Prospective Candidate Association
A prospective candidate association (PCA) is an official association established by an individual, or on behalf of an individual, for the purpose of supporting a prospective candidate for election as a member of the Legislative Assembly.
A prospective candidate association must register with Elections Alberta, maintain up-to-date registration information, and ensure timely submission of their annual financial reports to disclose financial activities.
Contributions
Through their chief financial officer, a registered prospective candidate association can accept contributions at any time except:
- During a campaign period for a general election, and
- During a campaign period for a by-election, if its prospective candidate is a registered candidate in the by-election.
The campaign period for a general election or by-election starts on the day a Writ of Election is issued and ends two months after Election Day.
Contributions can only be accepted from the following persons or entities:
- Persons ordinarily resident in Alberta,
- Corporations carrying on business in Alberta and are not prohibited corporations, and
- Alberta trade unions or employee organizations.
Contributions are any money or in-kind donations of real property, goods, or services.
The maximum contribution a prospective candidate association’s chief financial officer can accept from an eligible contributor is $5,000 per year, less any other contributions the contributor may make in the same year to registered parties, registered candidates, registered constituency associations, and other registered prospective candidate associations.
The prospective candidate association’s chief financial officer is responsible for reporting contributions to Elections Alberta and issuing official contribution receipts to contributors. Contributors can claim non-refundable personal income tax credits on their tax return for their contributions to registered prospective candidate associations.
Get more information on contributions.
Fundraising Functions
A registered prospective candidate association can hold events and activities to raise funds at any time except during a campaign period for an election.
Examples of fundraising events include luncheons, meet & greet events, rallies, golf tournaments, and auctions. Contribution rules limit who can pay to attend events and who can donate/bid for auctions.
All fundraising revenues and expenses must be reported on the prospective candidate association’s annual financial statements.
Get more information on fundraising functions.
Expenses
A registered prospective candidate association can spend funds at any time, with no limit on its expenses.
Prospective candidate associations can pay election expenses on behalf of the party that endorsed the prospective candidate, or on behalf of a candidate, which count toward the party’s or candidate’s expense limit. The prospective candidate association must record these expenses separately from its operating expenses.
Election expenses are any property, goods, or services used, distributed or consumed during an election period, for a registered party’s or candidate’s promotion or opposing others. The election period begins on the day a Writ of Election is issued and extends to the end of voting on Election Day.
Get more information on expenses.
Filing Deadlines
Through their chief financial officer, registered prospective candidate associations must disclose the details of their financial activities to Elections Alberta by submitting annual financial statements due by March 31st each year. The reports are required regardless of the level of financial activity, including nil activity if applicable.
An automatic late filing fee of $500 applies for missing a filing deadline.
Get more information on filing deadlines.
Financial Reporting and Online Financial System
Prospective candidate associations are a newly regulated political entity under the Election Finances and Contributions Disclosure Act effective July 4, 2025. Elections Alberta is developing our Financial Reporting website for disclosing registrations and financial disclosures regarding prospective candidate associations.
In addition, the capacity for chief financial officer of a prospective candidate association to access Elections Alberta’s secure Online Financial System (OFS) for financial reporting, is under development by Elections Alberta. The first financial statements will be due March 31, 2026, for any prospective candidate association registering in 2025.
Elections Alberta anticipates the website and system updates to be implemented well before this date.
Contact finance@elections.ab.ca with any questions.