Parties Get More Public Funds than Donations
Since 2017, parties in the Ontario Legislature have qualified to receive state funding through a per-vote subsidy. From 2017 through to the end of 2021, the amount of public funds each received was: Greens – $3.2 million; Liberals – $16.9 million; NDP – $20.8 million; Conservatives – $25.5 million. (Note: this does not include quarterly allowances paid to the constituency associations of the same parties, nor reimbursements for election expenses).
Ontario’s Chief Electoral Officer informed in his 2017-18 report entitled Implementing Change: “Overall, quarterly allowances paid out in 2017 amounted to 34 per cent more than what the parties were able to raise in contributions for that year.”
The parties went so far as to give themselves an advance past the June 2 election based on their results from the 2018 election, even if the results change in 2022. This extension means additional public fund of of: Greens — $673,000; Liberals — $2.9 million; NDP — $4.9 million; Conservatives — $5.9 million.
Rather than financing parties who represent private interests like this, Laura believes that the state should fund the political process so electors can actively participate in deciding the direction of their province and cast an informed vote.