Elections for municipal government are held every four years in Ontario. The City Clerk is appointed the Municipal Returning Officer by the Municipal Elections Act, 1996, and is responsible for running municipal elections.
Municipal elections are your opportunity to choose who makes key decisions for you and your city. Nearly 65% of Canada’s core infrastructure is owned, operated and maintained by municipalities like Burlington.
In October 2022, eligible voters in Burlington voted to elect the:
- Mayor of Burlington
- Six members of Burlington City Council
- Chair of Halton Region
- Trustees for the Halton Catholic District School Board and the Halton District School Board
The role of Council and the role of head of Council can be found in the Municipal Act, 2001. All members of the Burlington City Council also sit as Regional Councillors for Halton Region. For more details, visit the Council page or the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing.
Official 2022 Municipal Election results
The official election results for Burlington’s 2022 municipal election have been declared by the City Clerk. The Burlington 2022 Municipal Election had a 27.6% voter turnout with 39,217 ballots cast out of 142,218 eligible voters. 14,980 electors cast their ballots online; 4,018 voted at in-person advance poll locations, and 20,219 cast their vote on election day.
View the official 2022 election results
View the results by voting location
The four-year term of office for the elected representatives is Nov. 15, 2022 to Nov. 14, 2026.
By-Election 2023
A by-election for the seat of School Board Trustee for Halton District School Board (HDSB) - Burlington, Wards 1 & 2 has been called and will take place between May 15 and 29, 2023. More information about voter eligibility and qualifications to run as a candidate is available at myvoteburlington.ca.
Candidate Financials
Candidates are responsible for keeping records of the financial activities related to their campaign. Candidates are required to file a Financial Statement – Form 4 for each campaign showing financial activity from the day the nomination paper is filed until the end of the campaign period (January 3, 2023). Candidates who have withdrawn will still be required to complete a financial statement showing financial activity from the day the nomination paper is filed until the day their withdrawal is filed. For candidates who raised or spent more than $10,000, their financial statement must be audited by a licensed auditor under the Public Accounting Act, 2004.
For more information, review the 2022 Candidates’ Guide from the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing.
Financial statements are public documents and are posted on the City’s Open Data platform in their entirety, including the names and addresses of all those who contributed over $100. The Municipal Elections Act, 1996 requires the City Clerk to make a copy of the financial statements publicly available. The financial statements are scanned and therefore are not accessible to screen readers, however the Office of the City Clerk will provide the information in an alternate format upon request.
Candidate Financial Statements
Financial Filing Deadlines
Friday, March 31, 2023 at 2 p.m.
- Deadline for candidates to file their financial statement
Monday, May 1, 2023 at 2 p.m.
- End of 30-day grace period during which candidates can still file their initial financial statement if they pay a $500 late filing fee
Friday, September 29, 2023 at 2 p.m.
- Deadline for candidates to file supplementary financial statement (applies only to those who extended their campaign period)
Monday, October 30, 2023
- End of 30-day grace period during which candidates who extended their campaign period can still file their supplementary financial statement if they pay $500 late filing fee
Compliance Audit
If an eligible elector believes a candidate has broken election finance rules, they may apply for a compliance audit of their campaign finances. The application must set out reasons why they believe the candidate contravened the rules.
The application for a compliance audit must be submitted to the City Clerk within 90 days of the deadline to file a financial statement.
A joint compliance audit committee will decide whether to grant or reject the application. An elector may appeal the committee’s decision to the Superior Court of Justice within 15 days of their decision.
Penalties for Not Filing
Under the Municipal Elections Act, 1996, a candidate will automatically receive penalties if:
- they fail to file a financial statement by the end of the 30-day grace period or fail to apply for an extension by the filing deadline
- financial statements show that they exceeded the spending limit
- they fail to turn over any surplus to the clerk when they file.
Penalties include the ineligibility to run for office or fill a vacancy until after the 2026 election if not elected, or forfeit of office if elected.
Additional Resources
View 2018 election results (PDF)
View 2018 candidate financial statements