Sackville-Beaver Bank MLA Brad Johns is proof a candidate doesn't have to break the bank to win an election.

At $20,133, the Tory politician's campaign was the least expensive of any winning candidate in last year's provincial election, and also much lower than many losing campaigns. The final expenses for Johns and every other candidate were released Thursday in Volume 3 of Elections Nova Scotia's report on the 2017 provincial election.

Johns said a major decision for his team was to not rent space for a campaign office. In some ways, that decision was made for him. Having just come off an unsuccessful campaign for municipal office, Johns didn't have the kind of reserves he might normally have going into a race.

Of the 51 successful candidates in the 2017 provincial election, Brad Johns's campaign in Sackville-Beaver Bank was the least expensive. (CBC)

"We looked at ways to try to run an effective campaign [in] a cost-efficient way," he said.

Using his home and garage as a campaign headquarters meant Johns was also able to save on costs such as phone, lights, computer equipment and internet. He also eschewed traditional advertising forms such as newspapers and radio, opting to focus instead on social media and face-to-face interactions.

"Our biggest cost this election would have been the printed material that we did up."

Johns wasn't the only candidate to operate a modest campaign and come through victorious. The next three lowest totals by winners were Argyle-Barrington Tory candidate Chris d'Entremont ($20,486), former Tory leader Jamie Baillie in Cumberland South ($21,839) and Queens-Shelburne Tory candidate Kim Masland ($21,862).

The election's most expensive winners

At the other end of the spectrum, the most expensive campaign for any winning candidate was NDP Leader Gary Burrill's in Halifax Chebucto at $59,648. Burrill was involved in one of the toughest races in the election, which also ended up being the most expensive, with candidates spending a total of $137,507.

Burrill defeated Liberal incumbent Joachim Stroink, whose campaign cost $48,708. Tory candidate John Wesley Chisholm's campaign came in at $29,040, while Green Party candidate Casey Dylan Meijer spent $111.08.

After Burrill, the most expensive successful campaigns were those of Lenore Zann in Truro-Bible Hill-Millbrook-Salmon River ($57,574), Zach Churchill in Yarmouth ($55,400) and Kelly Regan in Bedford ($53,860).

Premier Stephen McNeil's campaign cost $43,670.

NDP Leader Gary Burrill's 2017 election campaign was the most expensive of any of the winning candidates. (The Canadian Press)

One emerging trend the expense figures show is more and more candidates are paying remuneration for campaign workers. That's not a new thing for NDP campaigns because the party has a policy to pay its workers.

However, more and more Tory and Liberal campaigns are facing that expense and the costs are in some cases on par with or even more than the NDP. Officials with both parties said the trend is the result of mainly two things: it's becoming increasingly difficult to get volunteers, and in communities where the only available volunteers are inexperienced and more seasoned help is required, it can mean compensating people for taking time off work to help run a campaign.

Thursday's report also outlines donations candidates received and from whom. Elections Nova Scotia laws cap donations at $5,000 and require disclosure of anyone who donates $200 or more.

Geoff MacLellan's 2017 election campaign pulled in more donations than any other candidate. (CBC)

Just seven candidates raised more than $20,000, but by far the fundraising powerhouse was Glace Bay Liberal candidate Geoff MacLellan. The government's House leader and minister of Energy and Business raised $50,595, greatly outpacing anyone else.

After MacLellan were Leo Glavine ($36,385), Zach Churchill ($35,800), Tim Houston ($26,234) and Keith Colwell ($26,220).

Karen Casey ($21,800) and Derek Mombourquette ($21,275) were the only other candidates to raise more than $20,000.