Key Dates

Date Item
May 1, 2018 Nomination Period commences
July 27, 2018 at 2:00 p.m. Last day to file nominations for office OR to withdraw a nomination
September 25, 2018 On or before this date, the City Clerk will provide Final Certificates of Maximum Campaign Spending Limits to candidates
October 3, 6, 10 and 13, 2018

Advance Voting Dates

October 9-22, 2018 Internet Voting Available (starting at 10:00 a.m. on October 9, 2018 until 7:59 p.m. on October 22, 2018)
October 22, 2018 Election Day
December 31, 2018 Campaign Period Ends

Candidate eligibility

The following requirements were needed in order to be an eligible candidate in Cambridge: 

  • A Canadian citizen

  • At least 18 years of age

  • A resident of Cambridge, a non-resident owner or tenant of land in Cambridge or the spouse of such non-resident owner or tenant

  • Not legally prohibited from voting

  • Not disqualified by any legislation from holding municipal office

Filing your Nomination

Nomination papers for office of mayor, councillor and school board trustee were accepted from May 1, 2018 through to July 27, 2018 at 2:00 p.m. 

Certification of Nomination by Clerk

As per Section 35 of the Municipal Elections Act, 1996, all nominations filed on or before Nomination Day were examined before 4:00 p.m. on Monday, July 30, 2018. Once satisfied, the Clerk certified candidates by signing each Nomination Paper.

See a list of candidates who are certified to run in the 2018 municipal election. 

Reasons for a City Clerk to Reject a Nomination 

Under the Municipal Elections Act, 1996, the Clerk is required to reject or certify nominations of candidates. The Clerk may consider the following criteria in his or her decision to reject or certify individual nominations:

  • the candidate has refused or declined to provide proof of qualification or identification suitable to the Clerk;
  • the candidate does not satisfy subsection 29(1) of the Municipal Elections Act, 1996, (the candidate is qualified to hold office, is not ineligible under the Municipal Elections Act, 1996 or is not otherwise prohibited by law from being nominated);
  • the Nomination Paper form and/or Endorsement of Nomination form is not complete in its entirety or the prescribed filing fee has not been paid; or
  • the necessary financial statement was not filed for any office in the previous regular election or any new election in which the individual may have been a candidate.

There may be other circumstances in which a candidate is disqualified from being nominated or elected other than those identified above.

If you are running for a School Board Trustee position:

The Ontario Education Services Corporation (OESC) has created a dedicated web site that includes an overview of the role of trustees, how to become a trustee, how to vote, education in Ontario, as well as archived 2014 election information and results. You can find all of that information here: www.elections.ontarioschooltrustees.org.

Candidate information sessions

"So you want to run for council?" - Association of Municipalities Ontario (AMO) online course

This 2018 updated course, offered through AMO, will provide an overview of what you should know before you decide to run for municipal office and sign your candidacy.

The course contains quotes from Ontario Municipal Councillors; links to relevant sites, materials, and Acts; and participatory elements such as short knowledge quizzes, and a learning journal which can be printed at the end of the course.

Learn more and register

Candidate FAQ's
Campaign Contributions – Own Campaign, does this include Spouse?
Excerpt of Section 88.9.1(1) of the Municipal Elections Act reads as follows:

“A candidate for an office on a council and his or her spouse shall not make contributions to the candidate’s own election campaign that, combined, exceed an amount equal to the lesser of,”…

Where do I find information about recreation and specific issues taking place in the City like the proposed multiplex facility?
The City of Cambridge website is www.cambridge.ca there is a heading on the homepage titled Parks, Recreation and Culture – see link: https://www.cambridge.ca/en/parks-recreation-culture/Parks-Recreation-and-Culture.aspx For more specific issues in the City, the website may contain information; for example, proposed multiplex facility: https://www.cambridge.ca/en/learn-about/Cambridge-Multiplex.aspx  
Who can I approach for contributions?
Sections 88.8(3) of the Municipal Elections Act provides an overview of who may contribute and Section 88.22(1) of the Municipal Elections Act outlines the duties of candidates as it relates to Campaign Finances.

May candidates knock on resident doors?

Section 88.1 of the Municipal Elections Act provides an overview of campaigning on residential premises. 
Do candidates need to open a bank account for their campaign?
Section 88.22 (1) of the Municipal Elections Act provides an overview of financial duties of a candidate. 
Can an elected official of an upper tier government contribute to a candidate's campaign?
Section 88.8 (3) of the Municipal Elections Act provides an overview of who may make contributions to a campaign.
Which roads are owned/maintained by the Region? 
Here is a list of Regional Roads, as of October 19, 2016.  For further information or questions, please contact the Region of Waterloo directly. 
2017 Infrastructure Status and Outlook Report
One of the City's strategic goals is to provide innovative leadership in the mangement of the city assets to help plan, fund and maintain city assets in a sustainable way. The 2017 Infrastructure Status and Outlook Report provides an overview of the current state of the City's infrastructure and identifies improvement priorities. Additional information can be found on the City's Asset Management and Financial Planning Initiatives webpage. 
Clean Water and Wastewater Fund (CWWF)

The City of Cambridge submitted a Clean Water and Wastewater Fund (CWWF) application in November 2016 for grant funding from the federal and provincial governments to be put towards:

  • Berkley Road Reconstruction
  • Selkirk Street Reconstruction
  • Stormwater Management Pond Cleanouts

The City received official award of the grants from the federal and provincial governments in the summer of 2017. The City has completed all of these projects. 

Old Post Office

The total approved cost for the Old Post Office Project was $15,342,687. The project cost includes grants of $1,606,687 from Parks Canada for additional heritage restoration works. The project was completed within budget and includes all construction, architectural and design costs, as well as, fixtures and furnishings. 
Contributions
 What is considered a campaign contribution?

A contribution means money, goods and services given to and accepted by or on behalf of a person for his or her election campaign, and includes the following:

  • an amount charged for admission to a fund-raising function;
  • if goods and services are sold at a fund-raising function for more than their market value, the difference between the amount paid and market value;
  • if goods and services used in a person’s election campaign are purchased for less than their market value, the difference between the amount paid and market value; and
  • any unpaid but guaranteed balance in respect of a loan.
 What is not considered a campaign contribution?
  • the value of services provided by voluntary unpaid labour;
  • the value of services provided voluntarily, under the person’s direction, by an employee whose compensation from all sources for providing them does not exceed the compensation the employee would normally receive for the period the services are provided;
  • an amount of $25 or less that is donated at a fund-raising function;
  • the amount received for goods and services sold at a fund-raising function, if the amount is $25 or less,
  • the value of political advertising provided without charge on a broadcasting undertaking as defined in Section 2 of the Broadcasting Act (Canada), if

            i. it is provided in accordance with that Act and the regulations and guidelines made under it, and

            ii. it is provided equally to all candidates for office on the particular Council or local Board;

  • the amount of a loan.
 When can contributions be accepted?
Contributions can only be accepted between the filing of your nomination and the end of your campaign period. Any contributions received outside of the campaign period must be returned to the contributor. If you cannot return the contribution to the contributor you must turn it over to the City Clerk.
Who can make contributions?

Contributions can only be made to candidates who are nominated and it is illegal to make a contribution to a candidate who is not nominated.

The following may make contributions:

  • an individual who is normally a resident in Ontario;
  • the candidate and his or her spouse.

 Who cannot make contributions?

  • A corporation that carries on business in Ontario,
  • A trade union that holds bargaining rights for employees in Ontario,
  • A federal political party, a federal constituency association or a candidate at a federal election endorsed by a party,
  • A provincial political party, constituency association, registered candidate or leadership contestant,
  • The Crown in Right of Canada or Ontario, a municipality or local Board.
What limits are there on contributions?

Contributions under $25 may be made in cash. Any contribution over that amount must not be cash.

No contributor may contribute in excess of $1,200 to any one candidate in an election regardless of the number of offices for which the candidate has been nominated.

A contributor is limited to a maximum of $5,000 in total contributions to candidates running for office on the same Council or Board.

The candidate and his or her spouse have a collective contribution limit. The formula to calculate the limit is:

  • for head of council: $7,500 plus $0.20 per eligible elector
  • for council member: $5,000 plus $0.20 per eligible elector.

There is a cap of $25,000, even if the formula results in a number greater than $25,000.

The Clerk will inform candidates of their self-funding limit.

No person shall make contributions of money that does not belong to the contributor with the exception of loans granted by a lending institution, which are permitted under the Act.

Expenses
 When can candidates start incurring campaign expenses?
A candidate can not incur any expenses until after they have filed a nomination paper with the City Clerk.
What are the maximum amounts that each candidate can spend? 
  1. In case of a candidate for the office of head of Council of a municipality, the amount shall be calculated by adding together $7,500 plus 85 cents for each elector entitled to vote for the office.
  2. In the case of a candidate for another office, the amount shall be calculated by adding together $5,000 plus 85 cents for each elector entitled to vote for the office.

The Clerk will provide each candidate with an estimated spending limit upon filing of nomination papers. The estimate will be calculated based on the number of electors on the voters’ list as of nomination day in the previous election.

On or before September 25, 2018, the Clerk will provide each candidate with a final spending limit. The final campaign spending limit will be calculated based on the number of electors on the voters’ list for the current election.

The higher of the final limit or the estimate becomes the candidate’s official spending limit.

There is a separate spending limit for expenses related to holding parties and other expressions of appreciation after the close of voting. This spending limit is calculated as ten percent (10%) of the amount of the general spending limit.