New Spending Limits for Local Elections - Impact on Cariboo-Chilcotin Local Gov'ts

Back on October 22nd - the Hon. Peter Fassbender (BC's Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development) introduced Bill 43 entitled LOCAL ELECTIONS CAMPAIGN FINANCING (EXPENSE LIMITS) AMENDMENT ACT, 2015.  A copy of the Bill can be viewed here.

The Union of BC Municipalities has also sent out a note to its' members which you can read here

Bill 43 will now undergo a final review with stakeholders until Friday, November 27th.  The consultations will be led by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development - Ms. Linda Reimer.  More details on that here

In terms of impacts of Bill 43 on the 2018 Local Elections (should the BC Legislature approve Bill 43 and its' contents) ...

If you are running for the 7 elected positions on the Boards of Education - School District #27 or #28:

The proposed campaign expense limit is $5,000

If you are running for one of the 12 Electoral Area Director positions on the Cariboo Regional District Board:

The proposed campaign expense limit is $5,000

If you are running for Mayor in the District of 100 Mile House or the District of Wells or the City of Quesnel:

The proposed campaign expense limit is $10,000

If you are running for any of the Councillor seats in the City of Quesnel (6) or the Districts of 100 Mile House or Wells (4):

The proposed campaign expense limit is $5,000

If you are running for Mayor of the City of Williams Lake:

The proposed campaign expense limit works out to be - 11,003 population X $1.00 per voter = $11,003 proposed expense limit

If you are running for Councillor (6) of the City of Williams Lake:

The proposed campaign expense limit works out to be - 11,003 population X $0.50 per voter = $5,502 proposed expense limit

If these campaign spending limits for local elections had been in effect for the 2014 election - many who ran for local government office (Electoral Area Director, Councillor, School Trustee or Mayor) and won would have been below the proposed expense limits

It will be interesting to see if there is pushback from the bigger muncipalities (i.e.: Metro Vancouver local governments, Kamloops, Kelowna, Prince George) for these proposed spending limits however those running for local governments in this region have no reason to fear these new spending limits as many, successful or not, who ran in the last local government elections in 2014 were well below the proposed spending limits...

~SF