VANCOUVER - Elections BC has ruled energy giant Kinder Morgan does not need to register as a third party advertiser in the province's civic election campaign.
A Vancouver-area member of Parliament had requested Elections BC look into the issue, saying Kinder Morgan is running advertisements about the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion during the municipal election period.
New Democrat MP Kennedy Stewart said the pipeline proposal is a key campaign issue for several municipalities and he described Kinder Morgan's ads as an attempt to sway voters.
Elections BC rules say anyone who runs ads on an election issue must register as a third party advertiser and disclose costs within 90 days after the Nov. 15 election.
Spokesman Andrew Watson says the monitoring body has looked into the matter, and concluded the advertising in question did not meet the definition of third party advertising.
A spokeswoman from Kennedy's office says Elections BC did take issue with some of Kinder Morgan's online content that made references to a Metro Vancouver mayor, and it has requested the company remove the content.
