On September 16, federal by-elections will be held in the electoral districts of Elmwood–Transcona (Manitoba) and LaSalle–Émard–Verdun (Quebec) to fill vacancies in the Canadian House of Commons.

On February 1, 2024, the Chief Electoral Officer of Canada, Stéphane Perrault, received official notice from the Speaker of the House of Commons that the seat for LaSalle–Émard–Verdun (Quebec) was vacant.

Perrault subsequently received official notice of the vacancy of the federal seat for Elmwood–Transcona on April 3, 2024.

However, the dates for the election were not announced until Sunday, July 28.

David Lametti, who held the seat in LaSalle–Émard–Verdun (Quebec), had announced his retirement in January.

Daniel Blaikie resigned his seat for Elmwood–Transcona (Manitoba) at the end of March to work as an advisor to Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew.

The announcement date of the by-elections signals the start of the by-election period.

The Office of the Integrity Commissioner has updated the Ontario Lobbyists Registry to conform to a recent cabinet shuffle that resulted in changes to ministers’ titles and ministry name. Specifically, amendments to Ontario Regulation 146/10, Public Bodies and Commission Public Bodies, authorized under the Public Service of Ontario Act, 2006, added five new agencies, removed 12 agencies, and changed the name of one of the agencies.

The electronic lobbyist registry will now automatically remove previous selections of the changed targets (ministries) from active registrations. However, the new or amended ministers’ offices and ministries will need to be manually selected by the registrants.

As an example from the Office, the “Ministry of Energy” will automatically be removed from active registrations. However, if a registrant is still lobbying this ministry, they are required to update their registrations by manually selecting “Ministry of Energy and Electrification.”

The Office has created a webpage listing the changes at https://www.oico.on.ca/en/changes-lobbying-target-names, where one can find lists of the new names of ministers’ offices, the ministries, the new ministries, and the removed agencies.

In their June 19 monthly newsletter, the Office of the Integrity Commissioner has stated, “Lobbyists and senior officers should check their registrations to ensure their ministry and agency target lists are up to date. As always, it remains the responsibility of each consultant lobbyist and senior officer to ensure that their registrations are accurate. Consultant lobbyists and senior officers have 30 calendar days under the Lobbyists Registration Act, 1998 to provide these updates.”

Sometime before November 30, 2024, a by-election will be announced for the seat in the Canadian Federal House of Commons representing Cloverdale–Langley City in the province of British Columbia.

On June 3, the Chief Electoral Officer of Canada, Stéphane Perrault, received official notice from the Speaker of the House of Commons that the seat for Cloverdale–Langley City (British Columbia) became vacant following the resignation of John Aldag, who resigned on May 27 in order to run in the provincial elections this fall in British Columbia.

Under the law, the by-election date must be announced between June 14 and November 30, 2024, and will signal the start of the by-election period.

According to Elections Canada, the earliest date the by-election can be held is July 22, 2024.

On June 24, a Canadian federal by-election will be held in the electoral district of Toronto–St. Paul’s (Ontario) to fill a vacancy in the House of Commons.

On January 16, the Chief Electoral Officer of Canada, Stéphane Perrault, had received official notice from the Speaker of the House of Commons that the seat for Toronto—St. Paul’s (Ontario) became vacant following the resignation of Carolyn Ann Bennett.

Bennett officially resigned from her seat in the House of Commons on January 16, 2024, and was appointed on the same day as Canada’s Ambassador to Denmark.

The date for the election was not announced until May 19, which signaled the start of the by-election period.

On April 1, 2024, Elections Canada published the updated limits on expenses for regulated activities of third parties involved in federal elections in Canada.

The Canada Elections Act imposes a limit on expenses a third party can incur for regulated political activities.

For the period of April 1, 2024, to March 31, 2025, a third party is prohibited from incurring overall election advertising expenses of a total amount of more than $602,700 during a general election.

The previous limit was $579,950.

For the same period of April 1, 2024, to March 31, 2025, a third party is prohibited from incurring election advertising expenses in a given electoral district of a total amount of more than $5,166 during a general election.

The previous limit was $4,971.

Adjustments are made annually based on a formula of a base amount multiplied by the inflation adjustment factor in effect for the period.

On March 4, a federal by-election will be held in the electoral district of Durham (Ontario) to fill a vacancy in the House of Commons.

On August 3, 2023, the Chief Electoral Officer of Canada, Stéphane Perrault, received official notice from the Speaker of the House of Commons that Member of Parliament Erin O’Toole’s seat was vacant.

O’Toole had resigned from the seat after being removed as leader of the Conservative Party earlier in 2023.

The date for the election was not announced until January 28, which signaled the start of the by-election period.

Sometime before July 14, 2024, a by-election will be announced for the seat in the House of Commons representing Toronto–St. Paul’s in the province of Ontario.

On January 17, the Chief Electoral Officer of Canada, Stéphane Perrault, received official notice from the Speaker of the House of Commons that the seat for Toronto—St. Paul’s (Ontario) became vacant following the resignation of Carolyn Ann Bennett.

Bennett officially resigned from her seat in the House of Commons on January 16, 2024, and was appointed on the same day as Canada’s Ambassador to Denmark.

Under the law, the by-election date must be announced between January 27 and July 14, 2024, and will signal the start of the by-election period.

According to Elections Canada, the earliest date the by-election can be held is March 4, 2024.

Campaign contribution limits have increased in Prince Edward Island, Canada, for 2024.

In a calendar year, a person individually may contribute $3,250 to each party.

A contribution to a registered candidate affiliated with a registered party is considered a contribution to the party.

An individual may choose to donate the maximum to each registered party and any independent candidates.

Individual contribution limits are subject to an annual increase of $50 every January 1.

The previous contribution limit from 2023 was $3,200.

Campaign contribution limits have increased in Ontario, Canada, for 2024.

In a calendar year, a person individually may contribute $3,375 to each party, to each constituency association and nominations contestants of a party, and to each leadership contestant of a party.

Additionally, in a campaign period, a person may contribute $3,375 to each candidate of a party, and to each independent non-party candidate.

The total contribution made with respect to a single fundraising event by a contributor may not exceed $3,375 multiplied by the indexation factor.

The previous contribution limits from 2023 were $3,350.

Elections Canada has published the Canadian federal contribution limits for the 2024 calendar year.

In 2024, individuals may contribute up to $1,725 to independent candidates, leadership candidates, registered parties, and to, in total, all of the registered associations, nomination contestants and candidates of each registered party.

The limits also apply to any unpaid balance of loans made during a contribution period and the amount of any loan guarantees made during a contribution period.

The limits increase annually by $25 on January 1.

On November 24, Public Safety Canada announced additional public consultations for a possible federal Foreign Influence Transparency Registry (FITR).

Earlier this year, the Government of Canada had solicited the public on potential new methods for the government to protect Canada against covert and deceptive foreign interference.

This new announcement is based on the feedback received through the previous consultations, which suggested a registry would not be a universal solution.

The new consultations will also focus on potential legislative amendments to the Canadian Security Intelligence Service Act, the Criminal Code, the Security of Information Act, and the Canada Evidence Act.

Anyone living in Canada, or Canadians living abroad, may share their input through a consultation webpage, which will be accepted until February 2, 2024.

On September 11, the City Council of Kelowna, British Columbia established a Lobbyist Registry Council Policy.

The aim stated in the new policy, Council Policy 390 Lobbyist Registry, is to promote transparency by establishing registration and disclosure requirements for those seeking to influence a decision of council.

The council chose a policy rather than enacting a by-law.

The Policy applies to all lobbyists engaging in lobbying of a council member.

Lobbying is defined as communicating verbally or in writing, or to meet with an elected official for the purpose of influencing a decision of the council. A lobbyist is defined as an individual, whether paid or voluntary, who lobbies an elected official regarding a matter within the council’s jurisdiction.

The lobbyist may represent individual interests or represent an organization, whether employed by that organization or on behalf of a different organization.

A lobbyist must register with the city within 5 days of lobbying a council member.

Each registration is considered active for six months, after which a new registration must be filed for lobbying activities.

It is anticipated that the Lobbyist Registry will be available on the city’s website in the coming weeks.

On November 30, a by-election to fill the vacancy of Councillor for Ward 20, Scarborough Southwest in Toronto, Ontario, Canada will be held.

The seat became vacant on July 26 because of the resignation of former Councillor Gary Crawford, who instead ran in the July 27 by-election held for the vacant Scarborough-Guildwood parliament seat that he did not win.

The nominations to run for the office did not open until September 7 and close at 2 p.m. on October 16.

On October 2, a provincial by-election will be held in the electoral division of Jean-Talon, located in Quebec City, for the Quebec National Assembly.

The election will be held to fill the vacant seat of former Member of the National Assembly Joëlle Boutin, a member of the governing Coalition Avenir Québec, who resigned on July 19 in order to join the private sector. The seat became vacant on July 31.

The by-election was announced by the government of Quebec on August 30.