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All parties have a small number of deregistrations — and they’re usually temporary — but nothing like what we’ve seen with the Green Party

Deputy national campaign manager Craig Cantin said the Greens have “every intention” of having 338 certified electoral district associations (EDAs) in time for the 2015 election, when redistribution of federal electoral boundaries will add 30 federal ridings in Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec.

The party ran 304 candidates in 2011, 303 in 2008 and 308 in both 2004 and 2006, according to Elections Canada.

Mr. Cantin said the pending redistribution explains why so many Green riding associations are disappearing.

“A number of EDAs are deregistering voluntarily so they can reform as the new EDAs,” he said.

But Mr. Jansen doesn’t buy the argument, pointing out that Green associations started vanishing before the redistribution process started in 2012.

Mr. Jansen blames the rise and fall of Green EDAs on how the party distributes its federal funding, which it secured for the first time in 2004 after winning more than 2% of the vote in that year’s election. The party received about $1.75 per vote per year under federal financing laws at the time – a financial windfall of more than $1-million annually.

The Green Party adopted a revenue-sharing agreement that saw a third of funds go to the national party, a third to provincial party organizers and a third to electoral district associations.

This meant money was available to prop up small riding associations across the country, but Mr. Jansen argues the funds were spread too thin across 308 riding associations and most were not sustainable. He’s said the number of Green EDAs has been dropping since 2008, but noted this could actually work in the party’s favour.