Information for Candidates

Please note that the guidelines and process are subject to change and may be updated as needed.

General Guidelines

• This process is not required for placement on Boulevards. As per section 7.6 Boulevard placement requires the permission of the adjacent property owner.
• Once a decision has been granted for a property, the property and decision will be listed on the website.
• Permission for placement on City Property does not supersede other sections within the by-law, including but not limited to:

• No Election Sign shall be located where it will interfere with the safe movement or visibility of any vehicle or pedestrian traffic or where it is a general hazard to public safety.
• No Election Sign shall be located so as to obstruct or impede any fire escape, fire exit, door, window, scuttle, skylight, flue, air intake or air exhaust, nor so as to prevent or impede the free access of emergency personnel to any part of a building, including any emergency water connection or fire hydrant.
• The City, a public utility, or their agents may remove or relocate Election Signs in order to exercise any power authorized by law, including but not limited to carrying out municipal maintenance practices, or the construction and maintenance of a public utility, as determined by the City or in a public utility’s sole discretion. In all circumstances the costs or losses associated with the replacement of an Election Sign shall be the responsibility of the Candidate.
• No person shall Place or permit to be placed an Election Sign that obstructs the City from entering the highway or any portion of it for the purposes of snow removal or any maintenance, installation or repair.

• Permission may be denied for the following reasons:
• The location is not City property;
• The location is a City Park or Municipal Building;
• Placement of the sign will impede the City’s ability to remain fair and non-biased;
• Placement of the sign will impede City operations;
• Placement of the sign will create safety or visibility barriers for vehicles or pedestrians;
• Placement of the sign will impede community use of public spaces;
• Placement of the sign will have an adverse effect on business or community partnerships.
• Requests may take up to 10 business days to process.

The completed Request for Election Sign on City Property Form can be submitted to ThunderBayVotes@thunderbay.ca

To become a candidate for Mayor, City Councillor, or School Board Trustee you must file a nomination paper with the City Clerk, in person, on the first floor of City Hall, 500 Donald Street East. Nomination papers may be filed from Friday May 1, 2026 to Friday, August 21, 2026 at 2:00 pm. 

The deadline to file a nomination was 2:00 p.m. on Friday, August 21, 2026.

Nominations are currently closed.

The deadline to file a nomination was 2:00 p.m. on Friday, August 21, 2026.

Nominations are currently closed.

The deadline to file a nomination was 2:00 p.m. on Friday, August 21, 2026.

Nominations are currently closed.

To run for Mayor or City Councillor, on the day the nomination paper is filed, a person must be:

• a Canadian citizen
• at least 18 years old
• a resident of the City of Thunder Bay, or an owner or tenant of land in the City of Thunder Bay, or the spouse of such person
• not legally prohibited from voting
• not disqualified by any legislation from holding municipal office 

To run for School Board Trustee, on the day the nomination paper is filed, a person must be:

• a Canadian citizen
• at least 18 years of age
• a resident in the area of jurisdiction of the board
• not legally prohibited from voting
• not disqualified by any legislation from holding municipal office

If you wish to run for School Board Trustee for one of the following boards, you must live within the jurisdiction of that board. 

• Lakehead District School Board
• Thunder Bay Catholic District School Board
• Conseil scolaire public du Grand Nord de l’Ontario
• Conseil scolaire de district catholique des Aurores boréales
  
  

Who is disqualified from running?

The following people are disqualified from being elected or holding office as Mayor or City Councillor: 

• a judge of any court;
• a Senator, Member of Parliament or Member of Provincial Parliament who has not resigned from their office by the close of nominations; 
• a candidate who failed to file the necessary financial statement or exceeded the prescribed spending limit in the 2022 municipal election; or
• City of Thunder Bay employees, unless the candidate takes an unpaid leave of absence before filing a nomination paper.
  
  

The following people are disqualified from being elected or holding office as a School Board Trustee:

• a clerk, treasurer, deputy-clerk or deputy-treasurer of any municipality within the area of jurisdiction of the school board except those on an unpaid leave of absence;
• a Senator, Member of Parliament or Member of Provincial Parliament who has not resigned from their office by the close of nominations;
• a candidate who failed to file the necessary financial statement or exceeded the prescribed spending limit in 2022 municipal election; or
• employees of any school board, unless the candidate takes a leave of absence before filing a nomination paper.

Candidates filing a nomination must present identification showing their name, photo, qualifying Thunder Bay address and signature.

One piece of ID or a combination of two pieces of ID as specified here will meet the ID requirement.

Acceptable ID includes:

• Ontario driver’s licence
• Ontario health card
• Canadian passport
• Certificate of Canadian Citizenship
• Certificate of Indian Status
• Veterans Affairs Canada Health Card
• Social Insurance Number Card
• Old Age Security Card
• Credit card
• Debit card
• Ontario motor vehicle permit, plate portion
• Cancelled personalized cheque
• Property tax assessment
• Mortgage, lease or rental agreement 
• Insurance policy
• Insurance statement
• Loan or financial agreement with a financial institution
• Employee Identification card
• Student Identification card issued by a post-secondary institution
• Union Identification card or professional licence card
• Income tax assessment notice
• Child Tax Benefit Statement
• Statement of Employment Insurance Benefits Paid T4E
• Statement of Old Age Security T4A  OAS 
• Statement of Canada Pension Plan Benefits T4A  P
• Canada Pension Plan Statement of Contributions
• Statement of Direct Deposit for Ontario Works
• Statement of Direct Deposit for Ontario Disability Support Program
• Workplace Safety and Insurance Board Statement of Benefits T5007
• Credit card, bank account, RRSP, RRIF, RHOSP or T5 statement
• CNIB Card or a card from another registered charitable organization which provides services to persons with disabilities
• Hospital card or record
• Document showing campus residence issued by the office or officials responsible for student residence at a post-secondary institution
• Utility bill for hydro, water, gas, telephone or cable TV or a bill from a  public utilities commission
• Cheque stub, T4 or pay receipt issued by an employer
• Transcript or report card from a post-secondary school
• Document issued or certified by a court in Ontario
• Any other document issued by the government of Canada, Ontario or a municipality in Ontario or from an agency of such a government
• Any document from a Band Council in Ontario established under the Indian Act, Canada

It is the policy of the City of Thunder Bay that no candidates in a municipal election or by-election shall utilize any resource of the Corporation of the City of Thunder Bay in support of an election campaign.

Policy 08-01-06 Use of Corporate Resources: Municipal Elections was updated on April 4, 2022 to further allow the City to balance the need for freedom of expression and assembly of candidates and its responsibility to ensure that no candidate or registered third party advertiser is provided with an unfair advantage. 

The following are some highlights of the policy:

• Email addresses and telephone numbers issued to Members of City Council shall not be advertised or promoted as a means of contacting a member of Council as a candidate in an election.
• No member of Council shall conduct a Ward/Townhall meeting beyond June 30th in an election year.
• No members of Council shall use any portion of any budget to which they have access to in support of the election campaign activities of any candidate.
• At no time shall a candidate solicit the support of any member of the administrative staff of the City of Thunder Bay for any activity in support of their election campaign.
• The City’s media releases or materials will not reference the name of a Member of Council.
• The City’s logo, crest, slogans, etc., may not be printed, posted or distributed on any election-related campaign materials.
• No Member of Council may campaign while in attendance at City-organized events or events held at City facilities.

For more details, please refer to Policy 08-01-06 Use of Corporate Resources: Municipal Elections

Friday, May 1, 2026

First day to file a nomination paper for the offices of Mayor, City Councillor and School Board Trustee. Once the nomination paper is filed with the City Clerk:

• the candidate can start raising and spending money on their campaign
• preliminary spending limit provided to candidates
• preliminary contribution limit provided to candidates running for Mayor and City Councillor, does not apply to School Board Trustee candidates
  
  

Friday, August 21 at 2 p.m.

Deadline for candidates to file a nomination, withdraw a nomination or change office

Monday, August 24

Last day for the City Clerk to certify candidate nomination papers

Tuesday, September 1

Voters’ List available to candidates

Thursday, October 1

Final spending limits provided to candidates

Final self-contribution limit provided to candidates running for Mayor and Councillor, does not apply to School Board Trustee candidates

Monday, October 26

Election Day

Sunday, November 15

New term of office commences

Thursday, December 31

End of campaign period for candidates and third party advertisers

Last day to file a Notice of Extension, Form 6, to continue campaigning to erase a deficit

Tuesday, March 30 at 2 p.m.

Deadline for candidates to file the initial financial statement

Wednesday, June 30

End of extended campaign period

Friday, September 24 at 2 p.m.

Deadline for candidates and third party advertisers to file the supplementary financial statement, applies only to those who extended their campaign period

A campaign bank account must be opened for election campaign purposes prior to spending money or accepting contributions. All contributions of money, including contributions from yourself, must be deposited in the campaign account.  All campaign expenses must be paid from the campaign account.

You do not have to open a campaign bank account if you do not spend any money and do not receive any contributions of money. If you receive contributions of goods or services, but no contributions of money, you do not have to open a campaign bank account.

You cannot use your personal bank account for campaign finances, even if you are planning a very small campaign.

Candidates must keep records of:

• receipts issued for every contribution
• value of every contribution
• whether contribution is in form of money, goods or services
• contributor’s name and address
• every expense, including the receipts obtained for each expense

All campaign financial records must be retained until after November 15, 2030, when the next new council has been sworn in.

Money, goods or services given to a candidate for their campaign are considered to be contributions. Candidates can accept contributions from:

• individuals who normally reside in Ontario
• the candidate and their spouse

Contributions to candidates from trade unions and corporations are prohibited in municipal elections.

Cash contributions may be accepted up to $25. Contributions over $25 must be by cheque or money order, or by a method that clearly shows where the funds came from. Receipts must be issued for each contribution and should include the name and address of the contributor, the amount and date of the contribution.

'Pass the hat' donations of under $25 received at fundraising events, may be given anonymously and the candidate is not required to issue receipts. These donations are still considered campaign income and the total amount must be reported on the candidate's financial statement.

The ticket price for a fundraising event is a contribution and the candidate must issue a receipt for the full amount.

The maximum amount an individual can contribute to a candidate's campaign is $1,200. Contributors may donate up to an aggregate total of $5,000 to any number of candidates running for the same council or school board.  

Candidates are required to inform contributors of contribution limits.

There is a limit on the amount that a candidate and their spouse can collectively contribute to the candidate's own campaign for a municipal council office.

The limit is based on the number of electors voting for the office, and is calculated as follows:

• $7,500 + $0.20 per elector for head of council, to a maximum of $25,000
• $5,000 + $0.20 per elector for other council offices, to a maximum of $25,000

Upon filing their nomination, a candidate will receive a certificate from the Clerk with a preliminary calculation of maximum self-funding amounts, based on the voters' list as of September 15, 2022.  On or before September 30, 2026, the Clerk shall provide a final certificate. The number of electors used in the final calculation will be the greater of the number on the voters' list on September 15, 2022 or September 15, 2026.

A candidate's general spending limit applies only to expenses incurred until the end of Voting Day.  The limit is based on the number of electors voting for the office, and is calculated as follows:

• Head of council: $7,500 + 85 cents per elector
• All other offices: $5,000 + 85 cents per elector

There is a separate spending limit for parties and expressions of appreciation after Voting Day, and that limit is 10% of the above calculated amounts.

The Clerk will provide candidates with two certificates of maximum campaign expenses:

• preliminary estimate – when filing a nomination form, based on the 2022 voters’ list
• final certificate, by September 30, with the higher of the calculated amount based on the 2026 voters’ list, or the amount on the preliminary certificate, noted above.

A candidate may appoint scrutineers to represent them during voting and counting of the votes. Each candidate may appoint one scrutineer per ballot box in a voting place. A candidate is not required to appoint that many scrutineers, or any scrutineers at all.

Scrutineers may observe, but they are not allowed to interfere with voters, attempt to influence how they vote, or ask a voter how they voted.

The form and process for appointing a scrutineer will be updated once available.

The Association of Municipalities of Ontario produces Lead Where You Live 2026: A Guide to running for municipal council. 
 

The Province of Ontario publishes a Municipal Councillor's Guide that provides an overview of the roles and responsibilities of an elected member of council.  

The Province of Ontario has released the 2026 Candidates' Guide - Ontario municipal council and school board elections to provide information on how to run as a candidate in Ontario municipal council and school board elections.

The City of Thunder Bay held a Candidate Information Session on Thursday, April 16th for potential candidates to receive information about running in the 2026 Municipal and School Board Election.

Missed the session?  Watch the recorded session here!

The Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) is offering a series of workshops for people thinking about running for municipal office in the October 2026 elections:

Running for Municipal Office - Everything You Need to Know as an Underrepresented Candidate

AMO’s Healthy Democracy Leaders Series: Stronger Leaders, Stronger Communities

An Information Session for Youth Considering Running for Municipal Office

An Information Session for Urban Indigenous Peoples Considering Running for Municipal Office 

The Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association (NOMA) is holding it's annual Conference & Annual General Meeting,  April 22–24, 2026 in Thunder Bay, under the theme “Resilience.”  

 electHER Now is offering an Online Campaign School running every Tuesday in April 7:00 - 8:30 pm. 

The Ontario Municipal Councillor's Guide

Municipal Councils' Occupational Health & Safety Roles and Responsibilities

City of Thunder Bay Council Code of Conduct

City of Thunder Bay Current Budget

City of Thunder Bay Committees and Boards

Candidates in the municipal election must consider the needs of electors with disabilities. Campaign offices, election materials and canvassing should all be revied in order to ensure that they are full accessible. The Accessibility Directorate of Ontario has released several quick reference documents to assist candidates with accessible elections considerations: 

Quick Reference Guide to Accessible Constituency, Riding Association, Central Party and Campaign Offices

Quick Reference Guide to Accessible Campaign Information and Communication

Quick Reference Guide to Accessible All Candidates Meetings