Tuesday is the deadline for public input on the proposed changes to B.C.’s electoral districts.
The B.C. Electoral Boundaries Commission wants to hear from individual voters to provide feedback and help the commission finalize its plans to change the physical boundaries of some of its districts.
“Public input from people across the province is vital to our process,” said Justice Nitya Iyer, Chair of the Commission. “We encourage anyone who has not already provided input to do so before the deadline by filling out our website survey or by writing to us directly.”
Submissions can be made by email directly through the BCEBC website.
In its preliminary report, released Oct. 3, the B.C. Electoral Boundaries Commission is recommending that Prince George be divided into three districts for the next two provincial elections.
The new Prince George-Cariboo riding would take in the southern half of the College Heights neighbourhood and Westgate subdivision and would include Quesnel, Wells, Likely, Stoner, Hixon, Soda Creek and Horsefly.
Prince George-Mackenzie would include Cranbrook Hill, Heritage, North Nechako, Hart and Shady Valley neighbourhoods in the city, as well as Mud River, the lakes areas west and northwest of P.G. and would also include Shelley, Salmon Valley, Summit Lake, Bear Lake, McLeod Lake and Mackenzie.
Prince George-Valemount would encompass downtown Prince George, South Fort George, Charella Gardens, northern College Heights, Valemount, McBride, Tete Jaune Cache, Blue River and the northernmost part of the North Thompson River area.
The preliminary report is available online.
With a current population of 76,708, Prince George is by far the largest city in the region and all four Prince George and Cariboo electoral districts cover sparsely-populated areas.
The commission also recommends that B.C. keep all six of its current ridings in the North region, with no adjustments to the boundaries. It proposes to add six new electoral districts in Langford, Burnaby, Langley, Surrey, Vancouver and Kelowna – all of which have experienced significant population growth.
B.C. has added close to 300,000 residents in the past five years, which has swelled the province’s population to 5,000,879 in 2022. The proposed electoral map would have 93 electoral districts, up from the current 87.
The commission must file its final report to the Legislative Assembly by April 3.
