Alberta NDP well ahead of UCP in fundraising

Alberta's Opposition New Democrats have raised nearly double the United Conservative Party's fundraising in the second quarter, according to stats released by Elections Alberta Thursday.

The NDP counted $1,515,419 in donations while the UCP collected $769,847 from April to the end of June, marking the second quarter in a row the NDP has significantly out-fundraised the ruling party.

The latest numbers bring the UCP'S yearly contributions so far to $1.359 million — about half of the NDP'S $2.701 million — and come after the NDP out-earned the UCP by only about $15,000 in 2020.

At an unrelated news conference, NDP Leader Rachel Notley said Thursday the support has come because her party has been focused on jobs, diversification, health and education. “It's about listening to the concerns about Albertans, focusing on the things that matter to them,” said Notley.

The NDP said in a statement Thursday the numbers represent the party's best second quarter result ever, reporting 14,811 total donors — 2,462 of whom were firsttime donors — with an average donation amount of $42.43.

Provincial secretary Brandon Stevens said in an interview the party is seeing more financial support by a significant margin than it did when it was in government.

The party's small donations, or those under $250, outmatched the UCP'S entire contributions for the first half of the year, at $1.376 million compared to the UCP'S total $1.359 million.

Postmedia did not receive a response to a request for comment from UCP representatives as of press time.