THE B.C. Green party announced on Thursday that it has raised $1.264 million since banning corporate and union donations on September 28, 2016. It was the only major party to refuse money from special interests throughout the 2017 election campaign, and has made a legislated ban one of three non-negotiable requirements for supporting a party to form government after last week’s election.

“We are very grateful to all of the British Columbians who stepped forward to support our party since we banned corporate and union donations,” said Andrew Weaver, Leader of the B.C. Green Party.

“In the past under majority B.C. Liberal governments, we have not been able to move this file forward. Now, with a minority government, each party can bring good public policy ideas to the table. The B.C. Green caucus is motivated by the prospect of a new chapter in B.C. politics where no one party can dominate our democracy. Minority government can be extremely productive and collaborative process.”

The party welcomed over 3,000 new individual donors since banning corporate and union donations. The average donation size since the ban was $85.21. In addition to the internal ban on corporate and union donations, the B.C. Greens platform included a number of reforms to campaign finance, including a ban on out-of-province donations, a cap on individual donations in line with federal limits and reforms to the lobbying industry.