Referendum TPAs
A Referendum Third Party Advertiser engages in advertising to promote or oppose, or take a position on, an issue associated with a question in a referendum.
Any eligible person, corporation, trade union, or group that engages in referendum advertising is required to register with Elections Alberta when it has incurred or plans to incur Referendum advertising expenses of $1,000 or more, or has accepted or plans to accept Referendum advertising contributions of $1,000 or more.
Registered Referendum TPAs
There are currently no registered Referendum TPAs.
Deregistered Referendum TPAs
| Name | Registration Date | De-Registration Date | Financial Reporting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alberta Proud | September 27, 2021 | October 2, 2022 | View |
| Equalization Fairness Alberta | August 12, 2021 | May 9, 2022 | View |
| Society of Albertans Against Equalization | August 12, 2021 | May 9, 2022 | View |
| Vote Yes To End Equalization Inc. | August 10, 2021 | May 9, 2022 | View |
Last Updated: October 3, 2022
Contributions
Through their chief financial officer, a registered Referendum TPA can only accept advertising contributions during a referendum advertising period from the following persons and entities:
- persons ordinarily resident in Alberta,
- corporations carrying on business in Alberta that are not prohibited corporations, and
- Alberta trade unions and employee organizations.
Contributions are defined as money or in-kind donations of real property, goods, or services.
The Referendum TPA chief financial officer is responsible for reporting contributions to Elections Alberta and issuing official contribution receipts to contributors.
Get more information on contributions.
Fundraising Functions
A registered Referendum TPA can hold events and activities to raise funds for referendum advertising.
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 at auctions.
Get more information on fundraising functions.
Expenses
A registered Referendum TPA can spend a maximum of $607,000 on referendum advertising.
The following are common examples of reportable expenses:
- Administration and office costs,
- Honoraria and salaries,
- Paid advertising,
- Polling and research,
- Production costs,
- Promotional materials,
- Public relations, and
- Technology costs.
Get more information on expenses.
Filing Deadlines
Through their chief financial officer, registered Referendum TPAs must disclose the details of their financial activities to Elections Alberta through the submission of weekly contribution reports during a referendum advertising period and filing a referendum advertising report. The reports are required regardless of the level of financial activity, including nil activity if applicable, and are due as follows:
- weekly contribution reports due each Thursday during the referendum advertising period, and
- referendum advertising report due 6 months after the referendum vote, consisting of a financial statement, contribution report, expense report, and supporting documentation.
In addition, independently audited financial statements are required if revenue or expenses for the reporting period exceed $350,000.
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 (OFS)
The Financial Reporting website contains registration and financial information for all registered Referendum TPAs.
Registered Referendum TPA chief financial officers are granted access to Elections Alberta’s secure Online Financial System (OFS) to report contributions and issue official contribution receipts to contributors. The financial statement form is manual and must be submitted to Elections Alberta’s office.
Contact finance@elections.ab.ca with any questions.