<p>Just four of the 10 largest third-party political advertisers from the 2018 election have spent any money this time around.</p>
<p>Before we dive in, a disclaimer: Ontario is 11 weeks out from the election, and anything could change. Many groups ramped up their spending rate in 2018 during the election period itself. And every group that hasn't spent any money in 2022, but appears on last election's top spender list, registered in May 2018 — meaning many of them may have yet to implement their spending plans this year.</p>
<p>The Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario holds the top spot on both lists. But after that, they diverge dramatically. Powerful union groups like Working Ontario Women and Working Families aren't even registered this time — nor is Ontario Proud, the right-wing meme maker bankrolled largely by the real estate industry.</p>
<p><iframe title="Third-party spending (2018 vs. 2022 so far)" aria-label="Bullet Bars" id="datawrapper-chart-9mzmU" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/9mzmU/2/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="362"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">!function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(e){if(void 0!==e.data["datawrapper-height"]){var t=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var a in e.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r=0;r<t.length;r++){if(t[r].contentWindow===e.source)t[r].style.height=e.data["datawrapper-height"][a]+"px"}}}))}();
</script></p>
<p>Some of the changes are likely due to the pandemic. The Daily Bread Food Bank — number seven in 2022's top 10 — has seen more than twice as many monthly visitors during COVID-19 as it did in the before times, its CEO said. It was not registered as a third-party advertiser in 2018.</p>
<p>Of course, the more things change, the more they stay the same. The number three spot from 2018 was "Better Change for Ontario," which was a front group for United Steelworkers (second place this time). And the Ontario Medical Association, representing Ontario's doctors, shows up toward the middle of both lists.</p>
<p>Third-party advertisers must file expense <a href="https://www.elections.on.ca/en/political-entities-in-ontario/third-parties/third-party-political-advertising-interim-reports.html#accordion2022" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reports</a> with Elections Ontario (EO) every time they spend $1,000 or more on political ads. EO must post those reports on its website within two days.</p>
<p>Each party can spend a total of $654,600 in the 12 months leading up to the writ period, which starts May 4, 2022. Parties can spend another $109,100 between May 4 and the election itself, on June 2, for a total of $763,700. In 2018, that limit was $712,600.</p>
<p>In case you missed <a href="https://www.qpbriefing.com/2022/03/14/teachers-top-third-party-ad-spenders-weeks-before-2022-election/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">our story on Monday</a>, here are the top 10 spenders so far on the 2022 election:</p>
<p><iframe id="datawrapper-chart-0sT41" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" title="Third-party spending (2022)" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/0sT41/5/" height="376" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" aria-label="Bar Chart"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">!function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(e){if(void 0!==e.data["datawrapper-height"]){var t=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var a in e.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r=0;r<t.length;r++){if(t[r].contentWindow===e.source)t[r].style.height=e.data["datawrapper-height"][a]+"px"}}}))}();
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<hr />
<p>Here are the top 10 third-party spenders on the 2018 Ontario election, and how much they've spent in 2022 as of March 15:</p>
<h3>1. Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario (ETFO)</h3>
<ul>
<li>Spent 2018: $693,686</li>
<li>Spent 2022 so far: $636,528.64</li>
</ul>
<p>ETFO likes to spend to the max. The union, which represents about 83,000 education workers, has been a major voice throughout the pandemic. But it's always a big anti-PC player in Ontario politics, and its spending both years reflects that.</p>
<h3>2. Working Ontario Women (WOW)</h3>
<ul>
<li>Spent 2018: $671,282.00</li>
<li>Spent 2022 so far: $0 (unregistered)</li>
</ul>
<p>Funded by the Service Employees International Union, which has backed the Liberals in the past, WOW had a <a href="https://www.thestar.com/news/queenspark/2017/10/12/working-ontario-women-organization-plans-pre-election-ad-blitz.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">massive ad spend</a> before the 2018 election. It didn't pan out in their favour, and the group now seems limited to posting on social media to its following.</p>
<p>WOW registered on May 9, 2018.</p>
<h3>3. Better Change for Ontario</h3>
<ul>
<li>Spent 2018: $663,978.35</li>
<li>Spent 2022 so far: $571,612.50 (United Steelworkers)</li>
</ul>
<p>The United Steelworkers union ran ads last election under the Better Change name. It appears to have ditched that strategy, but is keeping up its big-spending habits for 2022. Leadership has endorsed the New Democrats, a party that counts six USW members in its benches.</p>
<h3>4. Ontario Medical Association (OMA)</h3>
<ul>
<li>Spent 2018: $596,652.54</li>
<li>Spent 2022 so far: $327,110.54</li>
</ul>
<p>Though it hasn't filed an expense report since October, there's still a lot of time for the OMA to match or surpass its previous ad buy. Either way, it's poised to be one of the top spenders this year as well, and has a renewed purpose in advocating for doctors during and after the pandemic.</p>
<p>The OMA represents 43,000 working and retired doctors and medical students across Ontario.</p>
<h3>5. Ontario Proud</h3>
<ul>
<li>Spent 2018: $447,411.32</li>
<li>Spent 2022 so far: $0 (unregistered)</li>
</ul>
<p>The powerhouse conservative group is still active, posting anti-<strong>Justin Trudeau </strong>and -<strong>Jean Charest </strong>memes on social media daily. But it hasn't taken an active role in trying to shape Ontario's election so far.</p>
<p>Ontario Proud registered on May 9, 2018.</p>
<h3>6. Ontario Korean Businessmen's Association (OKBA)</h3>
<ul>
<li>Spent 2018: $364,851</li>
<li>Spent 2022 so far: $0 (unregistered)</li>
</ul>
<p>The OKBA leads the <a href="http://saveourstores.ca/about-us/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Save Our Stores</a> (SOS) coalition of convenience store owners, launched in 2017. SOS was highly active during the election and after it, advocating for more government control of contraband tobacco, fewer regulations, lower hydro bills, a freeze on the $15/hour minimum wage increase and for alcohol to be sold in convenience stores.</p>
<p>It was hopeful for the Ford government's plans for all these issues, but the relationship appears to have soured after the election as promises fell by the wayside. Its last news release was in September 2020.</p>
<div id="attachment_402757" style="width: 385px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-402757" class="wp-image-402757 size-medium" src="https://www.qpbriefing.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/SOS-OKBA-375x400.png" alt="" width="375" height="400" srcset="https://old.qpbriefing.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/SOS-OKBA-375x400.png 375w, https://old.qpbriefing.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/SOS-OKBA.png 767w" sizes="(max-width: 375px) 100vw, 375px" /><p id="caption-attachment-402757" class="wp-caption-text">The last four news releases from Save Our Stores.</p></div>
<p>The OKBA registered on May 5, 2018.</p>
<h3>7. Working Families</h3>
<ul>
<li>Spent 2018: $282,500</li>
<li>Spent 2022 so far: $0 (unregistered)</li>
</ul>
<p>Working Families was an alliance of powerful <a href="http://www.workingfamilies.ca/about/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">labour unions</a> created during the <strong>Mike Harris </strong>era. It advocated against the PCs for decades.</p>
<p>It tried and failed in 2021 to get the Ford government's <a href="https://www.qpbriefing.com/2021/06/16/ass-backwards-or-pro-democracy-how-the-third-party-advertising-legislation-shapes-ontario-politics/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">restrictions on third-party spending</a> overturned, and has been inactive since then.</p>
<p>Working Families registered on May 9, 2018.</p>
<h3>8. Unifor</h3>
<ul>
<li>Spent 2018: $211,644.52</li>
<li>Spent 2022 so far: $0</li>
</ul>
<p>Former Unifor head <strong>Jerry Dias </strong>just retired, citing health issues, before it came to light the union was investigating him for an alleged breach of its charter. So they might be occupied for a little bit.</p>
<p>Like many other unions, Unifor is not a fan of the PCs, and spent like it in 2018. But since the election, Dias and Ford had become <a href="https://nationalpost.com/news/politics/unifor-head-jerry-dias-to-lead-group-advising-ontario-on-how-to-fight-u-s-protectionism" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wary cooperators</a>, banding together to fight U.S. protectionism and protect Ontario's auto manufacturing sector.</p>
<h3>9. Ontario Real Estate Association (OREA)</h3>
<ul>
<li>Spent 2018: $202,228.45</li>
<li>Spent 2022 so far: $20,244.19</li>
</ul>
<p>OREA hasn't spent much so far this election, but there's ample time for that to change. The real estate lobby group is led by former PC leader <strong>Tim Hudak</strong>, and is <a href="https://www.qpbriefing.com/2019/05/02/ontarios-new-housing-plan-developers-ecstatic-opposition-concerned-activists-furious/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">all aboard</a> with the Ford government's plan to build more homes.</p>
<h3>10. Police Association of Ontario (PAO)</h3>
<ul>
<li>Spent 2018: $149,361.07</li>
<li>Spent 2022 so far: $0 (unregistered)</li>
</ul>
<p>The PAO didn't endorse a specific party in 2018 but released a rundown of the each one's stance on policing issues. The PAO noted that the PCs were the only party to vote against the Liberals' Bill 175, which it had serious issues with. Its president at the time, <strong>Rob Jamieson</strong>, was a <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=from%3ARobJamieson%20ford&amp;src=typed_query" target="_blank" rel="noopener">supporter of Ford's</a>.</p>
<p data-ogsb="white"><span data-ogsc="black">"In 2018, the PAO's election advertising was focused around a campaign called <i>Keep Ontario Safe</i> that drew attention to the then-government's record on policing regulation,” PAO President <strong>Mark Baxter</strong> told <em>QP Briefing </em>in a statement on Tuesday. “The PAO intends on registering as a third party for the 2022 election, but just like the 2018 election, we will not be endorsing any party."</span></p>
<p>The Tories got an official <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/ottawa-police-union-endorses-pcs-1.4685840" target="_blank" rel="noopener">endorsement</a> from the Ottawa Police Association in 2018.</p>
<p>The PAO registered on May 9, 2018.</p>
<hr />
<h3>All third-party advertisers</h3>
<p>There are 34 registered third-party spenders for the 2022 election as of March 15:</p>
<ul>
<li>Alzheimer Society of Ontario</li>
<li>Association of Canadian Distillers</li>
<li>Building Industry and Land Development Association (BILD)</li>
<li>Canadian Union of Public Employees</li>
<li>Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 966</li>
<li>Charles McVety Report Inc.</li>
<li>Cystic Fibrosis Canada</li>
<li>Daily Bread Food Bank</li>
<li>Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario</li>
<li>Elementary Teachers of Toronto</li>
<li>Environmental Defence Canada</li>
<li>ETFO Durham Teachers' Local</li>
<li>Fair Vote Canada</li>
<li>Justice For Workers</li>
<li>Labourers' International Union of North America, Ontario</li>
<li>Provincial District Council</li>
<li>Leadnow Society</li>
<li>Ontario Association of Food Banks o/a Feed Ontario</li>
<li>Ontario Association of Optometrists</li>
<li>Ontario Autism Coalition</li>
<li>Ontario Chamber of Commerce</li>
<li>Ontario English Catholic Teachers' Association</li>
<li>Ontario Federation of Labour</li>
<li>Ontario Home Builders' Association</li>
<li>Ontario Medical Association</li>
<li>Ontario Nurses' Association</li>
<li>Ontario Real Estate Association</li>
<li>Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation</li>
<li>Ontario Voters Coalition</li>
<li>Peaceful Parks</li>
<li>Peterborough and District Labour Council</li>
<li>Seniors for Climate Action Now! (SCAN!)</li>
<li>The Council of Canadians</li>
<li>Unifor</li>
<li>United Steelworkers (USW)</li>
</ul>
<p>In 2018, there were 59 registered third-party advertisers. Many of them registered in April, May or June, meaning there will likely be more than 34 this year as well.</p>
<ol>
<li>AdvantAge Ontario</li>
<li>Alliance of Manufacturers &amp; Exporters Canada (CME)</li>
<li>Amalgamated Transit Union Canada</li>
<li>An Outraged Ontarian</li>
<li>Animal Alliance of Canada</li>
<li>Apathy is Boring</li>
<li>Association of Municipalities of Ontario</li>
<li>Better Change for Ontario</li>
<li>Board of Canadian Registered Safety Professionals</li>
<li>Campaign For Public Education</li>
<li>Campaign Life Coalition</li>
<li>Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment</li>
<li>Canadian Nurses Association</li>
<li>Canadian Union of Public Employees</li>
<li>Chris MacLeod</li>
<li>Coalition of Concerned Manufacturers in Ontario</li>
<li>Coalition of Ontario Doctors</li>
<li>Dennis Mills</li>
<li>Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario</li>
<li>ETFO Durham Teachers' Local</li>
<li>Fight for $15 and Fairness</li>
<li>GreenPAC</li>
<li>Jim Karahalios</li>
<li>Labourers International Union of North America, Ontario Provincial District Council</li>
<li>Leadnow Society</li>
<li>National Association of Federal Retirees</li>
<li>National Citizens Coalition</li>
<li>North99</li>
<li>Not This Time Coalition</li>
<li>Nurse Practitioners' Association of Ontario</li>
<li>Ontario Clean Air Alliance</li>
<li>Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL)</li>
<li>Ontario Health Coalition</li>
<li>Ontario Home Builders' Association</li>
<li>Ontario Home Care Association</li>
<li>Ontario Kinesiology Association</li>
<li>Ontario Korean Businessmen's Association</li>
<li>Ontario Medical Association</li>
<li>Ontario Nurses' Association</li>
<li>Ontario Proud</li>
<li>Ontario Provincial Council UFCW Canada</li>
<li>Ontario Public Service Employees Union</li>
<li>Ontario Real Estate Association</li>
<li>Ontario Retirement Communities Association</li>
<li>Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation</li>
<li>Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance</li>
<li>Police Association of Ontario</li>
<li>Public Service Alliance of Canada</li>
<li>Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario</li>
<li>Save Ajax Downs</li>
<li>Take Back Your Power Ontario</li>
<li>The Retired Teachers of Ontario</li>
<li>Timothy Bruce McDonald</li>
<li>TTC Riders</li>
<li>Unifor</li>
<li>Vaughan Health Campus of Care</li>
<li>Wellington Water Watchers</li>
<li>Working Families</li>
<li>Working Ontario Women</li>
</ol>


In: food aid. Out: Ontario Proud. How 2022’s third-party ad spending compares to 2018

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