ABC Vancouver outspent nearest challenger by almost 2:1 margin in municipal election
Mayor Ken Sim's A Better City Vancouver party spent nearly twice as much as any other party on last year's municipal elections, according to data released by Elections BC Thursday.
Financial disclosure statements released by the non-partisan office indicate that ABC spent nearly $1.7 million on its city council and mayoral campaigns, along with more than $400,000 on its Vancouver School Board campaign.
Former mayor Kennedy's Stewart's ill-fated "Forward Together" party spent the next-highest amount, at not quite $1.1 million. Forward Together did not run any candidates for the VSB, however, meaning its total was barely more than half of the combined $2.1 million ABC spent.
No other municipal party in Vancouver spent anywhere close to those totals.
The Non-Partisan Association spent the next-highest amount, at just under $640,000 on mayor and council candidates, plus $17,000 on the school board race. None of the NPA's candidates were elected.
In terms of converting expenditures into seats, the Green Party was perhaps the most efficient party, electing two city councillors, two school board trustees and the only non-ABC member of the park board on roughly $162,000 of spending (approximately $45,000 of which was spent on the VSB election).
OneCity Vancouver, which was the only other party to win a seat on council, spent $354,000 on that race, plus another $81,000 on the school board race, where it also won one seat.
Looking at the amount of money each party raised again shows ABC with a decisive advantage.
The party reported more than $1.4 million in total income for its city council and mayoral campaigns, plus $361,000 for its school board campaign.
Forward Together reported $618,000 in total income, less than half of ABC's haul.
Notably, a sizeable portion of ABC's income – roughly $414,000 – is listed as "other income" in the party's filings, rather than campaign contributions from individuals.
A breakdown of the party's "other income" lists the sources of those funds as Ken Sim and council candidates Lisa Dominato, Rebecca Bligh, Sarah Kirby-Yung and Peter Meiszner.
Sim is listed as the source of $275,000, provided in three chunks – $100,000 in August, $150,000 in October and $25,000 in November, after the election.
Dominato is listed as the source of more than $80,000 across three contributions. Bligh provided $25,000 across four installments, and Kirby-Yung and Meiszner provided funding on one occasion each, for just less than $31,000 and nearly $3,000, respectively.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Couple randomly attacked, 1 stabbed, by group of teens in Toronto, police say
A man has been transported to hospital after police say he was stabbed in a random attack carried out by a group of teens in Toronto on Friday night.
Ron Ellis, who played over 1,000 games with Maple Leafs, dead at 79
Ron Ellis, who played over 1,000 games with the Toronto Maple Leafs and was a member of Canada's team at the 1972 Summit Series, has died at age 79.
Fort Nelson, B.C., wildfire doubles in size as 3,000-plus ordered to evacuate
The wildfire that sparked Friday and caused evacuation orders for more than 3,000 people in Fort Nelson, B.C., and the nearby Fort Nelson First Nation, has grown to nearly 1,700 hectares in size, according to a Saturday morning update from the BC Wildfire Service.
Eurovision Song Contest final kicks off after protests, backstage chaos and a contestant's expulsion
The final of the 68th Eurovision Song Contest kicked off Saturday in the Swedish city of Malmo after days of protests and offstage drama that have tipped the feelgood musical celebration into a chaotic pressure cooker overshadowed by the war in Gaza.
IN PICTURES Northern lights dance across the night sky in southern Ont.
From London, to Grand Bend, Collingwood and Guelph, here are some highlights of Friday night and Saturday morning's northern lights display.
'I am angry': Alberta farmers will continue fight over world class motorsport resort
The rolling hills leading to the hamlet of Rosebud are dotted with sprawling farms and cattle pastures -- and a sign sporting a simple message: No Race Track.
opinion How to use your credit card as a powerful wealth-building tool
Irresponsibly using a credit card can land you in financial trouble, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew says when used properly, it can be a powerful wealth-building tool that can help grow your credit profile and create new opportunities.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
Haitians demand the resignation and arrest of the country's police chief after a new gang attack
A growing number of civilians and police officers are demanding the dismissal and arrest of Haiti's police chief as heavily armed gangs launched a new attack in the capital of Port-au-Prince, seizing control of yet another police station early Saturday.