Information for Candidates

• Candidates must be a resident of the municipality or a non-resident owner or tenant of land in the municipality or the spouse of such non-resident owner or tenant;
• a Canadian citizen and at least 18 years old;
• not legally prohibited from voting;  and not disqualified by any legislation from holding municipal office;
• You will need to pay a fee of $100 for Councillor, $200 for mayor.

The Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) offers a series of workshops for those considering running for municipal office in the 2026 election. These include:

• Running for Municipal Office - Everything You Need to Know as an Underrepresented Candidate
• Healthy Democracy Leaders Series: Stronger Leaders, Stronger Communities
• An Information Session for Youth Considering Running for Municipal Office

The Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) offers a guide to running for municipal council, titled Lead Where You Live 2026. This PDF is free to download.

The Province of Ontario also publishes the Municipal Councillor's Guide. This site provides an overview of the roles and responsibilities of an elected member of council in Ontario.

You can find more election information on the AMO Municipal Elections website.