The 2009/2010 Alberta Electoral Boundaries Commission Proposed Electoral Division Areas, Boundaries, and Names for Alberta Interim Report to the Speaker ofthe Legislative Assembly ofAlberta February 2010 Ernest M. Walter Members J. Chair KeithArcher PeterDobbie Brian Evans AllysonJeffs Alberta Electoral Boundaries Commission 2009/2010 The Honourable Ken Kowalski Speakerofthe LegislativeAssembly Room 325, Legislature Building 10800 97 Avenue N.W. Edmonton,Alberta T5K2B6 DearMr. Speaker: We have the honour to submit toyou ourinterimreport settingout the areas, boundaries andnames of the 87 electoral divisions we propose for Alberta, together with our reasons for the proposals. This report is submitted as required by section 6(1) of the Electoralboundaries CommissionA.ct, RSA 2000, c.E 3 as amended {th&Acf). The Commissionwas establishedJuly 31, 2009. We are required to submit ourinterim reportwithin seven months ofthe date ofour appointment. We have therefore completed our mandate in regard to section 6(1) oftheAct. Pursuant to section 8(1) ofthe Act, we will be considering any further representations made to us. We intend to hold an additional set ofhearings as appropriate. We will provide our final report to you on orbeforeJuly22, 2010, as requiredbytheAct. Dated atEdmonton,Alberta, this 24th day ofFebruary, 2010. Digitized by the Internet Archive 2015 in https://archive.org/details/proposedelectoraOOalbe 81 INDEX PAGE Letter ofTransmittal i Index ii Acknowledgements iii INTRODUCTION Establishingthe Commission 1 The Law 1 2006 Canada Census Results and More RecentPopulation Information 3 PUBLIC CONSULTATION Comments Received 5 NumberofElectoral Divisions 5 RepresentationbyPopulation 5 SpecialConsiderationDivisions 6 Rural/Urban Perspectives 6 No Change 7 Alternative Forms ofRepresentation 7 IndividualDivisionBoundaries 8 THEALBERTACONTEXT PopulationDistribution 8 Distribution ofDivisions 9 INTERIM RECOMMENDED DIVISIONS PrimaryFactors forElectoralDivisionBoundaries 1 Are Metes and Bounds Descriptions Necessary? 13 BoundaryChanges 14 Populations ofInterim Recommended Divisions 16 SpecialConsiderationDivisions 1 ISSUES FORFUTURE CONSIDERATION FutureTrends 20 Constimency Offices 20 Updated Population Information 21 APPENDICES A—Alberta ElectoralBoundaries Commission MinorityPosition 23 B-ListofPresenters -FirstRound Public Hearings 27 C -List ofSubmitters -FirstRoundWritten Submissions 31 D -ElectoralBoundaries CommissionAct ChapterE-3 40 E-Proposed ElectoralDivisions - Maps 44 ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Commission acknowledges the advice and suggestions provided at the hearings and in written submissions fromAlbertans. The Commission alsowishes to acknowledge the support services provided by: • LoriMcKee-Jeske and the staffofElections Alberta • Bill Hyshka and Todd Chorney ofthe Office ofBudget and Fiscal Planning,Alberta Finance andEnterprise • Communications Services, House Services, Hansardstaff, and Senior Parliamentary Counsel ofthe LegislativeAssembly Office • Alberta Municipal Affairs and several municipalities for assistance with 2009 population information • the staffoftheAirTransportation Service,AlbertaTreasuryBoard, and Tom • Forgrave. FURTHER CONSULTATION The Commission has found it very interesting and challenging to weigh the concerns and relevant factors put before it during the preparation ofthis interim report. The Commission is interested in receiving advice and suggestions on the electoral divisions proposed in this interimreport. Your submissionwillbe mostusefulifit • identifies the proposed electoral division thatyou are concerned about • specifies your concerns • proposes solutions to address your concerns • reviews the effect ofyour solutions onneighbouringproposed electoral divisions Please send written submissions by April 2, 2010, and indicate ifyou wish to appear and be heard at the public hearings which will be scheduled during the periodApril12 toApril30 as required. Sendyour submission to: AlbertaElectoralBoundaries Commission Suite 100, 11510 KingswayAvenue EdmontonAlberta T5G 2Y5 Ph: 780 638 3132 Fax: 780 422 2900 (Fortoll free service, dial 310-0000 and the numberabove) Email: [email protected] iii INTRODUCTION ESTABLISHINGTHE COMMISSION This Electoral Boundaries Commission was established onJuly 31, 2009. HonourableJudge Ernest M. Walter, former Chief Judge of the Provincial Court of Alberta was appointed by the J. Lieutenant Governor in Council as Chair. Appointed as members, by the Honourable Ken Kowalski, Speakerofthe Legislative Assembly, were: KeithArcher, Banff PeterDobbie, Vegreville BrianEvans, Calgary AllysonJeffs, Edmonton The Commission was appointed, and has carried out its work, under the provisions ofthe Electoral boundaries CommissionA.ct (Revised Statutes ofAlberta, 2000, Chapter E-3 as amended and referred to in this report as theAct). Also under theA.ct, Lori McKee-Jeske, Acting ChiefElectoral Officer ofAlberta,was responsible forprovidingadvice, information and assistance to the Commission. The first meeting ofthe Commission was held on Tuesday, August 18, 2009, and deliberations have continued since then. In late August the Commission distributed a brochure to all households in Alberta explainingits workandinvitingwritten comments and appearances atits public hearings. As required by the Act, the Commission held a series of public hearings across the province in September and October. Complete transcripts and audio files of the hearings, as well as written submissions received, are available on the Commission's website at www.altaebc.ab.ca. A list of persons making presentations at the hearings is provided in Appendix B. The Commission has considered the submissions made to it in writing and during the hearings and is now issuing its Interim Report. In a second series ofpublic hearings, to be scheduled as required duringthe period April 12 to 30, 2010, the Commission will receive comments on this report and will issue its Final ReportbyJuly22, 2010. In undertaking its work, the Commission has been guided by the requirements ofthe Act, relevant decisions of the courts, advice received at the public hearings and in written submissions, and by common sense. THE LAW TheActdirects the Commission to divide the province into 87 electoral divisions, with a population within 25% ofthe provincialaverage,in awaythatwiU ensure effective representation forAlbertans. The^<;/provides as follows: 13 The Commission shaUdivideAlbertainto 87 proposed electoral divisions. RSA2000 cE-3 sl3;2009 cl9 s4 15(1) The population ofa proposed electoral division must not be more than 25% above nor more than 25% below the average population ofall the proposed electoral divisions. 1 To assist in ensuring effective representation, the Act also provides that up to four special consideration electoral divisions may have populations as much as 50% below the provincial average: 15(2) Notwithstanding subsection (1), in the case of no more than 4 of the proposed electoral divisions, if the Commission is of the opinion that at least 3 of the following criteria exist in a proposed electoral division, the proposed electoral division mayhave a population thatis as much as 50% below the average population ofaU the proposed electoral divisions: a) the area ofthe proposed electoral division exceeds 20,000 square kilometres or the total surveyed area ofthe proposed electoral division exceeds 15,000 square kilometres; b) the distance from the Legislature Building in Edmonton to the nearest boundary of the proposed electoral division by the most direct highway route is more than 150 kilometres; c) there is no town in the proposed electoral division that has a population exceeding 8,000 people; d) the area of the proposed electoral division contains an Indian Reserve or a Metis Settiement; e) the proposed electoral division has a portion ofits boundary coterminous with aboundary ofthe Province ofAlberta. (3) For the purpose of subsection (2)(c), The Municipality of Crowsnest Pass is not a town. RSA 2000 cE-13 sl5;2009 cl9 s5 The Act also references the guarantee of effective representation found in the Canadian Charter of RightsandFreedomsand Hsts factorswhich mustbe considered. 14 In determining the area to be included in and in fixing the boundaries ofthe proposed electoral divisions, the Commission, subject to section 15, maytake into consideration any factors it considers appropriate, but shall take into consideration (a) the requirement for effective representation as guaranteed by the Canadian CharterofRightsandFreedoms, (b) sparsityand densityofpopulation, (c) common community interests and community organizations, including those ofIndian reserves andMetis settlements, (d) wherever possible, the existing community boundaries within the cities ofEdmonton and Calgary, (e) whereverpossible, the existingmunicipal boundaries, (f) the number ofmunicipalities and otherlocal authorities, geographical features, includingexistingroad systems, and (g) (h) the desirabilityofunderstandable and clearboundaries. 1990 cE-4.01 sl6;1993 c2 sl2;1995 clO sl2 Section 3 ofthe Canadian CharterofRightsandFreedoms states: "Every citizen ofCanada has the right to vote in an election ofmembers ofthe House ofCommons or ofa legislative assembly and to be qualified formembership therein." 2