Avi Lewis leads field in NDP leadership fundraising, followed by MP McPherson

NDP leadership candidates (left to right) Rob Ashton, Tanille Johnston, Avi Lewis, Heather McPherson and Tony McQuail pose for a photo following the NDP French language leadership debate in Montreal on Thursday, Nov. 27, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christopher Katsarov

OTTAWA — NDP leadership candidate Avi Lewis has received the lion’s share of campaign donations in the race so far, beating out the only sitting MP vying for the job.

Elections Canada reports Lewis secured almost $724,000 in the final three months of 2026, more than twice the $316,000 reported by Edmonton MP Heather McPherson’s campaign.

Lewis pulled in 5,632 separate donations, while McPherson secured 2,300. Nearly 11,500 donations were recorded for all five candidates.

Lewis, a documentary filmmaker who ran unsuccessfully for the NDP in Vancouver in both 2021 and 2025, has raised almost $780,000 since the race began in September.

McPherson, who has been elected three times for the NDP in Edmonton—Strathcona since 2019, outraised Lewis in the very early days of the contest but has since fallen well behind.

Her campaign total as of Dec. 31 is $415,490.

Fundraising numbers can often indicate who is winning a leadership contest. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre raised more than $9.6 million over about eight months in 2022, more than twice the sum raised by his closest competitor in a leadership race with six candidates.

Prime Minister Mark Carney raised $5 million in just six weeks last year during the Liberal leadership race, well ahead of now-former Liberal MP Chrystia Freeland, who collected $670,000.

Both Poilievre and Carney won those contests by a wide margin.

The current NDP leadership race was called after Jagmeet Singh stepped down as leader following his party’s brutal defeat in last year’s federal election, which saw the NDP lose party status in Parliament.

Five people, including Lewis and McPherson, have met the final requirements to run as leadership candidates and will have their names on the ballot when party members choose a new leader in the spring.

Tony McQuail is the NDP leadership contestant who raised the smallest sum — just $95,000 in reported contributions in the last quarter.

Tanille Johnston collected $140,000, while Rob Ashton raised $206,000.

NDP president Mary Shortall said in a statement Thursday that party members are “hopeful about the future of our movement and thankful to see these five individuals step up and offer their visions for its future.”

The candidates will square off in a debate in B.C.’s Lower Mainland in February.

The new leader will be announced at the end of March following a vote at the party’s national convention in Winnipeg.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 30, 2026

Alessia Passafiume, The Canadian Press