Elections B.C. says billionaire Chip Wilson contravened third-party election advertising rules when he put up signs in front of his Vancouver mansion last year, one of which said the NDP is “communist.”
A letter to the Lululemon founder from Elections B.C. says three signs he put up in front of his home during the 2024 provincial election period constituted third-party advertising that required him to register under the Elections Act.
The letter says Wilson co-operated during the Elections B.C. investigation and did end up registering on Oct. 10, 2024.
Elections B.C. investigations director Adam Barnes says in the letter that Wilson must pay a penalty of $600 for contravening the Election Act.
It said the probe began early last October after a sign appeared outside Wilson’s mansion — which has an assessed value of more than $82 million — bearing a message that read, “[Premier David Eby] will tell you the Conservatives are ‘Far Right’ but neglects saying that the NDP is ‘Communist.'”
‘May have been unaware’: Elections B.C.
Elections B.C. said two other signs were placed in front of the home, but only one included an authorization statement required by B.C. election regulations.
The second sign stated, “Voters seem to forget when Eby ‘gives’ us money, it is the Voters’ money he has already taken.”
The third sign, which included an authorization statement, said, “If Eby and the NDP cannot balance the Provincial budget, what right does he have to tell us how to live our lives?”
Documents filed by Wilson with Elections B.C. said he spent $1,650 on the signs.
Chip Wilson, pictured in 2022, must pay a $600 fine for contravening the Elections Act. (Justine Boulin/CBC)
The maximum penalty for the contravention is $10,000, but the agency’s letter said Wilson “may have been unaware” of the registration requirement as a first-time advertising sponsor.
The signs had “significant exposure and reach,” but Wilson brought himself into compliance by registering after Elections BC contacted him, and he answered the agency’s questions in a “timely” manner, the letter said.
It said Wilson has 40 days to pay the $600 penalty.
Wilson did not immediately respond to requests for comment through his personal website or by phone on Wednesday.
At the time the signs were on display, Premier David Eby said, “When you are so rich that the Red Hot Chili Peppers play your birthday party, it’s possible to lose perspective.”
The first sign and Wilson’s home, which is the most expensive residential property in B.C., were vandalized with spray paint calling the Lululemon founder a “selfish billionaire.”
Message amplified
University of British Columbia political science lecturer Stewart Prest says getting the balance right in terms of enforcing the rules can be challenging. He says it’s clear that Wilson was contravening the Elections Act, so a penalty was in order.
But handing out a $600 fine to a billionaire can be perceived as a slap on the wrist and the attention given to the penalty allows Wilson to further amplify his message, he said.
“There is a reality that one can only go so far in terms of these fines because we don’t want to place a chill on free expression,” Prest said.
“We don’t want people to be concerned that trying to get involved in the conversation will lead to dramatic monetary penalties, but when we’re dealing with someone like Chip Wilson, I do think there may be a sense that it’s not enough.”
