Record-setting N.S. election win cost Progressive Conservatives about $1.4M

Michael Gorman · CBC News

· Posted: Apr 11, 2025 1:58 PM EDT | Last Updated: 11 minutes ago

The Progressive Conservatives won the past provincial predetermination successful resounding manner and were besides tops successful predetermination spending, according to documents released this week by Elections Nova Scotia.

The Tories spent astir $1.4 cardinal connected their winning campaign.

The party's largest expenses were astir $850,000 for publicity and advertising, astir $213,000 connected polling probe and astir $116,500 connected travel.

The enactment recouped astir $763,000 for services provided during the predetermination to idiosyncratic campaigner campaigns, a proviso permitted successful the Elections Act.

Premier Tim Houston and his squad won a record-setting 43 seats past November pursuing an aboriginal predetermination telephone that took vantage of the monolithic unpopularity of the national Liberal marque astatine the time and then-prime curate Justin Trudeau.

Liberals spent small connected polling

The Nova Scotia Liberal Party, meanwhile, spent astir three-quarters of the PC total, but the effort did not construe into a corresponding share of seats astatine Province House.

The enactment was reduced to conscionable 2 seats successful the legislature, slipping to 3rd place, and mislaid its leader, Zach Churchill, aft helium failed to clasp his spot successful Yarmouth.

The Liberals spent astir $1.04 cardinal connected their campaign, with the apical costs including publicity and advertizing (almost $760,000), question ($121,000) and idiosyncratic remuneration ($99,000).

Almost each of the party's run costs were recouped done charges to idiosyncratic campaigner campaigns for services provided during the election.

The Liberals spent astir $21,000 connected polling research.

Cost of winning Independent campaign

Elizabeth Smith-McCrossin, who retained her spot successful Cumberland North arsenic an Independent, spent $50,310.33 connected her campaign, good beneath the territory maximum of astir $97,000.

Smith-McCrossin's largest run expenditure by acold was publicity and advertising, which outgo astir $26,200.

The Green Party of Nova Scotia, which did not elite an MLA, spent astir $14,200 on its campaign.

The party's main expenses included $5,000 for worker remuneration and astir the aforesaid magnitude for signs. It spent $3,245.30 connected publicity and advertising.

Figures for the Nova Scotia NDP have not yet been made public.

Although the deadline for registered parties to taxable fiscal reports was Wednesday, the NDP received a one-day extension.

Officials with Elections Nova Scotia walk respective days reviewing the accusation aft it's submitted earlier it is posted online.

The NDP won 9 seats successful the predetermination and formed the Official Opposition.