Donating to a Candidate’s Campaign

Candidates can opt-in to the Candidate Contribution Rebate Program during the nomination period (May 2 to August 19 at 2 PM).

Mayor

• Don Hamilton
• Frank Scarpitti

Regional Councillor

• Michael Chan
• Alan Ho
• Jim Jones
• Ivy Lee
• Joe Li
• Greg Marcos
• Sophia Sun
• Shanta Sundarason
• Srini Suppira
• Allan Tam

Ward 1 Councillor

• Keith Irish
• Howard Shore

Ward 2 Councillor

• Larry Lau
• Ritch Lau
• Steven Sun
• Yan Wang

Ward 3 Councillor

• Bill Chan
• Robin Choy
• Sheng Huang
• Reid McAlpine
• Sandra Tam

Ward 4 Councillor

• Karen Rea

Ward 5 Councillor

• Andrew Keyes
• Sri Sivasubramaniam

Ward 6 Councillor

• Amanda Yeung Collucci
• Darren Soo

Ward 7 Councillor

• Neetu Gupta
• Shahzad Habib
• Juanita Nathan
• Nimisha Patel

Ward 8 Councillor

• Isa Lee

• Donors can receive one 75 per cent rebate to a maximum of $150 
• Each rebate is based on the sum total of all eligible donations made to one or more candidates who are participating in the Candidate Contribution Rebate Program for the 2022 Markham Municipal Election
• Up to $1,200 can be donated to a single candidate
• Up to $5,000 total can be donated to multiple candidates 
• Apply for your rebate by Thursday, June 29, 2023 using the information on your certified contribution receipt provided by the participating candidate
• If someone donates more than $100, their name and address is reported in the candidate's post-election financial statement, and is published on electionsmarkham.ca
• Rebates are issued 120 days after the application deadline (Thursday, June 29, 2023)
• Rebates are issued if the participating candidate files a complete and accurate post-election financial statement, as required by law

The Candidate Contribution Rebate Program is guided by both provincial and municipal law. After every municipal election, Elections Markham reviews all campaign donations for consistency with the law. If someone appears to have exceeded their personal donation limit, those donations are reported to the York Region Joint Compliance Audit Committee for investigation.

Rebate cheques are issued after the following have occurred:

• All candidates have filed their post-election financial statement(s) and supporting documents (by the appropriate due dates)
• The rebate application deadline (Thursday, June 29, 2023) has passed
• The York Region Joint Compliance Audit Committee has reviewed any potential campaign finance infractions

Note: If a candidate or donor is involved in a campaign finance investigation, any associated donations will not be eligible for a rebate until the investigation is complete.

Donors will receive their rebates about 120 days after the application deadline passes, which ensures that the Candidate Contribute Rebate Program is conducted with integrity and supports a fair and transparent election.

Who is eligible for a rebate?

Markham voters and permanent residents living in Markham are eligible for a rebate if they donate $50 or more to a Mayoral, Regional Councillor, or Ward Councillor candidate in the 2022 Markham Municipal Election.

A Markham voter is:

• A Canadian citizen;
• At least 18 years of age;
• A Markham resident, landowner, or tenant (or their spouse); and, 
• On the Municipal Voters’ List.
  
  

What types of donations are not eligible for a rebate?

The following donations are not eligible for a rebate:

• Donations under $50
• Donations from people who are not Markham voters or permanent residents of Markham
• Donations of goods and services
• Donations to school board trustee candidates and third party advertisers
• The cost of admission to a candidate’s fundraising event
  
  

Is my donation eligible for an income or property tax credit?

No. Donations made to candidates who are participating in the Candidate Contribution Rebate Program are not eligible for income or property tax credits. Rebates are issued by the City of Markham as a direct payment to the person who made the donation.

Am I eligible for a rebate if the candidate I donated to is not on the list of participating candidates?

No. If a candidate is not participating in the Candidate Contribution Rebate Program, you can’t receive a rebate for your donation.