Want to win a seat in Province House? You don't have to break the bank

Michael Gorman · CBC News

· Posted: Apr 15, 2025 5:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 11 minutes ago

A reappraisal of run expenses from the caller Nova Scotia provincial predetermination shows the ratio the Progressive Conservatives utilized to execute their record-setting victory, the benefits of incumbency and the information that you don't ever person to walk a batch of wealth to triumph a spot successful Province House.

Cumberland South MLA Tory Rushton exhibited each 3 points successful the November election, with the lowest run outgo of immoderate winning candidate. The run for the furniture curate and fashionable MLA outgo $12,966.87.

Joining Rushton successful the frugal nine was re-elected Shelburne MLA Nolan Young, the lone different victorious candidate to walk little than $20,000 connected their run — $15,810.07, to beryllium precise.

At the different extremity of the spectrum was Danielle Barkhouse, the Speaker of the House, who successfully held the Chester-St. Margaret's seat.

Barkhouse's Progressive Conservative run was the astir costly of immoderate winning campaign, coming successful astatine $73,329.06. About 72 per cent of the run costs went to publicity and advertising, according to run disclosure documents posted connected the Elections Nova Scotia website.

The different winning campaigns that topped $60,000 were: NDP campaigner Lena Hamid successful Fairview-Clayton Park (about $60,300, though the Liberals spent more); NDP campaigner Krista Gallagher successful Halifax Chebucto (about $64,000); NDP campaigner Paul Wozney successful Sackville-Cobequid (about $65,400); and PC incumbent Brian Wong successful Waverley-Fall River-Beaver Bank (about $60,345).

Campaigns are funded done a operation of direct donations and enactment from governmental parties.

The Progressive Conservatives won 43 seats successful the election, followed by the NDP with 9 and the Liberals with two. Independent campaigner Elizabeth Smith-McCrossin was re-elected successful Cumberland North.

One of the large run expenses for the Progressive Conservatives was polling and research. The enactment spent $213,000 connected it during the run — about 10 times more than the Liberals — and the results amusement the payment of that determination and the penetration it provided.

The PCs won astatine slightest 9 seats contempt being notably outspent by the Liberals oregon the NDP. Party insiders accidental they were capable to bash that acknowledgment to the accusation the polling showed them astir however beardown they were successful those districts, allowing them to give resources to different races that appeared tighter.

One of the champion examples was successful Yarmouth, wherever newcomer Nick Hilton defeated longtime Liberal MLA and enactment person Zach Churchill.

Hilton's run cost almost $44,290 compared to Churchill's astir $63,300. The PCs accrued their absorption connected the spot successful the campaign's dying days acknowledgment to what polling probe showed.

As for the different enactment leaders, Premier Tim Houston's run outgo astir $42,625, NDP Leader Claudia Chender's outgo astir $48,000 and Green Party Leader Anthony Edmonds's unsuccessful bid to triumph a spot successful Waverley-Fall River-Beaver Bank outgo conscionable shy of $3,000.

Campaign records amusement determination were besides wide variations successful the magnitude of wealth victorious candidates fundraised during the campaign.

Houston the biggest gully for donors

Houston raised the astir wealth by far, pulling successful astir $60,000 successful donations.

Health Minister Michelle Thompson's run successful Antigonish raised astir $34,500. Rounding retired the apical 3 was Hilton's palmy bid to unseat Churchill successful Yarmouth.

The caregiver and erstwhile municipal councillor pulled successful $28,795 compared to Churchill, who received conscionable a small little than $6,000 successful donations.

Other notable fundraising totals included Barkhouse ($25,300), Smith-McCrossin (about $22,500) and Brian Comer. The curate liable for intelligence wellness and addictions raised $23,000 for his palmy re-election bid successful Cape Breton East.

Many fundraising totals were overmuch lower.

In fact, 8 of the 9 winning NDP MLAs registered no donations for their campaigns. The 1 objection was Wozney, who recorded $100.