An interim report on electoral boundaries in Alberta is ruffling some feathers, and making local officials scratch their heads, as the area would be split in ways that would cut municipalities fall in two different constituencies, including the County of St. Paul.
Lac La Biche-St. Paul-Two Hills MLA Dave Hanson described the proposal for the area as being “ridiculous.”
In the interim report, the new electoral boundaries for the Lakeland area are significantly different than they are now. The Town of St. Paul and a small portion of the County of St. Paul would fall into a new constituency, called Fort Saskatchewan-St. Paul, while Elk Point and Saddle Lake would be included in the Bonnyville-Cold Lake constituency, along with the majority of the County of St. Paul.
Lac La Biche would be included in a Fort McMurray-Lac La Biche constituency, which takes in the southern part of the City of Fort McMurray.
Hanson says that when Wildrose representation spoke to the commission in charge of the electoral boundaries, representatives stressed the importance of small rural ridings that weren’t based solely on population.
Then, “They went on and based everything on population.”
Less than 24 hours after the report was released, Hanson said he had already heard feedback from some of the area’s elected officials.
“Everyone is very concerned,” said Hanson.
Thankfully, Hanson says the interim report “isn’t a done deal,” and there will be opportunity for people to voice their feedback on the proposal. Hanson says the next step in the process will include consultation, expected to take place over the summer months.
There will be a chance for people to speak up, he says, adding, he would encourage people to send letter to the commission with feedback.
“We’re losing representation in rural Alberta,” said Hanson. He added that he is disappointed that the new lines would take the communities like Lac La Biche and Elk Point away from the area he oversees now.
“I’d very much like to keep my constituency just the way it is.”
While St. Paul Education Regional Division representatives have yet to sit down and review the interim report, board chair Heather Starosielski says the school board will be discussing the report at its June 14 meeting.
Starosielski said she did take a quick look at the report, and does have some concerns.
Mainly, she notes that she is concerned about a potential loss of timely and adequate access to the elected MLA for the area. MLAs are already difficult to meet and share information and concerns with, and larger ridings are going to make this near impossible, she notes.
Other concerns includes, “erosion of the rural voice at the provincial government level,” and she adds that splitting the county into two ridings will make it difficult to be focused and plan appropriately.
Starosielski says she feels the proposed boundary changes could shift more power to urban centers, whose priorities can be vastly different from rural areas and they could see rural areas being “left behind.”
According to the report, “It is recommended that the boundary of the current electoral division of Fort Saskatchewan-Vegreville extend east to the Saskatchewan border, and thus take in St. Paul, Two Hills and the surrounding area.” The constituency would take in the community of entirety of the town of Tofield, which is currently split between two electoral boundaries. It was also take in the community of New Sarepta (from the current Leduc-Beaumont constituency).
The recommendation keeps Flagstaff County intact, “an important goal given the significant work in which the county is engaged relating to inter-municipal partnerships.”
CAO Sheila Kitz and Reeve Steve Upham confirmed that the County of St. Paul is also involved in a number of municipal partnerships, thanks to the successful application of ACP grants for the region.
“For many projects that includes the County, Town of St. Paul, Town of Elk Point, and the Summer Village of Horseshoe Bay. If their reasoning for keeping Flagstaff together is that, then keeping the County of St. Paul in one constituency would also have merit,” said Kitz.
“We recently received a provincial award for our region’s partnering on Occupational Health and Safety. It will make it more complex for the county to advocate to the province when having to deal with more than one MLA,” explained Kitz.
The report also states that the new borders would result in a “relatively balanced number” when comparing the number of people who live in the City of Fort Saskatchewan, and those who live outside the city. The population of the City of Fort Saskatchewan sits at 24,149.
The resulting population of the Fort Saskatchewan-St. Paul constituency would be 10 per cent above the provincial average.
“This variance is justified because population growth is expected to continue to decline compared to the provincial average rate of growth. The Commission was told the average age of residents in the electoral division is well above that of other Albertans,” reads the report.
Hanson’s fellow Wildrose MLA of the Bonnyville-Cold Lake constituency also offered feedback on the interim report.
“Thursday’s Electoral Boundaries Commission interim report does not provide adequate representation to a wide swath of Albertans,” said Scott Cyr. “It is disappointing that such a large focus was placed on population, when there are so many other factors outlined in the Electoral Boundaries Commission Act that should go into developing riding boundaries.”
For example, the scarcity and density of population should be taken into account, along with common community interests, the number of municipalities, and geographical feature, said Cyr.
In the Bonnyville-Cold Lake riding, boundaries would also change. The new electoral division of Bonnyville-Cold Lake would take in the Air Weapons Range, Saddle Lake, Whitefish (Goodfish) Lake, and the Town of Elk Point.
The constituency would have a total population of just over 50,000 people, which is seven per cent above the provincial average. It is expected that by the time the electoral boundaries are next review, the constituency population will be at or below the provincial average, according to the report.
The report notes that the recommendations do move toward the goal of having constituencies with a smaller geographical size, and shorter travel distances.
“The Wildrose Party will be providing feedback to the commission and expressing our serious concerns in the coming months to ensure rural Albertans are being heard,” added Cyr.
