Trade unions, developers and big business played big roles in last fall's civic election in Port Coquitlam.
But, for the most part, it was the candidates themselves who shelled out to win seats on city council.
Mayor Greg Moore raised and spent nearly $50,000 to retain his job - five times more than his competitor Eric Hirvonen.
The election disclosure papers, which were released by Elections BC on Monday, show Hirvonen transferred $4,190 from his registered slate Canada Electric Services, which he runs, into his campaign kitty. He paid another $4,895 from his own pocket.
In total, Hirvonen spent $9,085 on billboards, signs, newspaper ads, furniture and equipment. By comparison, Moore spent about $38,000 on brochures, internet services, newspaper ads, signs and salaries, the provincial documents reveal, and posted a campaign surplus of around $11,000.
As for the council race, the campaign of longtime councillor Michael Wright, who lost his spot on council, paled compared to that of the newcomer who took his place. Coun. Laura Dupont brought in 10 times more - or $13,383 - than Wright, collecting donations from individuals, CUPE BC and the PoCo firefighters' union local. Dupont, who scored the second highest amount of votes, also collected $1,000 from a pub night.
But it was the top vote-getter - labour-endorsed Coun. Brad West - who led in campaign donations, hauling in $21,715 from contributors such as Mosaic Homes, United Steelworkers, CUPE BC, CUPE Local 498, the firefighters' union local, RPMG (the parent group of Onni) and the BC Maritime Employers Association.
Still, there were candidates who had no outside financial help. They were: Sherry Carroll, Erhan Demirkaya, Amritpal Gill, Coun. Mike Forrest and Wright.
A total of 9,922 eligible voters - or 26% - cast their ballots in PoCo.
@jwarrenTC
MAYOR
Eric Hirvonen
Raised: $9,085
Spent: $9,085
Cost per vote: $8.49
Greg Moore
Raised: $49,867
Spent: $49,867
Cost per vote: $5.77
COUNCILLORS
Sherry Carroll
Raised: $1,500
Spent: $1,500
Cost per vote: 49 cents
Erhan Demirkaya
Raised: $2,150
Spent: $2,150
Cost per vote: $3.11
Laura Dupont
Raised: $13,383
Spent: $13,383
Cost per vote: $2.27
Mike Forrest
Raised: $7,011
Spent: $9,303
Cost per vote: $1.73
Amritpal Gill
Raised: $17,201
Spent: $17,201
Cost per vote: $10.57
Riyaz Lakhani
Raised: $3,650
Spent: $4,549
Cost per vote: $3.31
Wayne Marklund
Raised: $3,204
Spent: $3,204
Cost per vote: $3.06
Nancy McCurrach
Raised: $8,658
Spent: $7,792
Cost per vote: $1.95
Darrell Penner
Raised: $8,065
Spent: $8,548
Cost per vote: $1.46
Glenn Pollock
Raised: $8,500
Spent: $8,500
Cost per vote: $$1.64
Dean Washington
Raised: $10,120
Spent: $10,120
Cost per vote: $2.11
Brad West
Raised: $21,715
Spent: $21,715
Cost per vote: $3.24
Michael Wright
Raised: $1,356
Spent: $1,356
Cost per vote: 34 cents
