Both the New Democrats and the federal Liberals posted their best fundraising results in a decade last year — significantly eroding the Conservatives' cash advantage just as an election is looming.

Still, the governing party raised $20.1 million last year, its third-best result in 10 years and considerably more than either of the opposition parties.

The NDP raked in $9.5 million and the Liberals $15.8 million, according to quarterly financial reports filed with Elections Canada.

The Conservatives have ruled the federal fundraising roost since 2004, when individual donations were capped at $5,000 a year and union and corporate donations were severely restricted.

The Tories tightened the screws further in 2007, capping individual donations at $1,000 (indexed to inflation) and banning corporate and union donations outright.

The Conservatives, least reliant on wealthy individuals, corporations and unions, were able for years to routinely pull in more donations than the two opposition parties combined.