The Conservative Party of Canada likes its new leader and it shows. The party was able to raise the highest amount ever for all parties in a non-election quarter in Q4 2022 — Pierre Poilievre’s first full quarter as leader of the conservatives.
The party’s fundraising arm, the Conservative Fund of Canada, brought in almost $9.7 million from 60,666 donors, also a record for the highest number of contributors in a non-general election quarter since 2004.
The numbers indicate growing support for the new Conservative leader. An October poll from Angus Reid Institute, for example, showed that 37% of voters would vote Conservative in the next election following Poilievre’s installation.
It’s unclear if this trend could carry over to the current quarter, but support for the Conservatives, if not at least holding, seems to be at least benefiting from the declining support for Liberals. A recent poll from Abacus which was done in early January showed Conservatives gaining over Liberals by 8 points as a majority of the respondents believe that the Liberals aren’t doing a very good job managing Canada’s most pressing problems.
The Conservative Fund is also benefiting from the change of tactics of its new head, Toronto lawyer Robert Staley. Staley is leading a shift toward digital fundraising and away from the costlier practice of direct mailing and phone calls.
Including the around $327,000 that the party received from leadership campaigns, the Conservative Fund closed the last quarter with $10.2 million according to its Elections Canada filling.
| Party | Amount Raised ($ million) | No. of Donors |
|---|---|---|
| Conservative | 9.7 | 60,666 |
| Liberal | 5.79 | 38,416 |
| New Democrat | 2.5 | 20,352 |
| Bloc Québécois | 0.87 | 5,777 |
| Green | 0.82 | 6,270 |
| People’s Party of Canada | 0.73 | 5,851 |
Q4 2022 was also a record quarter for the People’s Party of Canada. The party raised $725,293, a record for the five quarters it has been filing financial returns to Elections Canada. The funds came from 5,851 donors.
Bloc Québécois also had a strong quarter, raising $866,505 from 5,777 supporters. This was the second-best for BQ in a non-election quarter.
Governing Liberals under Justin Trudeau raised $5.79 million from 38,416 contributors in the final quarter of 2022, their fifth-best for non-election quarters, and eighth-best from the 76 quarters since 2004.
The New Democrats under Jagmeet Singh raised $2.5 million from 20,352 donors, which was the party’s 10th-best quarter since 2004 or seventh-best in a non-election quarter.
Despite facing leadership and governance challenges, the Green Party of Canada still received $820,796 from 6,270 donors in the final quarter of 2022. This amount was the party’s 14th-best showing among the last 76 quarters or 11th-best among non-election reporting periods.
Unless otherwise indicated, all numbers are based on the parties’ quarterly financial returns. In Canada, only individuals can contribute funds to political parties by law, and corporations, unions, or non-governmental organizations are prohibited from making contributions.
Information for this briefing was found via Global News, the Toronto Star, Abacus, CBC News, and the sources and companies mentioned. The author has no securities or affiliations related to this organization. Not a recommendation to buy or sell. Always do additional research and consult a professional before purchasing a security. The author holds no licenses.
