Green Party pays off $1M campaign debt

The Green Party of Canada says it is back in the green after paying off its $1-million campaign debt.

The Greens endured one of their worst defeats in the April 2025 election. For the first time in 25 years the party's national vote share dropped below two per cent, which meant it could not qualify for a 50 per cent rebate of eligible expenses from Elections Canada.

The party's co-leader, Jonathan Pedneault, failed to secure a seat and resigned. After their electoral defeat, the Greens turned their attention to paying off a $750,000 bank loan and another $250,000 in outstanding expenses.

"I think it's pretty darn great that between the end of April and Dec. 31, Green Party of Canada paid out in cash a million dollars," Leader Elizabeth May said in an interview with CBC News.

May added in 2025 the Green Party raised well over $3 million.

Elections Canada has not posted final fundraising figures for 2025.

The news comes as the federal Leader's Debates Commission said it reached a settlement with the Green Party, after the party challenged in court its exclusion from the spring election debates.

The commission said at the time that it made the decision because the party was not running candidates in enough ridings. The details of the settlement were not provided.

May said she could not disclose what the agreement entails but reiterated the campaign debt was paid off through party donations.

As the Greens focus on 2026, the party will soon turn their attention to selecting a new leader. A date or timeline for the race has not been announced.

May said she intends to run again in the next election as an MP in her Vancouver Island seat, but won't run in her party's leadership race.