Municipal Elections

The term of office will be November 15, 2026 to November 14, 2030.

A person is entitled to be a candidate for Halton Regional Chair in the 2026 Municipal Election if they are a qualified voter. A candidate must be qualified as of the day they are nominated and must remain qualified throughout the election period and, if elected, throughout the term of office.

A person is entitled to be a candidate for Regional Chair if they are:

• a Canadian citizen; and
• at least 18 years of age; and
• an owner or tenant of land in Halton (Burlington, Halton Hills, Milton, or Oakville); or
• a spouse of a resident, owner, or tenant of land in Halton (Burlington, Halton Hills, Milton, or Oakville); and
• not an employee of Halton Region (if you are, and wish to be a candidate for Regional Chair, you must take an unpaid leave of absence from your employment with Halton Region); and
• not prohibited from voting under any law.

If you were a candidate in the 2022 Municipal Election for any office anywhere in Ontario (not only Halton Region and its Local Municipalities) and did not complete your financial filings for that campaign as required by the Municipal Elections Act, 1996, you are ineligible to be a candidate in the 2026 Municipal Election.

• A candidate can register a nomination for the office of Regional Chair by filing a Nomination Form (Form 1) and Endorsement of Nomination Form (Form 2) at the Regional Clerk’s Office, Halton Regional Centre, (1151 Bronte Road, Oakville (Google Map)) , starting on May 1, 2026. The nomination forms (Forms 1 and 2) must be filed by the candidate in person, or by an agent acting on the candidate’s behalf. The candidate or the agent will be required to provide proof of identity.
• Appointments are required to register a nomination. Please make your request by email only to clerks@halton.ca. At least 24 hours’ advance notice is required. Requests for Monday appointments must be received no later than end of business on the preceding Friday. Specific requested times cannot be guaranteed.
• Please make an appointment to avoid inconvenience. If you arrive at the Halton Regional Centre unannounced, we cannot guarantee the appropriate staff will be available to assist you and you may have to come back at another time. We will provide an appointment at the soonest available time and as convenient as possible for your schedule following your request. You may make your request before the official nomination period opens but note that no appointments will be available prior to May 1, 2026.
• Please allow at least 1 hour for the nomination filing process to be completed.
• Appointments requested for times while meetings of Regional Council or its Committees are taking place cannot be accommodated. Please check the Council Meetings schedule to avoid these times.
• The nomination forms may not be submitted electronically (for example: email, fax, etc.) or via mail, as original signatures are required on all election documents filed with the Regional Clerk. The nomination forms and Declaration of Qualifications must be signed before a Commissioner of Oaths. The Regional Clerk or another member of the Clerks’ staff can commission these documents for you.
• If the nomination forms are filed by an agent of the candidate, the forms must be fully completed by the candidate prior to filing. The nomination forms and Declaration of Qualifications must be signed before a Commissioner of Oaths. The Regional Clerk or another member of the Clerks’ staff can commission these documents for you.
• The forms are available at the links above. A nomination package, including all required forms, can be made available for pickup by request at main reception at the Halton Regional Centre, commencing May 1, 2026. The final day to file nomination forms is August 21, 2026 between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. No appointment will be required to file on August 21.
• The Regional Clerk can only process nomination forms for the position of Regional Chair. Nomination forms for other offices in Halton must be filed at the appropriate Local Municipality. The Local Municipalities cannot process nomination Forms for Regional Chair.

• If you wish to be a candidate for the office of Regional Chair, you must submit 25 signatures endorsing your nomination on Form 2. Anyone providing an endorsement signature on Form 2 must be eligible to vote in the municipality on the day that they signed the endorsement. As part of Form 2, they are required to sign a declaration that they are eligible to vote in the municipality.
• If you submit 25 endorsement signatures and find out later that a person (or persons) was not eligible to vote on the day that they signed the endorsement, you will not lose your nomination. The person who supplied false information (by declaring that they were eligible to endorse your nomination when they were not eligible) could be subject to prosecution.

• Candidates for Regional Chair must pay a filing fee of $200 when they file their nomination forms. This fee must be paid at the time of filing by cash, certified cheque or money order. Credit cards, debit and personal cheques will not be accepted.
• The nomination filing fee is refundable if the nomination is withdrawn, if the candidate is elected, or if they receive more than 2 per cent of the votes cast in the election for the office of Regional Chair.

• A candidate must provide one valid and original item from the following list that shows name, qualifying address and signature when filing a nomination form:
  • Ontario health card (photo)
  • Ontario driver’s licence
  • cancelled personalized cheque
  • mortgage, lease or rental agreement for property in Ontario
  • loan or financial agreement with a financial institution
  • insurance policy
  • document issued or certified by a court in Ontario
  • any other document from 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) (external link)
• OR
• A candidate must provide one original and valid item from the following list that shows name and signature:
  • Ontario motor vehicle permit (plate portion)
  • 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
  • employee identification card
  • student identification card issued by a post-secondary institution
  • union identification card or a professional licence card
  • cancelled personalized cheque
  • mortgage, lease or rental agreement for property in Ontario
  • insurance policy
  • document issued or certified by a court in Ontario
  • any document from a Band Council in Ontario established under the Indian Act (Canada) (external link)
  • any other document from the government of Canada, Ontario or a municipality in Ontario or from an agency of such a government
• AND
  • Ontario motor vehicle permit (vehicle portion)
  • 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
  • property tax assessment
  • insurance statement
  • mortgage, lease or rental statement for property in Ontario
  • 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 statement or pay receipt issued by an employer
  • transcript or report card from a post-secondary school
  • aocument issued or certified by a court in Ontario
  • any document from a Band Council in Ontario under the Indian Act (Canada) (external link)
  • any other document from the government of Canada, Ontario or a municipality in Ontario or from an agency of such a government

• A candidate must file the following, in person or by an agent, with the Regional Clerk:
  • Nomination Form (Form 1)
  • Endorsement of Nomination Form (Form 2)
  • Declaration of Qualifications for the Office of Regional Chair
  • the above documents must be commissioned by a Commissioner of Oaths
  • Consent to Release Personal Information
  • $200 nomination filing fee
  • original and valid item(s) of acceptable identification (the Regional Clerk will make a copy of the candidate’s identification)
• If a candidate appoints an agent to file the nomination paper on their behalf, the agent must bring in the following documentation:
  • Nomination Form (Form 1) signed by the candidate;
  • Endorsement of Nomination Form (Form 2) signed by the candidate;
  • Declaration of Qualifications for the Office of Regional Chair, signed by the candidate;
  • the above documents must be commissioned by a Commissioner of Oaths;
  • Consent to Release Personal Information;
  • the $200 nomination filing fee; and
  • original and valid item(s) of the candidate’s acceptable identification; and
  • the agent’s own valid identification.

The current annual remuneration rate for Regional Chair (excluding benefits) is: $219,432.00 (as of January 1 2026).

• extended health care, including:
  • drug coverage
  • hospital coverage
  • medical supplies and equipment
  • paramedical services
  • out-of-province coverage
  • vision care
  • dental care
  • life insurance
  • accidental death and dismemberment coverage
• short-term disability
• long-term disability
• pension plan
• reimbursement plan for Regional business-related expenses
• business travel
• car allowance as taxable benefit

• A person cannot raise or spend money on a campaign until they become a candidate, and they cannot become a candidate until they have filed a nomination package.
• Only the candidate, the candidate’s spouse, or individuals who are normally residents of Ontario can contribute to a municipal election campaign. An individual may not contribute more than $1,200 to a single candidate, and may not contribute more than a total of $5,000 to multiple candidates who are running to serve on the same Council.
• Corporations and trade unions are not permitted to contribute to a municipal election campaign. Candidates cannot accept contributions from any federal or provincial political party (or any association related to either of them), or from any form of government or local board.
• The Regional Clerk will provide a certificate of maximum campaign expense limit to all candidates by September 30, 2026.

Candidates should check with their Local Municipality regarding election signs. Halton Region’s Sign By-law (PDF file) applies to signs on Regional road rights-of-way. No election signs may be displayed within a Regional road right-of-way. A complete list (and map) of Halton Regional roads can be found here (PDF file).

A candidate who wishes to withdraw their nomination must file a Withdrawal of Nomination Form with the Regional Clerk before 2 p.m. on August 21, 2026. The candidate must file the withdrawal in person and may be required to submit identification. The candidate will still be required to submit a financial statement (due no later than March 30, 2027 at 2 p.m.) covering all financial transactions up to the time of withdrawal.

What is a compliance audit?

A compliance audit is a review of a candidate's or registered third party’s campaign finances to ensure they adhere to the requirements of the Municipal Elections Act, 1996.

A compliance audit is initiated upon an application made by an elector who believes on reasonable grounds that a candidate has contravened a provision of this Act relating to election campaign finances.

The Compliance Audit Committee reviews the application to determine if the application will be granted or denied, appoints an auditor (if the application is granted), and decides on potential legal action based on the auditor's report and reports from the Regional Clerk on contribution limits.

How do I submit an application for a compliance audit of one of the candidates for Regional Chair?

Following the election, complete and submit the Compliance Audit Application Form no later than June 28, 2027, which is 90 days after the deadline for filing financial statements (March 30, 2027).

Applications for compliance audits for candidates or registered third parties for elections held in the City of Burlington, Town of Halton Hills, Town of Milton or the Town of Oakville must be made through the Clerk’s Offices of those municipalities.

What are the steps for the compliance audit?

Step 1: If an application is received, a meeting of the Committee will be scheduled. This meeting will be held publicly. Both the Applicant and the subject of the application (Candidate, or candidate’s agent) will have the opportunity to make a presentation to the Committee. Delegations by other parties are not permitted.

Step 2: Within 30 days of receiving the application, the Committee shall consider whether to grant or to reject it. The Committee shall provide written reasons for its decision, which shall be provided to the Applicant and the Candidate, and posted on the Region’s website.

Step 3: If the application is granted, the Committee may elect to appoint an auditor to review the financial statement of the Candidate. The auditor’s report will be considered at a subsequent meeting of the Committee. Based on the report, the Committee may decide to begin legal proceedings against the Candidate.

Submit completed applications for compliance audits to the attention of:

Graham Milne, Regional Clerk

• By email: clerks@halton.ca
• In person by appointment: Regional Clerk's Office, 1151 Bronte Road, Oakville (Google Maps link)