Call it hedging your bets.
During the 2011 municipal election campaign, Bayview Properties made fairly hefty contributions to two rival mayoral candidates.
Bayview, in the midst of a billion-dollar development in Vic West, contributed $1,000 to support candidate Paul Brown, whose attack campaign was highly critical of both incumbent Mayor Dean Fortin and the City of Victoria.
The company also supported the mayor to the tune of $2,500 on a largely stay-the-course platform.
Monday marked the deadline for candidates in last November’s election to file their financial documents.
Asked to comment on the company’s dual contributions, representatives of Bayview did not respond.
In total, Fortin received $70,530 in contributions, including a $6,134 transfer from a previous campaign.
More than 30 contributors gave him $500 or more.
Topping the list were the B.C. Government and Service Employees’ Union ($8,000), Tri Eagle Development Corp. ($3,000) and the Victoria Labour Council ($3,000).
Contributing companies included Ralmax Properties ($500), Railyards Development ($1,000) and Empress Transportation ($1,500).
Union contributions to the mayor altogether tallied $14,000, including BCGSEU and the labour council.
Brown raised $14,323, including a $5,525 personal contribution. His top two contributors were two bars, the Bard and Banker and Irish Times, both owned by Matt MacNeil.
rholmen@vicnews.com
Campaign expenditures for elected council candidates:*
• $28,028, Shellie Gudgeon; top contributor: Il Terrazzo Ristorante (owned by Gudgeon) ($8,000)
• $26,819, Lisa Helps; top contributor: Marianne Unger ($10,000)
• $15,579, Ben Isitt; top contributor: CUPE B.C. ($5,500)
• $10,776, Charlayne Thornton-Joe; top contributor: Gryphon Projects ($500), Calvin Joe ($500)
• $10,358, Marianne Alto; top contributor: Victoria Labour Council ($1,000)
• $9,239, Chris Coleman; top contributor: Michael Coleman ($1,000)
• $9,107, Geoff Young; top contributor: G. Young ($2,675)
• $4,335, Pamela Madoff; top contributors: Railyards Development ($1,000), Victoria Labour Council ($1,000)
*In most cases, contributions to a council campaign are closely tied to campaign expenditures.
