For the first time in recent history, the top two mayoral candidates in the 2014 Squamish municipal election spent more than $10,000 during the campaign.
Winner Patricia Heintzman spent a total of $11,841.81, with contributions totaling $10.348.70, while runner-up Rob Kirkham spent $11,195.00 from contributions of $11,195.00, according to Elections BC.
Third-place finisher Ron Bahm spent a total of $500 after putting in $500 of his own money to fund his campaign.
Heintzman received $5,910.70 from individuals, $3,968 from corporations, $700 from unincorporated business or commercial organizations and $40 from anonymous contributors. Some of the more significant contributions included: $2,000 from Langley-based group Pacific West Systems Supply Ltd., $1,000 from developer Doug Day, $1,000 from real estate group Chiasson Holdings Ltd. and $1,000 from citizen Kal Henri Bragg.
Kirkham received $6,846 from corporations, $3,349 from individuals, $1,000 from trade unions and $844 from contributors who each gave $100 or less. The former mayor’s biggest contributors were: $1,500 from Jim Pike Ltd. (McDonalds Restaurant franchisee), $1,000 from Coast Aggregates Ltd., $1,000 from CUPE Local 2269 (District of Squamish) and $1,000 from citizens Julie and Jonathon Martin.
Among councillors, like in 2011, it was election winner Ted Prior who spent the most. Prior spent $7,919.88, with winner Jason Blackman-Wulff spending the second highest total at $6,950.25.
Top contributors for Prior were: Pacific West Systems Supply Ltd. ($3,000) and Squamish group Southwood Holdings ($2,268.60). Blackman-Wulff received significant money from: CUPE BC ($2,000), CUPE Local 2269 ($2,000) and Squamish and District Labour Committee ($1,000).
The totals of the other elected councillors were: Doug Race ($4,844), Susan Chapelle ($3,368.52), Peter Kent ($1,840) and Karen Elliott ($1,606.14).
Race funded his campaign by himself, while Chapelle received $2,000 from Pacific West Systems Supply Ltd. and $500 from Doug Day. Kent raised $980 with the majority coming from his family, while Elliott received almost $6,000 in professional services from locals assisting her with her website, photographs and other services.
Among those who failed to get elected, Rob Weys spent the most with total expenditures listed at $9,059.32. Weys’ donations included $2,000 from a CUPE local based in Garibaldi Highlands, $2,000 from CUPE B.C. and $2,050 from Glen Suberlak.
Former mayoral candidate Auli Parviainen, who ran unsuccessfully for councillor, spent $1,467.02 and received $1,000 from Doug Day.
Candidates who got the best value for their buck included: Terrill Patterson – garnering 968 votes on zero dollars spent, Debra McBride – 568 votes on zero dollars spent, and former councillor Bryan Raiser - 1,662 votes on $154 spent.
The 2014 election also had several third party sponsors, with the most notable spender being Woodfibre LNG Ltd., which spent a total of $18,247.95, including close to $13,000 on radio and newspaper ads.
Every other registered local third party sponsor spent under $500 including: Gary Elijah Dann (No to LNG – Squamish), My Sea to Sky, Sea to Sky Teachers’ Association and Sustainable Squamish.
For more complete financial disclosure statements, visit www.elections.bc.ca/index.php/news/ma-2014-gle-01.
