Oilers owners Daryl Katz, his company, family and employees combined to give $300,000 to the Progressive Conservatives in April’s election.

While the arena deal is on hold, prior to city council suspending negotiations the deal hinged on $100 million in provincial funds.

The donations were all disclosed in Elections Alberta reports Wednesday. Katz donated $30,000 as did his company the Katz group, along with several families members and Katz employees.

NDP Leader Brian Mason called the donations troubling.

“We better watch out for the shoe to drop, because I think Daryl Katz is going to be getting his $100 million.”

Wildrose leader Danielle Smith agreed the donations were interesting, but said she doubts the $100 million the Katz group is seeking is coming.

“I think it would raise a lot of eyebrows Ms. Redford did change her publicly stated position.”

Prior to this past election Katz and his companies made more modest donations, giving $4,250 from the Katz Group in 2011 and $11,375 in 2010 through Medicine Shoppe Canada, which the Katz group then owned. There appear to have been no donations in the 2008 campaign.
Premier Alison Redford’s spokesperson Kim Misik said the donations have no impact on the premier’s position that Edmonton can use grants, but no other money is forthcoming.

“What she has always said is that [Municipal Sustainability Initiative] is a funding envelope to use and it is a local decision to use as municipalities see fit.”