McKenney releases list of donors who gave more than $100

Ottawa mayoral candidate Catherine McKenney on Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2022.

Ottawa mayoral candidate Catherine McKenney has made good on a pledge to release their list of campaign contributors who donated more than $100 ahead of the election.

The list includes all donations of $101 or more made before Oct. 9. McKenney says they will release an updated list on Oct. 20 to include the period between Oct. 10 and 19. Candidates' financial statements are published by the city of Ottawa following the election, but McKenney had promised to make their donor list public two weeks before Election Day.

• RELATED: Full municipal election coverage

“Voters have a right to know who is funding a candidate before they cast their ballot. Making this information public before Election Day isn’t the norm, but it should be and that’s why I’m calling on all other mayoral candidates to disclose their donor lists,” said McKenney in a news release Monday. “I’m showing who is funding my campaign, and I’m not holding $1,200 per ticket fundraisers behind closed doors — because my campaign is transparent and accountable to you.”

The latter comment is a reference to a fundraiser held by McKenney’s primary opponent Mark Sutcliffe in September, triggering criticism from Horizon Ottawa, a registered third-party advertiser that has endorsed McKenney for mayor. Sutcliffe defended the fundraiser, saying the $1,200 price tag was a suggestion. The campaign contribution limit for individuals is $1,200 and the fundraiser did not break any rules.

The donor list provided by McKenney includes 1,303 names from all areas of the city and just over a dozen from other municipalities in Ontario, including four from Toronto. Under the Municipal Elections Act, a candidate may accept contributions from individuals who reside anywhere in Ontario.

Forty-three people on McKenney’s list donated the maximum amount of $1,200 to their campaign. The fundraising total shown among all donors who donated at least $101 is $334,907.57. The average donation was $257.03

McKenney has said they would not accept donations from developers, including their family members and staff.

“Should I learn that a developer, or their family member or employee has contributed to my campaign, that donation will be returned,” McKenney said.

The full list has been published on McKenney’s website.

McKenney is one of 14 candidates running to become mayor of Ottawa. Election Day is Oct. 24. There is one final advance voting day in all wards on Friday.