Mayor Herb Pond’s expenses for the 2022 municipal elections accounted for 38 per cent of the total $32,788.35 spent by candidates, according to a report released by BC Elections on their website.
Pond’s final expense tally was $12,399.51, of which he contributed $1,799.51 himself. He used most of the money to purchase advertising, including signs and newspaper, radio and social media ads. He also spent $921.16 on a “social function.”
The amount of money the 12 councillors and mayoral candidates spent on their campaigns varied greatly but Pond ranked significantly higher than the rest, reporting $8,821.90 more than the second-highest spender, mayoral candidate Chrystopher Thompson. He spent $3,577.61.
Of the city councillor candidates, Sheila Gordon-Payne spent the most at $3,175.00, as reported on the Elections BC website. Mayoral candidate Stephen Fitzpatrick spent zero dollars. Neither secured a seat on council.
However, Gordon-Payne contacted The Northern View after first publication of the article and said she believes there is an error and she only spent half that amount, which would mean Barry Cunningham spent the most of the councillors.
At the neighbouring municipal race in the District of Port Edward, eight candidates spent a total of $4,103.33.
Mayoral candidate Knut Bjorndal spent the most at $1,890.08, followed by councillor candidate James Brown, who spent $590.00.
Pond appears to have spent the most amount of money on his campaign of all northern B.C. candidates from Smithers west to Haida Gwaii, including the Hazeltons, Terrace, Kitimat, Steward and Port Edward.
On Haida Gwaii, there were races in two communities, Daajing Giids and Port Clements. In the former, 10 candidates spent $2,202.72. Mayoral candidate Leslie Johnson spent the most at $1,112.99, accounting for 50 per cent of the total spent. In the latter community, it was just a councillor race, as mayor Scott Cabianca was acclaimed, but no councillors spent any money on their campaigns.
In the Prince Rupert School District 52 trustee race, Danielle Dalton spent the most amount of money at $1755.40. She secured a first-time spot on the board. Only four of the other seven candidates reported spending anything and all of those who did spent less than $400.