Major changes to Alberta’s electoral boundaries are being proposed in the legislature following the release of the final Electoral Boundary Commission report, which includes majority and minority proposals.
The boundaries of Lac Ste. Anne—Parkland, Drayton Valley—Devon, and Athabasca—Barrhead—Westlock face potential major changes, while minor changes are proposed for Central Peace—Notley and West Yellowhead.
If the minority proposals are passed, the recommendations would increase the number of seats in the legislature to 91 from the current 87. The change was recommended by the chair of the commission, tasked with redrawing the election map to match Alberta’s rising population ahead of next year’s provincial election.
That panel had been directed to create no more than two new seats, but Smith says she accepts a recommendation from the chair to go to 91 to ensure rural voters are properly represented.
The change is part of a decision made by Smith’s United Conservative Party government to revisit the panel’s redrawn map.
The Opposition NDP argues the premier is revisiting the ridings to redraw them to gain electoral advantage, a charge Smith denies.
Lac Ste. Anne—Parkland
Notable adjustments are proposed for this division in the minority report, including removing a northeast portion to be added to St. Albert—Sturgeon.
A section west of Highway 33 will move to the current Athabasca—Barrhead—Westlock division, while a section in the east of the division will go to a proposed Edmonton—Spruce Grove boundary.
Chip Lake would be added in the west.
The majority report recommends removing this riding altogether to instead create the Edmonton—Beaumont and Edmonton—Enoch divisions. The change would see the majority of Parkland County moved to a new Drayton Valley—Stony Plain riding in an effort to retain communities of interest while equalizing populations in the area. Other portions of the county would go to Edmonton-Enoch, while sections north of Yellowhead Trail and east of Highway 43 are recommended for inclusion in Spruce Grove.
Edmonton Mayor Andrew Knack submitted comments against the creation of an Edmonton—Enoch riding, stating the needs between urban west Edmonton, Enoch Cree Nation and Parkland County are too diverse to be represented by one MLA.
The commission also says this change would have downstream effects on Barrhead—Westlock—Athabasca, West Yellowhead, St. Albert, and St. Albert—Sturgeon.
Map 66 outlines boundaries for the Lac Ste. Anne—Parkland riding, as proposed in the Electoral Boundaries Commission’s minority report. (Captured from the Alberta Electoral Boundaries Commission Final Report)
The Electoral Boundary Commission’s majority report recommends eliminating the Lac Ste. Anne County—Parkland riding. (Captured from the Alberta Electoral Boundaries Commission Final Report)
Drayton Valley—Devon
If the minority report’s recommendations are adopted, this riding would become Stony Plain—Drayton Valley. Commission members report major changes would be due to it separating Spruce Grove from the current Spruce Grove—Stony Plain riding and moving Devon to a new Edmonton—Enoch division.
This new division would include two medium-sized urban centres, a few smaller urban centres and a large amount of productive farming lands. It also suggests adding the Buck Lake region west of Highway 20 and a small northern extension of Clearwater County, bounded by the North Saskatchewan River.
The majority report recommends similar changes, such as introducing Stony Plain to the riding. It would also see all areas of Leduc County and its municipalities currently in Drayton Valley—Devon to Leduc—Devon in an effort to balance population and unite western Leduc County.
The riding would then include Brazeau County, most of Parkland County, Stony Plain and Drayton Valley.
The Stony Plain—Drayton Valley riding proposed in the Alberta Electoral Boundaries Commission’s majority report. (Captured from Alberta Electoral Boundaries Commission Final Report)
Athabasca—Barrhead—Westlock
The minority report proposes minor changes that would see Buffalo Lake, Kikino Métis Settlements and the Whitefish Lake Reserve added from Fort McMurray—Lac La Biche, adding about 2,100 residents to the riding. The change is intended to offset impacts of the population transferred to Lesser Slave Lake.
The majority report recommends shifting this, along with Fort McMurray—Lac La Biche and Bonnyville—Cold Lake—St. Paul, westward to account for the proposed removal of Lac Ste. Anne—Parkland.
This would see portions of the County of St. Paul moved to Bonnyville—Cold Lake—St. Paul, and portions of Big Lakes County and Woodlands County to Lesser Slave Lake and West Yellowhead.
Portions of Westlock County that are currently in Lac Ste. Anne—Parkland, which is proposed to be dissolved, would be added to this riding, as would portions of Lac Ste. Anne County generally east of Highway 757 and Highway 18.
Finally, all of Smoky Lake County would move to the Fort McMurray—Lac La Biche riding to prevent this riding’s population from becoming too high.
Map 53 outlines boundaries for the Athabasca—Barrhead—Westlock riding, as proposed in the Electoral Boundaries Commission’s minority report. (Captured from the Alberta Electoral Boundaries Commission Final Report)
Map 52 outlines boundaries for the Athabasca—Barrhead—Westlock riding, as proposed in the Electoral Boundaries Commission’s majority report. (Captured from the Alberta Electoral Boundaries Commission Final Report)
Central Peace—Notley
The minority report proposes transferring the northernmost areas to Peace River, and instead receiving the portion of Peace River south of Township Road 822. The riding would also see a population bump from the Sexsmith area and a region north of Highway 43.
The proponents say these changes are intended to maintain the riding as a special-case electoral division, supporting effective representation across a large and sparsely populated region.
The majority of the commission recommends no changes to this riding.
Map 57 outlines boundaries for the Central Peace—Notley riding, as proposed in the Electoral Boundaries Commission’s minority report. (Captured from the Alberta Electoral Boundaries Commission Final Report)
Map 55 outlines boundaries for the Central Peace—Notley riding, as proposed in the Electoral Boundaries Commission’s majority report. (Captured from the Alberta Electoral Boundaries Commission Final Report)
West Yellowhead
While an interim report proposed removing Jasper and the Jasper National Park from the West Yellowhead riding, the final minority report has scrapped that idea. Officials say a significant number of submissions were put forward by residents of Jasper, Hinton and other Yellowhead County areas to highlight the economic inter-connections between Highway 16 communities like Hinton and Edson.
The majority report also recommends retaining the West Yellowhead riding, as the commission mostly agreed that no effective transportation corridor exists between Jasper and Banff, so consolidating their ridings could negatively impact representation of the distinct mountain communities.
With finals from the Canadian Press.
