With businesses and unions again free to put money behind Alberta political candidates, corporate donations are shaping up to have a big influence on Edmonton’s municipal election this fall.

Financial disclosure statements show that in the first two months of the election campaign, 39 per cent of donations to Edmonton city council candidates came from registered corporations.

Of the 10 political hopefuls who reported fundraising amounts for 2024, seven candidates received corporate funding. In total, corporations have donated $204,687, and 84 per cent of that money, $172,000, went to the mayoral campaign of current Ward pihêsiwin Coun. Tim Cartmell.

Corporations and unions were barred from contributing to candidates in local elections by the former New Democrat government in 2018, but United Conservative Party government amendments to the Local Authorities Election Act in 2024 reversed this ban.