In advance of the next B.C. provincial election — set to take place in October 2024 — the British Columbia Electoral Boundaries Commission is reviewing the province’s electoral district boundaries, and inviting input from the public.
B.C. currently has 87 electoral districts, and legislation allows for up to six new ones to be added as part of the review.
The independent and non-partisan Commission was appointed in October 2021 to consider the area, boundaries, and names of British Columbia’s electoral districts for provincial elections, and public input is vital to this process. The Commission makes recommendations to the Legislative Assembly to ensure that each electoral district of B.C. has effective representation. The Commission considers the number of people living in the area, geography, demographics, means of communication, means of transportation, and special circumstances in developing its recommendations.
The Commission is comprised of Justice Nitya Iyer (Chair), Linda Tynan, a local government management consultant, and Anton Boegman, the province’s Chief Electoral Officer. “We welcome input from all British Columbians early in our process,” says Justice Iyer. “It is important for British Columbians to have a voice in how their communities are represented in the legislature.”
To provide input, British Columbians can attend a public meeting in person or virtually, complete an online survey at https://bcebc.ca/, or contact the Commission directly. The deadline for preliminary input is May 31, 2022.
Public meetings are scheduled for the week of March 7 in the Lower Mainland, and meeting dates and times for the rest of the province are being finalized now, and will be published as soon as possible.
All public meetings will be promoted through print, radio, and online advertising in local communities. Check https://bcebc.ca/your-voice/public-meetings/ for more details about where and when meetings will be held around the province.
The Commission must publish its preliminary report by Oct. 21, 2022. After the preliminary report is published there will be another round of public consultation before the Commission submits its final report.
editorial@accjournal.ca
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