Unions dominated Alberta political donations in past decade

Over the last decade, Albertans, corporations and unions made 97,275 donations totalling $90.9 million to provincial political parties, candidates and third-party advertisers. (Photographer: Brent Lewin/Bloomberg)

Between 2015 and 2024, Albertans, corporations and unions made 97,275 donations totalling $90.9 million to provincial political parties, candidates and third-party advertisers. Here’s a breakdown of the biggest spenders and beneficiaries.

Edmonton and Calgary led the province in donations, contributing 37 per cent and 30 per cent of the total dollar amount, respectively.

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Though corporations and unions were prohibited from making contributions directly to parties or candidates midway through 2015, they still outspent most individual donors through their funding of third-party advertisers and accounted for 18 of the top 20 largest donors of the last decade.

For the top five donors, nearly all of the funds were transferred from unions and professional associations to their own registered political entities. The single largest donor of the last decade was the Health Sciences Association of Alberta (HSAA), which gave over $6 million. The majority of the HSAA’s cash, 92 per cent, was gifted from the union to its registered third-party advertiser. All of the Alberta Medical Association’s (AMA) $1.8 million in donations went to the AMA third-party.

Top 10 political donors in Alberta overall

1. HSAA - $6.1 million
2. AMA - $1.8 million
3. Alberta Teachers’ Association - $1.1 million
4. United Nurses of Alberta - $998,103
5. National Police Federation - $ 709,759
6. UFCW Local 401 - $686,237
7. Merit Contractors Association - $466,249
8. Alberta Civil Trial Lawyers Association - $381,572
9. Association of Academic Staff of the University of Alberta - $221,229
10. Stanley Milner - $207,408

Milner, a prominent figure in Alberta’s energy sector, died in 2021, but still holds the top spot for individual donors in the last decade, giving more than twice that of the second highest contributor, Tourmaline Oil Corp. CEO Mike Rose.

The top 10 individual donors were split evenly between Edmonton and Calgary.

Edmonton

• Stanley Milner - $207,408

AAFund - $63,808; Alberta Advantage Fund - $75,000; Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta - $34,000; Shaping Alberta’s Future - $25,000; United Conservative Party - $8,600; Edmonton-Calder PC Association - $1,000.

• Mary Katherine Williams - $41,442

Alberta NDP

• Lorne Dach - $40,679

Alberta NDP

• Christina Gray - $38,662

Alberta NDP

• David Eggen - $38,390

Alberta NDP

Calgary

• Mike Rose - $100,000

AAFund - $50,000; Alberta Advantage Fund - $50,000

• Patricia Cartwright - $52,186

Alberta Liberal Party

• Ian Cartwright - $48,485

Alberta Liberal Party

• Gordon Arnell - $47,050

Wildrose Party - $45,200; Pro-Life Alberta Political Association - $850; UCP - $1,000

• Brad Shaw - $42,243

Alberta Advantage Fund - $30,000; UCP - $12,243

Brett McKay, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Investigative Journalism Foundation