Bill 31 to add 2 new ridings to Alberta
A new bill from the ruling United Conservative Party (UCP) will add two new seats to Alberta and change how electoral boundaries are considered.
Bill 31, the Justice Statutes Amendment Act, 2024, will make amendments to the Electoral Boundaries Commission Act, among other pieces of legislation.
Electoral Boundaries Commission Act
The act outlines how the province's constituencies are created to ensure each Albertan's vote "has relatively the same effect."
If passed, Bill 31 will direct the Electoral Boundaries Commission to create two new ridings in Alberta – for a total of 89 – and change what they may consider in doing so.
Constituencies are legislated to fall generally within more than or less than 25 per cent of the average population of all divisions – or around 56,192 constituents based on July's population data.
The province said nine Alberta ridings currently contain more than 25 per cent than the average.
Bill 31 would also amend the considerations the commission may use in doing that. Those include:
- Population density or sparsity;
- Communities of shared interest, such as municipalities, First Nations or Métis Settlements.
- Geographical features, and communication or transportation between regions;
- The desirability of understandable and clear boundaries;
- The rate of population growth; and
- Any other factors the commission considered appropriate.
Considerations for existing boundaries within Edmonton and Calgary (where possible), as well as other existing municipal boundaries (where possible), would be removed.
Justice Minister Mickey Amery said that means new constituencies could combine smaller municipalities – like St. Albert – with parts of Edmonton.
"If the commission deems it appropriate to connect communities of interest despite the fact that they don't share the same municipal boundary, for example, then that would be OK, because those communities of interest are interconnected in other ways," Amery explained.
"There are certainly multiple areas all across this province that are very closely situated and connected to their major municipal urban centers," he said.
Considerations are not mandatory, and Amery said they are designed to give the commission more "flexibility."
The province said amendments to the act are needed to "ensure effective representation for all Albertans in the legislature" amid significant population growth – reported by the province at 4.4 per cent between July 2023 and 2024.
Amery said the bill is in line with case law and contains similar language and framework as used by British Columbia, which recently increased its number of seats.
Alberta may also be getting a new Electoral Boundaries Commission.
The last one was appointed in 2016, and Amery said a new one could be appointed by the province as early as this fall or as late as October 2026.
"We've not made any decisions whatsoever on what that might consist of or who might be," Amery said.
"But given the work that has to be done … to take in canvassing the entire province, receiving the recommendations and submissions and then providing a report for debate in the legislature. I think it's safe to say that it is likely that we will move sooner rather than later on this."
Population growth was also cited by former Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach in 2010 when the Electoral Boundaries Commission Act was last amended to create four new constituencies.
Other changes
Bill 31 also includes amendments to the following legislation:
- Critical Infrastructure Defence Act
- Alberta Evidence Act
- Public’s Right to Know Act
The Critical Infrastructure Defence Act is responsible for penalties related to trespassing, interference or damage to critical infrastructure.
Amendments will bring in the definitions of that infrastructure – including certain health-care facilities – into the act, allowing the existing Critical Infrastructure Defence Regulation to be repealed.
Changes to the Alberta Evidence Act include allowing people to submit written documents online without visiting courthouse or paying to affirm an oath in person.
Amendments would also eliminate the requirement for a person to object and justify their objection to a religious oath, making it easier to choose a secular oath.
The Public’s Right to Know Act would be amended to give the justice minister the power to require government, municipal and police bodies to provide up-to-date data.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
PM Trudeau 'surprised' provinces unanimous on accelerated defence spending: Ford
Ontario Premier Doug Ford says his fellow provincial leaders are united in pushing for Canada to meet its NATO defence spending targets ahead of schedule, and that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was "surprised" to hear it.
Immigrants take to the streets to protest against the freezing of immigration programmes
In response to the freeze on immigration programmes announced by Ottawa, an organization that defends the rights of immigrants is organising a demonstration in front of the Montreal office of the Quebec Ministry of Immigration, Francisation and Integration early on Saturday afternoon.
Muskoka reacts to major snowfall, Highway 11 still closed
From road closures, power outages, weather declarations and nonstop shovelling, Muskoka residents were faced with nearly a metre of persistent snowfall on Saturday.
One man dead after shooting in Kitchener tiny home community
One man is dead after an afternoon shooting at 49 Ardelt Ave. in Kitchener.
'Disappointing': Toronto speed camera cut down less than 24 hours after being reinstalled
A Toronto speed camera notorious for issuing tens of thousands of tickets to drivers has been cut down again less than 24 hours after it was reinstalled.
A Japanese artist finds solace and global fans with intricate leaf-cutting
A frog holding a taro-leaf umbrella. An Ukiyo-e style Mount Fuji. Giant waves. Japanese artist Lito carves these delicate designs on fallen leaves.
Shopping on Shein and Temu for holiday gifts? You're not the only one.
Welcome to the new online world of impulse buying, a place of guilty pleasures where the selection is vast, every day is Cyber Monday, and an instant dopamine hit that will have faded by the time your package arrives is always just a click away.
Israeli strikes hit southern Lebanon, but tense ceasefire holds
Israeli jets Sunday launched an airstrike over a southern Lebanese border village, while troops shelled other border towns and villages still under Israeli control, Lebanon's state-run National News Agency reported.
A man hid 5 treasure chests worth more than US$2 million across the United States. Here’s how to find them
Inside the chests, searchers can look forward to hopefully locating items such as rare Pokémon cards, shipwreck bounty, sports memorabilia, gold and precious medals.