Salt Spring individuals and business groups donated more than $100,000 to advertise their positions on whether the island should incorporate in the lead-up to the Sept. 9 referendum.
Disclosure statements released by Elections BC this week show the winning “no” side of the question, who rallied under the Positively No campaign of the Many Islanders Opposed to Incorporation, outspent the opposition by 18 per cent in the last 30 days before the referendum. The Many Islanders received $60,985.52 in contributions throughout the campaign and spent $35,039.47 across all platforms — brochures and flyers, newspaper ads, signs and internet ads — during the last 30 days.
Yes Empowers Salt Spring Island received donations of $43,528.64 in total and spent $29,647.26 in the last 30 days.
Note: The Driftwood’s original story indicated that $29,647.26 and $35,039.47 were the total amounts spent. Representatives from The Many Islanders group indicate the amounts contained in the report refer only to what was spent in 30 days before Sept. 9.
For more on this story, see the Dec. 13, 2017 issue of the Gulf Islands Driftwood newspaper, or subscribe online.