Media

Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for Alberta Begins
the Process of Readjusting Boundaries

CALGARY, Monday, March 26, 2012 – The Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for Alberta, recently established, has begun its review of the province's federal electoral districts. The three-person commission is headed by the Honourable Carole M. Conrad and commissioners Ms. Donna Wilson and Mr. Ed Eggerer.

The Alberta Commission is one of 10 independent federal electoral boundaries commissions created by law to redraw the boundaries of Canada's federal electoral districts.

The work of readjusting Alberta's federal electoral boundaries is not simply a mathematical exercise whereby each electoral district ends up with roughly the same number of people, but rather a balancing act that must take into consideration communities of interest or identity as well as a district's history and geographic size.

Alberta's population has increased from 2,974,807 in 2001 to 3,645,257 in 2011, and the Commission is currently formulating a proposal for Alberta's 34 seats in the House of Commons to reflect the population growth and shifts.

The Alberta Commission will publish its proposal outlining the new electoral map in a few months, and public hearings will follow at various locations across the province. Advertisements in newspapers and on the Commission's website will notify Albertans of the dates, time and place of these hearings where groups and individuals can participate in the process and share their opinions.

The public hearings and input from the electorate had a great impact on the electoral boundaries created by the last commission in 2002. In order to involve the public as soon as possible in the process, the Commission is inviting citizens to participate in creating the initial proposal by providing their comments by e-mail or mail before 4:00 p.m. on April 16, 2012.

To learn more about the redistribution of Alberta's federal electoral districts, visit www.federal-redistribution.ca.

Information:

Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for Alberta
Harry Hays Building
220 4th Avenue Southeast, Suite 168
Calgary, Alberta
T2G 4X3

1-855-747-7232 (toll-free)
alberta@rfed-rcf.ca