2022 Canadian federal electoral redistribution

The Constitution of Canada requires that federal electoral districts which compose the House of Commons undergo a redistribution of boundaries following each decennial Canadian census.[1] The redistribution process was set to begin in October 2021; it is expected to be completed in September 2023. It is based on data obtained during the 2021 Canadian census.[2]

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The changes to federal electoral district boundaries may take effect at the earliest in 2024.[3] If the next federal election occurs before the new electoral boundaries have been established, it will occur with the current electoral district boundaries, which have been in effect since the 2015 federal election was called on August 4, 2015.[4][5]

The current redistribution formula for federal electoral districts which compose the House of Commons is set out in Section 51 of the Constitution Act, 1867[6] and the Electoral Boundaries Readjustment Act. The formula in Section 51 was amended to its current form in 2012 by the Fair Representation Act. Section 52 permits additional seats to be added to the House of Commons provided proportionate representation between the provinces is maintained.[6]

To redistribute the electoral boundaries within each province, ten independent electoral boundary commissions will be established, one for each province. The commissions are composed of three members, one appointed by the chief justice of each province, and two members appointed by the Speaker of the House of Commons.[7][8] Nunavut, the Northwest Territories and the Yukon do not require commissions as each territory is allotted only a single member of the House of Commons, resulting in the entirety of the each territory being a single electoral district.[1][9]

Seat change

The allocation of seats to the provinces and territories is based on rules in the Constitution of Canada as well as estimates of the Canadian population on July 1, 2021 made by Statistics Canada.[2] The Chief Electoral Officer announced the allocation of seats on 15 October 2021.[3] The House of Commons called for the rules for apportioning seats to be amended in a non-binding motion passed in March 2022.[10][11] No alternate rules were proposed, but a government spokesperson said they were considering other options to permit Quebec to maintain its current seats.[10]

Allocation of seats in the House of Commons (current redistribution formula)
Province or territory Current seats Current redistribution formula[3] Change
 Ontario 121 122 1
 Quebec 78 77 1
 British Columbia 42 43 1
 Alberta 34 37 3
 Manitoba 14 14
 Saskatchewan 14 14
 Nova Scotia 11 11
 New Brunswick 10 10
 Newfoundland and Labrador 7 7
 Prince Edward Island 4 4
 Northwest Territories 1 1
 Nunavut 1 1
 Yukon 1 1
 Canada 338 342 4

Potential changes to seat distribution

Notwithstanding the Chief Electoral Officer's announcement, Parliament retains certain power to amend the Constitution Act, 1867 and thus the redistricting process.[12] Such a change occurred during the last redistribution.[9] Amendments affecting proportionate representation between the provinces, however, require support of seven provinces representing at least 50% of the population of Canada.[12]

Several days after the Chief Electoral Officer's announcement of the allocation, Quebec provincial Minister of Justice Sonia LeBel said that Quebec's "special status" as Canada's "only francophone province" meant that the province must not lose any seats.[13][14] LeBel said the province represents one of the "founding peoples of Canada" saying that represents much more than "a simple calculation of population".[14] In November 2021, both the Premier of Quebec François Legault and the opposition Bloc Québécois also called for Quebec to maintain its current number of seats of 78.[15][16]

The same month, The Toronto Star editorial board called for further seats to be added in Ontario, British Columbia and Alberta, to provide fair representation for voters in those provinces.[17] It also said calls to institute a minimum threshold of seats for Quebec should be rejected.[17] The Globe and Mail's editorial board also called on Parliament to add additional seats to ensure the principle of "one person, one vote" would be realized.[18]

On March 2, 2022, the House of Commons called for the rules for apportioning seats to be amended in a non-binding motion.[19][10][11] The motion was introduced by the Bloc to avoid Quebec losing a seat in the House of Commons.[20] Following the vote, a government announced it would reject any scenario where Quebec loses a seat and would be working on a way to the current number of Quebec seats will be maintained.[10] Following the announcement, Conservative MP Michelle Rempel Garner said that the decision could contribute to western alienation and raised new questions about Canada’s electoral system.[21] She said Conservatives should consider advocating for the adoption of proportional representation.[20][21]

On March 24, 2022, the government tabled legislation to prevent Quebec (or any other province) from losing any seats relative to the number of seats it was apportioned in 2012 Canadian federal electoral redistribution.[22][23] If passed into law, Bill C-14 would amend Rule 2 of subsection 51(1) of the Constitution Act, 1867, commonly known as the "Grandfather Clause".[24][25]

Initial reports

British Columbia

On May 2, 2022, the Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for British Columbia released their initial report, proposing the following ridings:[26]

Nova Scotia

On April 27, 2022, the Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for Nova Scotia released their initial report, proposing the following ridings:[27]

Prince Edward Island

On May 2, 2022, the Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for Prince Edward Island released their initial report, proposing the following ridings:[28]

  • Cardigan: Loses all of its territory in North Shore and the North Shore Fire District, plus everything west of Highway 6 between them to Malpeque.
  • Charlottetown: No boundary changes proposed.
  • Egmont: Gains the Bedeque area plus some areas east and southeast of Summerside from Malpeque.
  • Malpeque: Gains the remainder of North Shore and the North Shore Fire District, plus everything west of Highway 6 between them from Cardigan; Loses the Bedeque area plus some areas east and southeast of Summerside from Malpeque.

See also

References
  1. Canada, Elections (2021-08-13). "Redistribution of Federal Electoral Districts 2022". www.elections.ca. Retrieved 2021-08-16.
  2. Canada, Elections (2021-08-12). "Timeline for the Redistribution of Federal Electoral Districts". www.elections.ca. Retrieved 2021-08-16.
  3. "New House of Commons Seat Allocation" (Press release). Gatineau: Elections Canada. 15 October 2021. Retrieved 15 October 2021.
  4. Proclamation declaring the Representation Order to be in Force effective on the First dissolution of Parliament that Occurs after May 1, 2014, SI/2013-102 , reported in the Canada Gazette, Part II, Vol. 147, Extra, October 5, 2013
  5. "Proclamation Issuing Election Writs" (PDF). Canada Gazette Part II. 149. August 4, 2015. Retrieved October 22, 2015.
  6. The Constitution Act, 1867, 30 & 31 Victoria (U.K.), c. 3, https://canlii.ca/t/ldsw retrieved on 2019-03-14.
  7. Canada, Elections (2021-08-13). "The role of the electoral boundaries commissions in the federal redistribution process". www.elections.ca. Retrieved 2021-08-16.
  8. Aiello, Rachel (2021-10-15). "House of Commons will get 4 additional seats as early as 2024". CTV News. Retrieved 2021-10-15.
  9. Qualter, Terence; Wilson, John (2015-09-18). "Redistribution of Federal Electoral Districts". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Retrieved 2021-11-05.
  10. CBC News (4 March 2022). "Ottawa to protect number of Quebec Commons seats, stop province from losing MP". CBC News. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
  11. Staples, David (4 March 2022). "Votes in Quebec should not count for more than votes in Alberta, B.C. and Ontario". Edmonton Journal. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
  12. Bryden, Joan (5 November 2021). "Ottawa needs support from majority of provinces to guarantee Quebec's share of Commons seats". CBC News. Retrieved 5 November 2021.
  13. Yakabuski, Konrad (20 October 2021). "House of Commons redistribution proposal is a time bomb for Justin Trudeau". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  14. Lévesque, Catherine (20 October 2021). "Quebec will push not to lose seat in House of Commons". The Montreal Gazette. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  15. Woolf, Marie; Serebrin, Jacob (22 October 2021). "Quebec premier says Trudeau must ensure province does not lose a seat". CBC News. Retrieved 7 December 2021.
  16. Coyne, Andrew (26 November 2021). "Quebec objects to one person, one vote in principle. Canada merely fails to practise it". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  17. Star Editorial Board (26 November 2021). "Voters in Ontario, B.C. and Alberta don't get fair representation in Parliament. That must change". The Toronto Star. Retrieved 7 December 2021.
  18. Editorial Board (20 November 2021). "One person, one vote is the basis of democracy. How about bringing it to Canada?". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 7 December 2021.
  19. "JOURNALS". www.ourcommons.ca. 2022-03-02. Retrieved 2022-03-26.
  20. Woolf, Marie (4 March 2022). "Feds to protect number of Quebec's Commons seats to ensure province doesn't lose MP". Global News. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
  21. Rempel Garner, Michelle (4 March 2022). "It's time for Conservatives to rethink proportional representation". Western Standard. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
  22. Woolf, Marie (24 March 2022). "Liberals table bill to protect number of Quebec seats in Parliament, a condition of deal with NDP". National Post. Retrieved 25 March 2022.
  23. Levitz, Stephanie (24 March 2022). "Liberal-NDP deal might change which riding you are in". Toronto Star. Retrieved 25 March 2022.
  24. "The representation formula". Elections Canada. 2022. Retrieved 26 March 2022.
  25. "C-14: An Act to amend the Constitution Act, 1867 (electoral representation)". Parliament of Canada. 2022. Retrieved 25 March 2022.
  26. "Commentary". Federal Electoral Districts Redistribution 2022. May 2, 2022. Retrieved 2 May 2022.
  27. "Introduction". Federal Electoral Districts Redistribution 2022. April 27, 2022. Retrieved 28 April 2022.
  28. "A New Federal Electoral Map is Taking Shape for Prince Edward Island". Federal Electoral Districts Redistribution 2022. May 2, 2022. Retrieved 2 May 2022.


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