Donations to B.C.’s political parties have dropped dramatically since bans on union and corporate political donations kicked in, newly released Elections BC records show.
Writing a cheque/Shutterstock
It was the Liberals taking the hardest hit under the NDP-created legislation, but not by much.The Liberals took in $2.44 million in 2018, down from $12.4 million in 2017.
The NDP received $3.3 million, down from $14.2 million the previous year while the Greens garnered $709,000 compared to $1.37 million.
However, it was the NDP who reaped the most returns in the last six months of 2018, received slightly less in financial contributions in the last six months of 2018 than the Liberals and Green combined as NDP-instituted bans kicked in at the end of November.
The NDP received $2,049,897 compared to the Liberals’ $1,690,859 and the Greens’ $438,706, Elections BC said.
The new rules also established a set a maximum personal cap on maximum of $1,225 per year. As the changes continue, parties will $2.50 for every vote received in the last election. That funding will drop by 25 cents each year until 2021.
