Special Prosecutor appointed to investigation against West Vancouver mayor

West Vancouver Mayor Mark Sager is seen in this photo from his public Facebook profile.

A special prosecutor has been appointed to help police investigate “allegations of campaign finance irregularities” against West Vancouver’s mayor, the B.C. Prosecution Service announced Monday.

In December, Elections BC confirmed it identified alleged irregularities during a compliance review of Mayor Mark Sager’s campaign financing disclosure report for the 2022 municipal election.

The Port Moody Police Department began investigating the allegations last year, and the BC Prosecution Service said it has also appointed John M. Gordon KC as special prosecutor.

“The appointment of a Special Prosecutor is intended to avoid any potential for real or perceived improper influence in the administration of justice given the subject of the investigations is a public official in a senior position of authority,” reads a statement from the BC Prosecution Service.

When asked about the investigation in December, Sager said Elections BC had called him several months prior asking about office furniture he purchased online.

“They were concerned because I didn’t have receipts for a couple of things I bought on Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace for the mayor’s office,” he told CTV News at the time.

Sager said he purchased the furniture, which includes two lamps, a table and a couch, with leftover funds from his mayoral campaign. He said he asked Elections BC for permission to do so and that they agreed to it.

“I can’t imagine what else it would be,” he said.

This isn’t the first investigation the mayor has been involved in.

In late February, Sager, who is also a lawyer, was banned from practising law for at least two years after admitting to three instances of professional misconduct following an investigation by the BC Law Society. 

Sager’s practice prohibition comes into effect on April 1 and requires him to resign as a member of the Law Society. He would also have to apply for reinstatement in order to practice again and would bear the burden of proving he is fit to do so.

With files from CTV News Vancouver's Lisa Steacy