Possible electoral boundary changes “concerning”

PRINCE GEORGE – The Province has struck a new electoral boundaries commission, charged with the task of looking at the makeup of the province’s 87 ridings.

“After two general elections, the Electoral Boundaries Commission is struck,” explains Chris Beach, political expert. “They are given the task of providing recommendations to the government on updating the electoral boundaries. Adding ridings, for example, if there’s been a population increase.”

Around eight years ago, the Liberal government enacted legislation to lock in 17 ridings in the Cariboo-Thompson, the Columbia-Kootenays, and the north, including the two that represent this community, Prince George-Mackenzie and Prince George-Valemount. It meant these 17 ridings could not be eliminated. Last June, the current government did away with those protections.

“If we see a reduction in ridings in rural and remote communities, it is very difficult to serve ridings that have enormous geographic boundaries,” says Shirley Bond, MLA for Prince George-Valemount, a riding that is 31,539 square kilometres in size with a population of about 47,000. “That is a concern for me. I also, at the same time, respect the fact that there is a lot of growth in the Vancouver and Metro Vancouver areas. So that has to be considered as well.”