Allowances will fill fundraising gap for political parties in B.C.
VICTORIA — British Columbia’s plan to get big money out of politics and shake off its reputation as the Wild West of election campaign financing comes with a potential cost to taxpayers of almost $30 million over the next five years.
Attorney General David Eby introduced legislation Monday that bans donations to political parties by unions and corporations and caps donation limits by individuals at $1,200 annually.
The proposed changes to the Election Act include a taxpayer-funded, five-year allowance to wean the parties off those donations, Eby said.
Starting next year, political parties will receive $2.50 for every vote they got in the last election and funding will drop by 25 cents each year until 2021, the minister said.