Title: Provincial Third Party Advertising Sponsors | Elections BC

URL Source: https://elections.bc.ca/provincial-elections/advertising-rules/provincial-advertising-sponsors/

Published Time: 2016-12-12T23:58:37+00:00

Markdown Content:
Third party advertising sponsors campaign for or against a party or candidate, or for or against an issue associated with a party or candidate. Third parties must be separate from parties and candidates. They must also:

*   register with Elections BC before sponsoring any advertising,
*   include their name and contact information on all advertising,
*   only accept sponsorship contributions from individuals who are Canadian citizens or permanent residents residing in B.C., and obtain written confirmation and consent prior to using the contribution for election advertising (see [sample form](https://elections.bc.ca/docs/forms/4021.pdf)),
*   not exceed the expenses limits for third parties,
*   not accept sponsorship contributions from a single contributor in excess of the [annual limit](https://elections.bc.ca/provincial-elections/provincial-financing/making-a-sponsorship-contribution/),
*   not work together with candidates and parties or share information,
*   not advertise on Final Voting Day, Saturday, October 19th, 2024,
*   not advertise within 100 metres of a district electoral office or voting place, and
*   follow the reporting requirements for third parties.

For expense limits for third parties, see the [Expenses Limits](https://elections.bc.ca/candidates-parties/expenses-limits/) page.

## **Pre-campaign period rules**

Pre-campaign period advertising rules for the 2024 Provincial Election came into effect on July 23, 2024. The pre-campaign period ends on September 20, 2024 (the day before the election is officially called). During this period, any individual or organization conducting pre-campaign period election advertising must register with Elections BC and follow the advertising rules (see above).

Pre-campaign period election advertising is defined as the transmission to the public, by any means, of an advertising message that is sponsored by a third party sponsor and directly promotes or opposes a registered political party or the election of a candidate. An advertising message is directly promoting or opposing a party if it names the party, or includes a logo or likeness of a logo used by the party. An advertising message is directly promoting or opposing the election of a candidate if it names the candidate, includes an image or likeness of the candidate or identifies the candidate by voice or physical description. Issue-based advertising is not regulated during the pre-campaign period.

Additionally, pre-campaign period election advertising includes the following activities if conducted on a commercial basis:

*   canvassing voters, in person or by telephone or other means of electronic communication (such as texting/SMS, email or social media), to attempt to influence how voters vote
*   mailing, or transmitting on the internet, material that contains advertising messages

## **Campaign period rules**

Campaign period advertising rules for the 2024 Provincial Election came into effect on September 21, 2024. The campaign period ends when voting closes at 8 p.m. Pacific time on October 19, 2024 (Final Voting Day). During this period, any individual or organization conducting campaign period election advertising must register with Elections BC and follow the advertising rules (see above).

Campaign period election advertising is defined as the transmission to the public by any means, during the campaign period, of an advertising message that promotes or opposes, directly or indirectly, a registered political party or the election of a candidate, including an advertising message that takes a position on an issue with which a registered political party or candidate is associated.

Additionally, campaign period election advertising includes the following activities if conducted on a commercial basis:

*   canvassing voters, in person or by telephone or other means of electronic communication (such as texting/SMS, email or social media), to attempt to influence how voters vote
*   mailing, or transmitting on the internet, material that contains advertising messages

The definition of campaign period election advertising is broad and includes communications about issues associated with a candidate or party.

## **Exempted communications**

The Act exempts certain communications from being regulated as election advertising. Examples of communications that are **not**election advertising include:

*   news, an editorial, an interview, a column, a letter, a debate, a speech or a commentary published without charge in a bona fide periodical, on a radio or television program, or in a bona fide internet publication or program
*   the distribution or promotion of a book for no less than its commercial value, if the book was planned to be made public regardless of whether there was to be an election
*   documents sent by a person or a group directly to their members, employees, or shareholders
*   the transmission by an individual of their personal political views, on a non-commercial basis on the internet, or by telephone or text messaging

## **Election advertising on social media**

Social media posts are election advertising if they meet the definitions of pre-campaign period election advertising or campaign period election advertising. This includes:

*   Paid posts (posts that are sponsored or promoted to reach a wider audience)
*   Posts where money has been spent to create the post’s content, even if the post is not sponsored or promoted
*   Posts where an individual or organization has been paid to create or publish the post, even if the post itself is not sponsored or promoted

## **Reporting requirements**

Under the _Election Act_, third party advertising sponsors must submit to Elections BC:

*   an **initial disclosure report** if they sponsor election advertising with a value greater than $10,000
*   a **subsequent disclosure report** if they must file an initial disclosure report and receive contributions greater in value than $250 that are not disclosed in the initial report
*   an **election advertising disclosure report** if they sponsor election advertising with a value greater than $500

### Initial disclosure reports

Initial disclosure reports must include:

*   the full name of each contributor who made one or more sponsorship contributions since the last general election that have a total value greater than $250
*   the value of each sponsorship contribution made by the contributor described above
*   the date each sponsorship contribution was made

Initial disclosure reports are due within 14 days of the transmission of the advertising message that brings the total value of their election advertising to an amount greater than $10,000.

### Subsequent disclosure reports

Subsequent disclosure reports must include:

*   the full name of each contributor who made one or more sponsorship contributions since the last general election that have a total value greater than $250 (not including contributors previously reported in an initial disclosure report)
*   the value of each sponsorship contribution made by the contributor described above
*   the date on each sponsorship contribution was made

Subsequent disclosure reports are due within 14 days of receiving a sponsorship contribution from a contributor who makes one or more sponsorship contributions that have a total value greater than $250.

### Election advertising disclosure reports

An advertising disclosure report must contain the following information:

*   the value of election advertising sponsored during the pre-campaign and campaign periods, reported by advertising type
*   any amount of the sponsor’s own assets that were used to pay for election advertising, other than assets received from reported sponsorship contributions
*   the amount of sponsorship contributions accepted during the period beginning when the sponsor receives a sponsorship contribution not previously reported to Elections BC, and ending at the close of final voting for the election.

Anonymous sponsorship contributions must be reported separately, including the dates on which the sponsorship contributions were received, the amounts received on each date and, if applicable, the events at which they were received.

In addition, the following information is required for all contributors who gave more than $250 during the period:

*   the contributor’s full name and residential address
*   the value of each contribution and the date it was received

Election advertising disclosure reports are due within 90 days of a provincial election.

See the [Guide for Third Party Advertisers and Campaigners](https://elections.bc.ca/docs/4010001_Guide-for-Third-Party-Advertisers.pdf) to learn more about the reporting requirements for third party sponsors.

## Online Report Filing

Third party sponsors can now file financial reports and other documents through the [Elections BC Services portal](https://services.electionsbc.gov.bc.ca/Portal/Account/Login). Log in or create an account to submit your report online

## Late filers

For the 2024 provincial election, the names of the third party sponsors who did not file a disclosure report by the applicable deadline are listed below:

**Third party sponsor****Report type****Report link**
Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association Initial disclosure report[https://tinyurl.com/mrysf9tb](https://tinyurl.com/mrysf9tb)
Vancouver Fire Fighters IAFF Local 18 Initial disclosure report[https://tinyurl.com/yc23c3jf](https://tinyurl.com/yc23c3jf)
British Columbia Nurses’ Union Initial disclosure report[https://bit.ly/3WfnELR](https://bit.ly/3WfnELR)
Progressive Contractors Association of Canada Initial disclosure report[https://bit.ly/3WdjpjT](https://bit.ly/3WdjpjT)
Unifor Initial disclosure report[https://bit.ly/3PqFGH4](https://bit.ly/3PqFGH4)
BC Friends of Medicare Society Election advertising disclosure report[https://bit.ly/41zIwRj](https://bit.ly/41zIwRj)
BC Nurses Union Election advertising disclosure report[https://bit.ly/3QwyMR6](https://bit.ly/3QwyMR6)
British Columbia Assembly of First Nations Election advertising disclosure report[https://bit.ly/3CMqrWA](https://bit.ly/3CMqrWA)
Unifor Election advertising disclosure report[https://bit.ly/4i7a1H1](https://bit.ly/4i7a1H1)