The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) today released documents obtained via a Freedom of Information Act request showing this spring’s Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) conference cost taxpayers more than $1 million.

The documents show that Vancouver taxpayers put in $750,000, Metro Vancouver $100,000, and seven public agencies were among $234,500 in sponsors (BC Hydro, Vancouver Airport Authority, TransLink, etc.). Add $391,407 in registration fees – the vast majority of which were paid by municipalities across the country. The million-dollar total does not include attendees’ flights, accommodations, per-diems or other expenses charged back to individual municipalities.

“This was one pricy party, er, networking event, as the politicians like to call it,” said Jordan Bateman, the B.C. Director of the CTF.

A total of $1.17 million was spent on the conference including a full-time event planner for more than a year at $122,904, $19,129 in gift umbrellas, and $213,005 in “décor, AV, and entertainment” costs billed by an outside company.

The Mayor’s Reception alone cost $143,779. This included:

•       $96,037 for food
•       $6,206 for wine
•       $3,094 for beer
•       $2,907 for liquor
•       $1,220.75 in alcohol taxes
•       $56.50 for non-alcoholic drinks

“That $56.50 is not a misprint,” said Bateman. 

Given the expense of events like this, the CTF questioned the need for so many of them.

“We have FCM, the Big City Mayors’ Caucus, the Union of BC Municipalities, the Lower Mainland Local Government Association, Metro Vancouver, the B.C. Mayors’ Caucus and all the other regional districts and associations,” said Bateman. “We understand there are issues that need to be discussed across city lines, but in this age of video conferencing, are all these big, expensive events really necessary?”

To see all the documents disclosed under the FOI request, click here.