Two Greater Victoria municipal election candidates are facing fines for violating campaign financing rules.
Elections BC issued monetary penalties on Tuesday (Nov. 8) to Saanich mayoral candidate Fred Haynes and Victoria council candidate Janice Williams, after both candidates were found to have sponsored election advertising without an authorization statement during the pre-campaign period.
On Aug. 31, Elections BC received a complaint about an advertisement in the Saanich News that promoted Haynes as a mayoral candidate in Saanich but lacked an authorization statement.
A subsequent investigation by BC Elections turned up another advertisement promoting Haynes, also lacking an authorization statement, published one week prior.
Elections BC received two complaints on Aug. 27 and 30 regarding an internet ad, as well as an ad posted in an elevator, promoting Williams for Victoria council. While the ads noted that they were authorized by Williams, they failed to provide contact information.
Section 44(1) of the Local Elections Campaign Financing Act requires that a candidate sponsoring election advertising identifies the financial agent of the advertisement, indicates that it was authorized by the financial agent and provides a B.C. telephone number, email address or B.C. mailing address at which the financial agent can be contacted.
Haynes is required to pay a $150 penalty, while Williams must pay $100 to the Chief Elections Officer of B.C.
READ MORE: 2022 election coverage
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