Is this why Elections BC put out a “Help Wanted” ad last week?

One year ago today, TEAM for a Livable Vancouver president Cleta Brown wrote to Anton Boegman, BC‘s Chief Electoral Officer, concerning $115,000 in excess campaign contributions accepted by Ken Sim and by ABC prior to the 2022 municipal election.   Then…

October 19:          TEAM provided its data to Elections BC in the form of a spreadsheet detailing the apparently prohibited contributions accepted by Ken Sim and by ABC in 2021 and 2022.

December 20:     ABC returned $116,732.88 to the supporters from whom it apparently accepted more than allowed under the Local Elections Campaign Financing Act (LECFA).

April 11, 2024:    Elections BC announced it was investigating ABC Vancouver for “potential contraventions” of LECFA during the 2022 General Local Elections.

May 14:                   A candidate in the Powell River 2022 civic election was fined $2850 for accepting and not returning $1100 in prohibited donations.  Perhaps a precedent?

Today:                 We wait – and wait –  for the conclusion of Election BC’s investigation and its announcement of any monetary penalties it imposes on ABC.

Read about local election financing rules, and how Ken Sim and ABC didn’t follow them.