The two top-spending candidates in St. Albert’s 2021 mayoral race spent far less than candidates in previous years, according to election disclosures released on the city’s website.
Of the four mayoral candidates, Mayor Cathy Heron and Angela Wood had the most expensive campaigns, with Heron expending $13,907, and Wood $12,144. Bob Russell spent $1,963, while David Letourneau self-funded his campaign, spending $1,035.
In previous years, however, the heftiest spending from mayoral candidates ran higher: in 2017, Heron spent $36,692 on her campaign, with Cam MacKay spending $24,361 and Malcolm Parker spending $13,006.
In 2013, Nolan Crouse spent $42,473, though Shelley Biermanski spent less at $10,348.
Fall 2021 election candidates had until March 1 to file their financial disclosure statements with the city. After that time, candidates were given until March 31 to correct any errors or omissions, as per the Local Authorities Election Act. After the month-long grace period, the city posted all disclosures to their website
Heron said reduced events due to COVID-19 factored into her lower spending this year, but added that her status as an incumbent candidate also contributed to the lower figure.
No incumbent mayoral candidate running in 2017 meant a pricier election, Heron said.
“We were going head-to-head and so the community was really willing to give to one camp or the other that time,” Heron said.
Heron said this time around she also reused some of her old material from her first campaign, and focused more on campaigning over social media posts, including Facebook videos.
Cost per vote
In their run for mayor, Wood and Heron’s cost per vote ended up being very close, with Heron at $2.00 per vote and Wood at $1.92.
Of the successful council candidates, Shelley Biermanski and Ken MacKay spent similarly, with each spending $1.51 and $1.38 per vote respectively. Mike Killick and Wes Brodhead fell in the middle of the pack: Killick spent $0.97 per vote, and Brodhead spent $0.87.
Sheena Hughes and Natalie Joly had the lowest cost per vote of all the elected councillors: Hughes spent $0.38, and Joly spent $0.20.
Overall campaign expenses ranged widely among all 20 council candidates, with Sandy Clark running the most expensive campaign at $15,639, and Michael Ferguson only spending $17.75.
Campaign donors
In addition to submitting expense and revenue disclosures, candidates also included organizations, people, and businesses that contributed to their campaigns through cash or in-kind donations.
Eight candidates chose to self-fund their campaigns: David Letourneau, Gilbert Cantin, Jennifer Cote, Michael Ferguson, Kevan Jess, Isadore Stoyko, Leonard Wilkins, and Joseph Trapani.
In 2018, the NDP provincial government removed the ability for corporations and unions to contribute to municipal election campaigns. This meant that in the 2021 election, individual names made up each campaign’s top donors.
Heron received $15,050 in campaign donations, with top donors including: $5,000 from Frank Mannarino; $2,000 from Steve Houle, a real estate investor in Sturgeon County; $1,500 from Gupta Rohit, president of Rohit Group of Companies; $1,000 from Greg Christenson, president of Christenson companies and $1,000 from Paul Lanni, president and CEO of Averton Group of Companies.
As for whether donors influence council member priorities, Heron said donations are just a matter of how campaigns are run.
“People give their support because they believe you’ll make great decisions — not just on the next thing that they have a personal interest in, but on everything,” Heron said. “I’ve never been beholden to anyone who’s donated to me.”
Angela Wood saw large campaign contributions of $5,000 from both John Farlinger and Mel Grant. Farlinger also donated to a variety of other campaigns, giving $500 to Ross Guffei, $650 to Hughes, and $500 to Killick.
Bruce McPherson also appeared as a frequent contributor, donating to Bob Russell ($1,000), Hughes ($650), Killick ($500), Guffei ($500).
Two campaigns run a surplus
Heron’s campaign ran a surplus of $743, which she said she has since donated to the Rotary Club. Wood was the only other candidate who also ran a surplus ($5.69).
According to the Local Authorities Election act, candidates must donate a surplus that is $1,000 or more to a registered charity in order to bring the surplus below the threshold of $1,000.
The Act says candidates can retain or donate all or any portion of a surplus less than $1,000.
