Political fundraising more than doubles for Yukon parties in 2021

The Yukon's 2021 election brought a massive fundraising boost to the territory's political parties. 

In total, all four registered parties in the Yukon reported $721,755 in total revenue, more than double the amount brought in 2020, according to a revenue report released by Elections Yukon for the 2021 year. 

Of that amount, over half a million dollars in revenue came from donations for the election, with 581 donations recorded to all four political parties. The average contributor donated $892 to an election campaign, the report continued. 

The Liberals and the Yukon Party brought in the most donations at $194,485 and $195,067 respectively. 

The Yukon's 2021 election saw the re-election of Sandy Silver, the Liberal Party leader, as premier with a small minority government. 

The Liberals had the fewest number of contributors to their election campaign, at 79, but were able to raise $44,773 from them. That means the average donation to the Liberal Party's election efforts was $566.75. 

The single largest donor to any political party is Silver with $11,500. 

Yukon companies including Northern Vision Development, Alkan Air and Da Daghay Development Corporation also made sizable donations to the Liberals. 

The party is also reporting $101,712 in other revenue, the highest of any party. 

This is money raised through raffles, banquet, cash bars and, according to political financing rules, "income from investments and other sources." The source of where this income is coming from doesn't have to be disclosed. 

Carly Carruthers, a spokesperson for the Yukon Liberals, said in response to a request for comment on "other spending" that the party is "very pleased" with their fundraising efforts. 

In comparison, the Yukon Party brought in only $830 in other revenues. The party raised $79,694 for their election campaign overall with 115 donors, bringing in roughly $693 per donation. 

The party received over 100 large donations, including $5,000 from party leader Currie Dixon. 

Real estate company Hartter Holdings and acivil engineering firm Nuway Crushing Ltd., made the largest corporate donations to the Yukon Party with $5,000 each. 

The party's other major donors include some of the territory's mining, construction and oil and gas companies. 

The NDP raised $72,331, the least amount of money for their election campaign but had the highest number of donors for their election effort at 379. That adds up to a total of $190.85 per contribution. 

The report also notes a slight change in the territory's party makeup. 

The Yukon Freedom Party, led by Joseph Zelezny, a former People's Party of Canada candidate, is now the territory's fourth party. 

The party brought in $8,149 in total revenue last year. (Zelezny formed the party in November 2021 after the general election and therefore the party does not have any election-related revenue to report). 

The Green Party did not register any candidates in the 2021 election, so Elections Yukon de-registered them as an official territorial party.