Tracking the Candidates’ Fundraising Totals in the Ontario Liberal Leadership Race
With the per-vote subsidy coming to an end in 2024, choosing a party leader that can build a strong fundraising machine has never been more important. To help members weigh their options, I’ll be tracking the leadership candidates’ fundraising totals as reported by Elections Ontario.
Data Note: Elections Ontario excludes donations below $200, has a 15 day reporting delay from candidates, and a 2 day posting delay to the website.
Source Note: You can access and track the OLP leadership fundraising data yourself on Elections Ontario’s website here.
Other Content: To see what the candidates have committed to on policy, check out my leadership commitments tracker here. To follow along with media engagement, check out my leadership communications tracker here.
Leadership Fundraising Totals as of September 1:
Note: With the membership deadline looming on September 11, this will be the final fundraising update. Once membership numbers are in, that will be the best gauge as to how the race is progressing.
#1 Bonnie Crombie:
- $724,195 from 416 donors
- (118 max donors; $1,740 avg donation)
- (Total excluding max donors: $328,895)
# 2 Nate Erskine-Smith:
- $262,858 from 312 donors
- (23 max donors; $842 avg donation)
- (Total excluding max donors: $185,808)
#3 Ted Hsu:
- $222,652 from 235 donors
- (17 max donors; $947 avg donation)
- (Total excluding max donors: $165,612)
#4 Yasir Naqvi:
- $206,437 from 275 donors
- (10 max donors; $750 avg donation)
- (Total excluding max donors: $172,937)
#5 Adil Shamji:
- $93,411 from 99 donors
- (9 max donors; $943 avg donation)
- (Total excluding max donors: $63,261)
Leadership Fundraising Totals as of August 21:
#1 Bonnie Crombie: (no new numbers this week)
- $498,580 from 282 donors
- (84 max donors; $1,768 avg donation)
- (Total excluding max donors: $217,180)
# 2 Nate Erskine-Smith: (no new numbers this week)
- $215,271 from 235 donors
- (20 max donors; $916 avg donation)
- (Total excluding max donors: $148,271)
#3 Ted Hsu:
- $210,182 from 219 donors
- (15 max donors; $959 avg donation)
- (Total excluding max donors: $159,932)
#4 Yasir Naqvi: (no new numbers this week)
- $130,350 from 182 donors
- (8 max donors; $716 avg donation)
- (Total excluding max donors: $103,550)
#5 Adil Shamji:
- $72,746 from 76 donors
- (6 max donors; $957 avg donation)
- (Total excluding max donors: $52,646)
Leadership Fundraising Totals as of August 15:
No changes for any candidate. Expect a big update next week.
Leadership Fundraising Totals as of August 9:
#1 Bonnie Crombie:
- $498,580 from 282 donors
- (84 max donors; $1,768 avg donation)
- (Total excluding max donors: $217,180)
# 2Nate Erskine-Smith:
- $215,271 from 235 donors
- (20 max donors; $916 avg donation)
- (Total excluding max donors: $148,271)
#3 Ted Hsu: (no new numbers this week)
- $177,932 from 180 donors
- (13 max donors; $988 avg donation)
- (Total excluding max donors: $134,382)
#4 Yasir Naqvi:
- $130,350 from 182 donors
- (8 max donors; $716 avg donation)
- (Total excluding max donors: $103,550)
#5 Adil Shamji:
- $30,635 from 31 donors
- (4 max donors; $988 avg donation)
- (Total excluding max donors: $17,235)
Leadership Fundraising Totals as of August 1:
#1 Bonnie Crombie:
- $383,020 from 192 donors
- (72 max donors; $1,994 avg donation)
- (Total excluding max donors: $141,820)
#2 Ted Hsu:
- $177,932 from 180 donors
- (13 max donors; $988 avg donation)
- (Total excluding max donors: $134,382)
# 3 Nate Erskine-Smith:
- $154,502 from 160 donors
- (15 max donors; $965 avg donation)
- (Total excluding max donors: $104,252)
#4 Yasir Naqvi:
- $80,685 from 113 donors
- (6 max donors; $714 avg donation)
- (Total excluding max donors: $60,585)
#5 Adil Shamji:
- $21,085 from 18 donors
- (4 max donors; $1,771 avg donation)
- (Total excluding max donors: $7,685)
Leadership Fundraising Totals as of July 25:
#1 Bonnie Crombie:
- $383,020 from 192 donors
- (72 max donors; $1,994 avg donation)
- (Total excluding max donors: $141,820)
#2 Ted Hsu:
- $177,932 from 180 donors
- (13 max donors; $988 avg donation)
- (Total excluding max donors: $134,382)
# 3 Nate Erskine-Smith:
- $154,502 from 160 donors
- (15 max donors; $965 avg donation)
- (Total excluding max donors: $104,252)
#4 Yasir Naqvi:
- $80,685 from 113 donors
- (6 max donors; $714 avg donation)
- (Total excluding max donors: $60,585)
NA Adil Shamji:
- No data on the Elections Ontario website
Leadership Fundraising Totals as of July 18:
#1 Bonnie Crombie:
- $223,835 from 117 donors
- (40 max donors; $1,913 avg donation)
- (Total excluding max donors: $89,835)
#2 Ted Hsu:
- $158,332 from 156 donors
- (12 max donors; $1,014 avg donation)
- (Total excluding max donors: $118,132)
# 3 Nate Erskine-Smith:
- $154,502 from 160 donors
- (15 max donors; $965 avg donation)
- (Total excluding max donors: $104,252)
#4 Yasir Naqvi:
- $46,420 from 71 donors
- (4 max donors; $653 avg donation)
- (Total excluding max donors: $33,020)
NA Adil Shamji:
- No data on the Elections Ontario website
In Theresa’s work with the Ontario Liberal Party, she founded its digital fundraising program and helped create the Liberal Future Fund monthly donor program. Theresa has served as the Communications Coordinator for the Ontario Liberal Party, the VP Communications for the Ontario Women’s Liberal Commission, the Director of Communications to Ontario Deputy Premier Deb Matthews, and an election-speechwriter for former Premier Kathleen Wynne. As a member of ‘Team Neutral’, she helped manage the 2013 and 2020 OLP Leadership races.
