Reports detailing political donations show the B.C. NDP with a 2-to-1 fundraising advantage over the provincial Conservatives during the last quarter.
The party of Premier David Eby raised nearly $2.27 million during the second quarter of 2024, running from April 1 to June 30, according to the interim financial reports filed by the parties and released by Elections B.C. Thursday (Aug.1). The provincial Conservatives under Leader John Rustad raised almost $1.11 million during the same period.
B.C. United under Leader Kevin Falcon raised just under $620,000 while the B.C. Greens under Sonia Furstenau raised just under $336,000.
Through the first six months of 2024, provincial New Democrats raised just under $3.4 million, while the provincial Conservatives raised around $1.49 million. B.C. United raised around $1.45 million. B.C. Greens raised around $550,000.
These figures appear after the release of a new poll Tuesday (July 30) from Research Co. showing the provincial Conservatives (38 per cent) within three points of the leading provincial New Democrats, while support for B.C. United has fallen into the single digits at nine per cent in fourth place, behind the B.C. Greens at 10 per cent.
That poll appeared just before the formal introduction of former B.C. United MLA Teresa Wat as the latest addition to the Conservatives' roster of MLAs. Two other B.C. United MLAs -- Lorne Doerkson and Elenore Sturko -- had switched parties earlier.
Thursday's figures represent another record of the Conservatives' rise relative to their main competition on the right side of the political spectrum, B.C. United.
Whereas B.C. United out-raised the provincial Conservatives during the first three months of 2024 by a factor of more than 2-to-1, the provincial Conservatives turned the table on B.C. United during the second quarter by nearly doubling the fundraising total of B.C. United.
But the figures also show that the Conservatives still have a way to go to close the fundraising gap to the provincial New Democrats with less than three months until this fall's provincial election.
Donors appears -- at least for now -- to be betting their money on a return of the provincial New Democrats.
