{"id":38466,"date":"2025-03-28T13:28:55","date_gmt":"2025-03-28T17:28:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cccc.org\/news_blogs\/?p=38466"},"modified":"2025-03-28T13:28:59","modified_gmt":"2025-03-28T17:28:59","slug":"election-reminders-for-charities","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cccc.org\/news_blogs\/legal\/2025\/03\/28\/election-reminders-for-charities\/","title":{"rendered":"Election Reminders for Charities"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Canadians will go to the polls in a federal election in April. There are a few key things charities need to remember during election time: give employees sufficient time off to vote, do not support or oppose any candidate or political party, and consider whether you need to register with Elections Canada as a third party.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Time off to Vote<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

To give everyone an opportunity to vote, federal legislation requires that eligible voters have a three-hour window of time off of work in order to cast their vote.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Employers must ensure employees have three consecutive hours free from work to vote. This applies during voting hours on polling day (Canada Elections Act<\/em>, SC 2000, c 9 s 132<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If an employee\u2019s hours of work don\u2019t give a three-hour window, the employer must give the necessary time off to create a three-hour window.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Employers can choose when the time off is given but cannot deduct pay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How It Works<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Not sure if you need to give your employees time off? Three simple questions will help you figure it out:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. What are the voting hours in your employee\u2019s riding?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. What are your employee\u2019s work hours?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Do the work hours allow a 3-hour window to vote?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    If there is already a 3-hour window, employers don\u2019t have to give extra time off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    If an employee\u2019s work hours do not allow for a 3-hour window, employers must give sufficient time off to create it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Examples<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
    \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

     <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Penalties & Fines for Non-Compliance<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Employers cannot deduct pay or impose any penalty on an employee for time off given to vote.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Employers who fail to provide time off, deduct pay, or impose penalties can be prosecuted. If found guilty of violating s. 132, an employer is liable to a fine of not more than $2,000 or imprisonment for not more than three months, or both (s. 489(1), 500(1)).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Need More Info?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    If you need more information about ridings (maps, polling stations), voting hours, and candidate lists, see Elections Canada<\/a> where all of the official election info can be found.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    No Partisan Activity<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

    Charities cannot use any resources for partisan political purposes. That means that no resources can be used for \u201cthe direct or indirect support of, or opposition to, any political party or candidate for public office<\/a>.\u201d Resources is an all-encompassing term. It means financial, human, and physical.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Practically speaking, this means that a charity cannot:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n