By Greg Fry

Province to ban corporate, union donations in municipal campaigns

Oct 30, 2017 | 3:28 PM

KAMLOOPS — In a bid to level the playing field in time for local elections in 2018, B.C.’s NDP government announced a host of local election reforms today (Oct. 30).

Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Selina Robinson says her government has introduced legilsation that would ban corporate and union donations, put limits on individual contributions and ban out-of-province donations at the local level.

Contributions for the election campaign of a candidate or elector organization will be limited to $1,200 per donor per year. One donor’s total contributions to the election campaign for an elector organization and all of its endorsed candidates cannot exceed this amount.

The proposals follow consultations with such stakeholders as Elections BC and UBCM. 

“It’s been a wild west in political fundraising here and people want change. Deep pockets shouldn’t decide elections, people should,” said Robinson during an afternoon news conference. “Our government has already taken action to get big money out of politics at the provincial level and now our government will reform local election campaign financing in time for the 2018 local elections.”

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Robinson, a former municipal politician herself, added “these amemdments will strengthen local democracy in our province. It’s better for candidates, it’s better for voters, quite simply, it’s better for B.C.”