Adjustments to the boundaries of 71 electoral districts also recommended

THE BC Electoral Boundaries Commission has published its Preliminary Report with recommendations for changing British Columbia’s provincial electoral districts for the next two provincial general elections.

Key recommendations to the Legislative Assembly include the creation of six additional electoral districts, bringing the total number of seats to 93 from the current 87.

The Commission proposes adding these electoral districts in areas of rapid population growth, specifically Langford, Burnaby, Langley, Surrey, Vancouver and Kelowna.

“British Columbia is a growing province,” said Justice Nitya Iyer, Chair of the Commission, on Monday. “The population has increased by more than 300,000 people over the last five years. Our recommendation to increase the number of electoral districts in B.C. reflects that growth.”

The Commission also recommends adjustments to the boundaries of 71 electoral districts based on the geographic, demographic, communication and transportation considerations set out the in Electoral Boundaries Commission Act.

“Before we began our deliberations, we travelled throughout the province, meeting as many people as we could, seeking input on electoral boundaries. We held 50 public meetings in 43 communities and received over 1,300 submissions,” said Iyer. Our recommendations are the result of the considerations in the Act, the data we collected and the diverse perspectives of British Columbians.”

The Commission’s full recommendations are included in the Preliminary Report, which can be found on the Commission’s website. The Commission has made the executive summary of the report available in 10 languages on its website and has mailed a copy of the Preliminary Report to each of the province’s public libraries.

The Commission will now begin a final round of public consultations. The Commission encourages British Columbians to read our recommendations and share their views. The Commission will consider amending its recommendations in light of the input it receives. Its final report must be released by April 3, 2023.

The Legislative Assembly will then decide whether to accept all, some or none of the Commission’s recommendations.

Public hearings will begin this month in communities throughout the province. British Columbians can also provide input to the Commission by completing the website survey or by writing to the Commission directly by email or post.

All public input must be received by 11:59 p.m. on November 22, 2022.

To read the preliminary report, view the schedule of upcoming public hearings, or provide input on the Commission’s recommendations, visit the Commission website.