2018 - 2022 Joint Compliance Audit Committee

Compliance Audit Committee

The Municipal Elections Act, 1996 requires all municipalities to appoint a Compliance Audit Committee. The Compliance Audit Committee is responsible for considering compliance audit requests related to election campaign finances, including:

• receiving and reviewing the report of the Clerk on any apparent over-contributions by contributors to candidates and third party advertisers campaigns
• reviewing applications for eligible electors and deciding on whether to grant or reject a compliance audit
• Receiving and considering any Auditors compliance audit reports

If an eligible elector in Richmond Hill believes on reasonable grounds that a council candidate or registered third party advertiser has contravened the Municipal Elections Act with respect to municipal campaign finances, the elector may apply to have an audit of the candidate's campaign finances. Council candidates include all candidates who ran for the office of Mayor, Regional and Local Councillor and/or Ward Councillor.

Compliance audit requests related to school board trustee candidates are the responsibility of the Compliance Audit Committees appointed by each school board.

View the Terms of Reference.

Committee Members

The municipalities of Aurora, East Gwillimbury, Georgina, King, Markham, Newmarket, Richmond Hill, Vaughan, Whitchurch-Stouffville and York Region have established a Joint Compliance Audit Committee. The following persons have been appointed as members to a Joint Compliance Audit Committee:

• Terry Alderson
• Ron Colucci
• Jodie L. Feldman
• Robert M. Freedman
• Mark Gannage
• Kelly Gravelle
• Paul Jones
• Reagan Ruslim
• Vince Scaramuzza

Compliance Audit Applications

An eligible elector who believes on reasonable grounds that a Council candidate of third party advertiser has contravened the Municipal Elections Act in respect to election campaign finances, may submit an application for a compliance audit to City Clerk.

All requests for a compliance audit must be submitted using the Compliance Audit Request Form. Each individual candidate or registered third party advertiser must submit his or her own application. Forms must be submitted to the City Clerk in person at the main municipal office (225 East Beaver Creek Road) during regular business hours.

Deadlines to Submit Applications

In accordance with the Municipal Elections Act, applications must be submitted to the City Clerk by:

1. June 27, 2019, for a candidate or third party advertiser who filed their financial statement by the 2 p.m. on March 29, 2019.
2. Within 90 days of the date on which a candidate or third party advertiser filed their financial statement if filed within 30 days of March 29, 2019.
3. Within 90 days of the date on which a candidate or third party advertiser submits a supplementary financial statement (Note: only candidates who submitted the required form to extend the campaign past December 31, 2018 are required to file a supplementary financial statement).

Auditing Process

The Clerk will receive all applications and has 10 days to send the application to the Joint Compliance Audit Committee and Richmond Hill Council.

The Committee is required to meet within 30 days of receiving the application from the Clerk and determine if an audit is required or if the application is rejected.

The decision of the Committee respecting the granting or rejecting an audit may be appealed to the Superior Court of Justice within 15 days of the Committee making a decision.

If the Committee grants an audit, an auditor licensed under the Public Accounting Act, 2004 will be appointed to conduct an audit. The Auditor is responsible for conducting an audit to determine if the candidate has complied with the requirements of the Municipal Elections Act with regard to election campaign finances.

The auditor will submit a report to the Clerk of the City of Richmond Hill, the candidate, Richmond Hill Council, and the applicant.

The Clerk has 10 days to forward the report to the Joint Compliance Audit Committee.

The Committee has 30 days to meet and consider the report from the auditor. The Committee will decide whether to commence legal proceedings against the candidate.

School Board Candidates

The Joint Compliance Audit Committee does not receive applications to audit school board trustee campaigns. For more information about compliance audits of school board trustee candidates, please contact the school board directly.

Additional Information

To learn more about the Compliance Audit Committee's Mandate and Rules of Procedure, and for a copy of the Compliance Audit Committee Application, email the Office of the Clerk.

2018 Candidates Financial Statements

Learn about elections in Richmond Hill

• Municipal Elections Act, 1996
• York Region District School Board
• York Catholic District School Board
• Conseil scolaire Viamonde
• Conseil scolaire de district catholique Centre-Sud