What does a Canadian campaign website need?

Does my campaign website need an authorization line?

Federally and in BC local races your own site is not election advertising, so the law does not require one there. Paid ads do. In Ontario all campaign advertising must show you are responsible. Put the line in the footer either way. A BC paid online ad can point to it instead of carrying it.

Online messages count as federal election advertising only when they have, or would normally have, a placement cost. Boosted and sponsored posts do. In BC the line must be clear and readable, in English or understandable to English readers, and also in the language of the ad. BC ad rules apply from the pre-campaign period on July 20, 2026. On BC general voting day, internet ads posted before that day may stay up if they are not changed.

Can I take donations online?

Yes. Federally only your official agent can accept them, online ones included. In BC your financial agent or someone authorized in writing takes them, the form should confirm the donor is eligible and anonymous online gifts are banned. In Ontario gifts over $25 must be traceable and every one needs a receipt.

Ontario adds timing. You can take nothing until the clerk has your nomination, and only within the campaign period. All money goes into a bank account used only for the campaign. Crowdfunding works in BC if it captures each gift’s value, date, contributor details including residential address and proof of eligibility.

What goes on the donation page?

• The limit for your level and year: $1,200 in Ontario, $1,429.70 in BC local races and $1,775 federally in 2026.
• A declaration that the donor is eligible. Ontario accepts gifts from Ontario residents only. BC bars businesses, unions and donors from outside the province. Federal gifts come only from citizens and permanent residents.
• Fields for full name and residential address. BC expects details kept even for gifts under $100.
• A note that payment processing fees charged to the donor count toward their limit in BC.
• Receipts. Ontario requires one for every contribution. Federal gifts over $20 get a tax receipt.
• For Ontario, a line saying municipal contributions are not tax deductible.

Do privacy laws apply to a campaign website?

Canada’s privacy commissioner says PIPEDA does not cover political parties. In BC the provincial commissioner says PIPA applies to parties and to campaign activity at any level, and federal parties have challenged that in court. Every form should say what you collect and who sees it, and the site should link a privacy policy.

The BC commissioner’s campaign guidance asks for meaningful consent, a notice at the point of collection, a privacy policy, reasonable security and limits on how long you keep data. It also says people do not implicitly consent to having their social media scraped. For federal parties treat the question as open.

In Ontario the voters’ list is for electoral purposes only. Anyone you share it with signs a written acknowledgement, and every copy is destroyed by the end of the campaign. Keep it out of any website tool or mailing platform that has not signed one.

Do campaign emails need an unsubscribe link?

CASL does not cover a candidate’s messages asking for support or asking for donations. So the law does not force an unsubscribe link on them. Add one anyway, since BC’s privacy commissioner expects meaningful consent from campaigns. Calls and texts are a separate matter under the CRTC’s rules for political calls.

Does my site have to be accessible?

Usually not by law. Ontario’s AODA website rule covers public bodies and organizations with 50 or more employees, which most campaigns are not. Build to WCAG 2.1 AA anyway so screen reader users can read your platform and donate.

What pages do voters look for?

Voters search “who is running for city council” and “school trustee candidates”. A page that names the office, the ward or municipality and the election as text on the page gets found. Then a short biography, your positions, a photo, contact details and how to vote.

A page list for a council or trustee site:

• Home, with your name, the office and the place in the title and the H1, such as “Sam Lee for Alder Bay Council”
• About you
• Where you stand, one short section per issue
• Donate, with the rules above
• Volunteer and contact forms carrying a privacy notice
• How and where to vote, with advance voting days
• Privacy policy

Design and hosting costs are election expenses. Hiring campaign help covers what sites cost and how a free build from a friend is treated. How much it costs to run for council puts that spending against your limit.

What happens to the site after the vote?

Ontario’s guide says take it down or strip the campaign content if you keep the site. Wherever you ran, file your statements, export what you need for next time and delete voter information you no longer need.