What qualifies as a campaign contribution?
Campaign contributions include money, personal property, real property or service that is provided for the benefit of a candidates election campaign without fair market compensation, but does not include a service provided by an individual who voluntarily performs the services and receives no compensation, directly or indirectly.
Tracking campaign contributions and expenses
All candidates must open a campaign account at a financial institution (s. 147.3 LAEA) in their own name, or the name of the campaign. It is advised that candidates open this account as soon as they submit their notice of intent, however it MUST be done as soon as the amount of contributions exceeds $1000 in aggregate (s.147.3(1) LAEA). All contributions must be deposited in that account, and the money is to be used only for campaign expenses.
In-kind contributions are assessed based on their fair market value at the time they are provided. If a candidate receives personal property, real property, a service, or the use of personal or real property at a price below its fair market value, the value of the contribution is the difference between the fair market value and the discounted price offered.
Who can and cannot contribute to your campaign?
Section 147 of the LAEA sets out the rules regarding who can contribute to your campaign and identifies those who cannot. It is important you understand the rules regarding contributions, whether monetary or contributions in–kind.
Trade unions, corporations, and Alberta employee organizations (any organization that bargains collectively for employees in Alberta, and for the purposes of this Act all branches in Alberta of an employee organization are deemed to be one employee organization) can now contribute to municipal elections.
Contribution limits
Campaign contributions by any person to a candidate shall not exceed $5,000 in any year. Only an Alberta resident can contribute to a campaign.
Contributions by a corporation, other than a prohibited organization, by an Alberta trade union or by an Alberta employee organization shall not exceed during the campaign period:
(a) $5000 in the aggregate to all candidates for election as a councillor in a particular municipality,
(b) $5000 in the aggregate to all candidates for election as a school board trustee of a particular public school division under the Education Act, and
(c) $5000 in the aggregate to all candidates for election as a school board trustee of a particular separate school division under the Education Act.