Skip to content

Rice election spending more than doubles Liberal challenger

North Coast MLA Jennifer Rice spent more than twice that of opponent Judy Fraser during May's provincial election.
26664princerupertPR.JenniferRice.18
North Coast MLA Jennifer Rice had the highest expenses of all NDP MLAs during July.

North Coast MLA Jennifer Rice spent more than twice that of main opponent Judy Fraser during May's provincial election, though she was given much more money from the party to campaign on than Fraser.

Numbers released by Elections BC on Aug. 19 show Rice's total income came in at $67,194 for the campaign, a figure that included $18,208 in private contributions and $48,736 from the NDP. Rice accepted no donations more than $100 from companies on the North Coast, but accepted a $12,000 donation from the United Food and Commercial Worker's Union and $300 from the United Fishermen and Allied Worker's Union and an additional $150 from other trade unions. Individual contributions accounted for $5,467.

Total expenses for the campaign totalled $75,551 including $49,898 for election expenses during the campaign and $19,260 transferred to the Jennifer Rice Campaign. The balance in the campaign account as of May 14 was $9,190.

Fraser, meanwhile, had an income of $46,545.88 that included a transfer of $27,425.88 from the BC Liberal Party – a full $21,311 less than the NDP gave Rice. Included in the $18,870 collected outside the party was $13,150 from businesses and commercial organizations and $5,720 from individuals.

Fraser's expenses totalled $36,911.31, a full $38,640 less than Rice, with $33,399 spent on expenses during the campaign period. As of May 14, the campaign account balance was $13,751.02.

The BC Liberal Party provided Fraser with far less than her counterpart in the Skeena riding. Carol Leclerc, running under the BC Liberal banner, was given $72,625 from the party, a difference of $44,800.

Green Party candidate Hondo Arendt's income was just $96, and his only listed expense was the $250 candidate registration fee.

Provincially, the BC Liberals spent $11.75 million this year compared to $9.4 million spent by the NDP.