Employees and tenants of Woodward enthusiastically donated to 2018 Council bid

After his successful 2018 campaign for Langley Township Council, Eric Woodward, like any candidate, filed financial disclosures with Elections BC. Unlike other candidates, Woodward’s disclosure tells a curious story. According to the disclosure, he and 56 other people donated to his 2018 campaign. Examining the relationships between Woodward and these donors reveals an atypical pattern in donor profiles.

Not surprisingly, many of Mayor Woodward’s friends and business partners appear on the list of contributors. However, there seems to be another substantial group of people who donated to Woodward’s campaigns that are more unusual to find – tenants and employees.

Workplace friends

It’s nice to be liked by your employees, but entirely another thing to receive substantial campaign contributions from them. At most jobs, cash flows from boss to employee. But, looking at Woodward’s disclosure, donations were flowing generously from employees at his firm Statewood Properties Ltd into his campaign coffers. Woodward must be a very generous boss because at least three current or former employees of Statewood Properties and subsidiaries gave the maximum donation of $1200.

Out of respect for privacy, The Monitor will not name the employees here – but all three can be confirmed via a quick Google search against the campaign disclosure statements. In addition to the three, The Monitor understands two additional employees of Mr. Woodward (via Statewood) gave the maximum contribution, however public documentation of employment status is not available.

Tip your landlord

Even more grateful and generous than his employees are Mr. Woodward’s tenants: At least eight of them made significant donations to his 2018 campaign. Thanks to the tenants of his many rental properties, the 2018 Woodward campaign pulled-in thousands of dollars. Campaigns and their volunteers often have to reach out to hundreds of local supporters to raise that kind of money.

Campaign finance woes

Woodward’s unorthodox campaign finance practices have not gone unnoticed by regulatory bodies. In 2022, he was fined by Elections BC for accepting an overcontribution during the municipal elections. This was a couple who made multiple donations to both municipal and school board Woodwardian candidates. The mistake was explained-away as an administrative error, which conjures up more questions than confidence.

Campaign finance disclosures are made public to enable pattern recognition. The pattern here is that individuals who have a direct financial relationship with Woodward through employment or tenancy represent an abnormally large portion of his fund-raising base: collectively, the campaign raised over $10,000 from them. In a civic council race where many candidates lack financial firepower, this is enough to move the needle.

While it is not illegal for employees or tenants to donate to their employer’s or landlord’s campaign – provided they have not been reimbursed by the candidate, which would be a violation of the Local Elections Campaign Financing Act – it does create an environment where the lines between personal and professional relationships are blurred. Sound familiar?