indexation of rates using the Consumer Price Index, capped at 3% per year.
  • If a provincial minimum wage is higher than a listed hourly rate, the higher provincial rate applies.
  • Clarifies standby pay, recount pay, training pay, and removes references to inspecting campaign returns at returning offices (returns are posted online).

Who's affected#

• Election administrators: returning officers, assistant returning officers, additional assistant returning officers, and field liaison officers.
• Election staff and poll workers: the broad group labeled election workers (poll officers, clerks, interpreters, special ballot officers, witnesses, recount staff, handlers/recorders).
• Elections Canada, because it pays these amounts and updates its systems and instructions.
• Indigenous peoples who serve as election workers (the changes affect them as workers but do not affect treaty rights, according to the source).
• The public and political parties indirectly, because these changes affect how well elections are staffed and run.

Why it matters#

• It raises and clarifies pay and working‑time rules for people who run polling places and election offices. That can make it easier to recruit and keep experienced staff.
• It adds overtime and holiday pay and more flexible hourly pay, which affects how long shifts are scheduled and how much workers earn for long days.
• It standardizes travel and expense reimbursement so routine costs are less likely to need special approvals. That reduces ad hoc requests and helps returning officers budget and manage local offices.
• The cost to government was estimated in the regulatory analysis (an incremental cost of $31.1 million for a general election, with broader 10‑year totals also calculated), but Elections Canada funds these payments from its statutory authority rather than the annual parliamentary appropriation; the money flows primarily to election workers.