Elections Nova Scotia Circular #10-01

Individuals ordinarily resident in Nova Scotia may contribute to a candidate, an electoral district association, or a recognized party. A recognized party as defined in the Elections Act R.S.N.S. 1989, c. 140 a political party that is registered by the Chief Electoral Officer under the Elections Act. There are five recognized parties in Nova Scotia at present, namely the Green Party of Nova Scotia, Nova Scotia Liberal Party, Nova Scotia New Democratic Party, The Atlantica Party Association of Nova Scotia and The Progressive Conservative Association of Nova Scotia. Contact the appropriate recognized party to obtain names and contact information for their affiliated electoral district associations or candidates, if an election is underway.

Individuals who are not ordinarily resident in Nova Scotia are not permitted to contribute.

Reference: Subsection 14B(1) of MPEDA

Individuals ordinarily resident in Nova Scotia may contribute a total maximum of $5,000 each calendar year to each recognized party and all candidates and electoral district associations affiliated with that recognized party. You decide how your contributions are to be allocated. For example, you may contribute $2,000 to a recognized party, $1,000 to an electoral district association of that recognized party and $2,000 to a candidate nominated by that political party, for a total of $5,000. Alternatively, you may choose to contribute $1,000 to five different candidates of that recognized party. The choice is yours.

Individuals ordinarily resident in Nova Scotia may contribute to more than one candidate, electoral district association or recognized party. The $5,000 maximum applies to contributions made to one recognized party and all of its affiliated candidates and electoral district associations. You could choose, for example, to give $5,000 to one recognized party and $3,000 to another recognized party.

Reference: Subsection 14B(2) of MPEDA

You may not make a cash contribution of more than $100.

Reference: Section 12A of MPEDA

You may make a cash contribution of $25 or less at a "pass the hat" fund-raiser, but you will not receive a tax receipt.

Reference: clause 3(1)(c) of the Political Contributions Disclosure Regulations.

An individual who exceeds the contribution limits is guilty of an offence and liable to a fine of $5,000; an individual may be fined an additional amount of up to twice the amount by which the individual’s contributions exceeded the amounts permitted.

Reference: Section 32A of MPEDA

You can only make a contribution to a person who is an official agent of a recognized party, electoral district association or candidate.

Reminders for individual contributors: