The NDP swept all five Burnaby ridings during the 2024 provincial election, and new Elections BC financial reports show they spent a lot of money to do so.
According to Elections BC, the expense limit for individual candidates in the 2024 provincial election was $71,700.08.
Anne Kang (Burnaby Centre), Rohini Arora (Burnaby East), Raj Chouhan (Burnaby-New Westminster), Janet Routledge (Burnaby North) and Paul Choi (Burnaby South-Metrotown) were all elected to the legislature.
Reports show Kang received a total income of $147,209.54, and had $87,045.49 in expenditures and $20,509.54 in reimbursements. Kang finished with a campaign account balance of $33,160.91. Her campaign spent $33,570.26 in advertising, and $4,043.10 in office rent, utilities and insurance and maintenance. A total of $10,800 was for salaries and benefits of staff (excluding candidates).
Arora had a total income of $101,188.90, with $76,306.49 in expenditures and $24,923.44 in reimbursements. Her campaign spent $19,183.75 for salaries and benefits, $19,324.42 in advertising and $5.026.09 on promotional materials plus $5,709.21 on new signs. The campaign's balance finished at $498.97.
Routledge, meanwhile, reported a total income of $93,983.43 and expenses totalling $64,915.07. Routledge's campaign spent $5,400 on salaries and benefits, $8,501.80 in commercial canvassing in person, by phone or other means of electronic communication, and $7,278.98 in promotional materials. The ending balance in the campaign account was just under $8,000 at $7,788.64.
Chouhan, who also serves as the Speaker of the House, had a total income of $115,754.11 and expenses totalling $73,032.11. Chouhan and his campaign spent $24,200.32 on advertising, $12,463.43 in benefits, $5,129.60 on canvassing and $5,709.21 on new signs. The ending campaign balance in the account was $19,495.45.
Choi's campaign reported an income of $141,566.64 and expenses that totalled $95,219.60; $43,232.53 was spent on advertising, $13,000 on professional services, $3,576.77 on office rent and utilities and $2,406.90 on office supplies. No money was spent on salaries or benefits. The campaign account balance was $14,136.74.
All candidate reports for Burnaby South-Metrotown, Burnaby East, Burnaby Centre, Burnaby North and Burnaby-New Westminster are available online.
