By Chris Brown

Bill 29

Government proposing new rules on election campaign financing

Jun 24, 2020 | 4:21 PM

The Alberta government wants to level the playing field for municipal elections.

Bill 29, the Local Authorities Election Amendment Act, includes a suite of proposed changes to campaign finances.

Those include allowing Albertans to donate to as many candidates as they choose, relaxing the rules on third-party advertisers and allowing candidates to self-fund their campaign up to $10,000 per year.

Municipal Affairs Minister Kaycee Madu said the proposed changes are the result of consultations with voters, community advocacy groups, elected officials, school board associations municipalities and municipal associations.

“One of the biggest concerns we heard was that the rules heavily favoured incumbents over challengers The changes we are seeking to make are about levelling the playing field, so the best candidates for the job, regardless of where they stand on the political spectrum, are running and winning,” said Madu.

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The changes will allow political newcomers to run more meaningful campaigns, which lead to more competitive local elections and increase voter participation, Madu added.

Other proposed changes include increasing the limit potential candidates can raise outside the campaign period from $2,000 to $5,000, ensuring campaign surpluses are donated to charity and eliminating the rule that forces candidates to file disclosures before election day.

Candidates who receive contributions of $50,000 or spend more than that will need to have a chartered professional accountant review their financial statements before they are submitted to the municipality or school board.

Madu said the changes “good for our local elections, good for our democracy and good for Alberta.”

If passed, Bill 29 will take effect on Sept. 1 so all changes can be in place for the 2021 municipal election.

Read more about Bill 29 here.