The Honourable Judge Ernest J.M. Walter was appointed by the Lieutenant Governor in Council to chair the 2009/2010 Electoral Boundaried Commission on July 21, 2009.
Four members have been appointed to the Commission, in addition to the Chairman. Two members are appointed by the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly on the nomination of the Leader of Her Majesty’s loyal opposition in consultation with the leaders of the other opposition parties represented in the Legislative Assembly, and two are appointed by the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly on the nomination of the President of the Executive Council. The Commission members include Keith Archer, Peter Dobbie, Brian Evans and Allyson Jeffs.
The Electoral Boundaries Commission was appointed on July 31, 2009.
Legislation directs that a Commission was to be appointed by July 31, 2009.
A subsequent Commission is to be appointed during the first session of the Legislature following the 2nd general election after the appointment of this Commission. It shall not be appointed sooner than 8 years, nor later than 10 years, after the appointment of the 2009/2010 Commission.
The last Commission was appointed on March 25, 2002 and submitted its final report of recommendations to the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly on February 3, 2003.
The Electoral Boundaries Commission is established to review the existing electoral boundaries and make proposals to the Legislative Assembly as to the area, boundaries and names of the electoral divisions of Alberta. This review is done to ensure that Albertans have effective representation in the Legislative Assembly.
The Electoral Boundaries Commission Act, Chapter E-3 provides direction to the Electoral Boundaries Commission. Copies are available from the Queen’s Printer Bookstore.
The Electoral Boundaries Commission will review the existing electoral boundaries and make proposals to the Legislative Assembly as to the area, boundaries and names of the electoral divisions of Alberta. This review is done to ensure that Albertans have effective representation in the Legislative Assembly.
The Electoral Boundaries Commission will consult Albertans throughout this process. Public input will be considered by the Electoral Boundaries Commission in making recommendations to the Legislative Assembly.
The Commission is to divide Alberta into 87 proposed electoral divisions by taking the following into consideration:
The population of a proposed electoral division must not vary more than 25% from the provincial average, except in up to four special consideration electoral divisions which may be up to 50% below the provincial average. Proposed special consideration electoral divisions must meet at least three of the criteria detailed in the Electoral Boundaries Commission Act.
The Electoral Boundaries Commission will submit two reports to the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly: an interim report in February 2010 and a final report by July 2010.
Legislation allows for a 25% variance in population from the provincial average. This means that each electoral division must have a population of 37,820, on average, with the exception of up to four special consideration electoral divisions. Special consideration electoral divisions* are allowed a variance of up to 50% below the provincial average (that is, they may have a population as low as 18,910).
The 2006 federal census, excluding people on Indian reserves who didn't participate in the census, results in an Alberta population of 3,290,350. If you divide that by 87, the number of electoral divisions, you will see the average population per electoral division is 37,820. The population in the existing electoral divisions ranges from 23,649 in Dunvegan-Central Peace to 60,511 in Calgary-North West.
Updated population information is available here.
*Proposed special consideration electoral divisions must meet at least three of the criteria detailed in the Electoral Boundaries Commission Act, which include:
Alberta's population has grown to 3,290,350 based on the 2006 Canadian census. Canada census will be used during this review to propose 87 electoral divisions that effectively reflect the population of Alberta (an increase of four electoral divisions). The average electoral division population will be 37,820. Populations of all electoral divisions will be no more than 25% above or below this average. However, up to four special consideration electoral divisions may be proposed with populations up to 50% below the average. Additional population information that reflects recent growth may also be considered as the Commission proceeds with its review.
The list below shows the variance of the population of the existing 83 electoral divisions from the proposed average of 37,820. There are ten electoral divisions that are more than 25% above and one which is more than 25% below this average (excluding the special consideration electoral division of Dunvegan-Central Peace).
| Electoral Division | Population | Variance |
| 1 Dunvegan-Central Peace | 23,649 | -37.5% |
| 2 Calgary-Bow | 40,067 | 5.9% |
| 3 Calgary-Buffalo | 43,312 | 14.5% |
| 4 Calgary-Cross | 38,934 | 2.9% |
| 5 Calgary-Currie | 43,437 | 14.9% |
| 6 Calgary-East | 38,120 | 0.8% |
| 7 Calgary-Egmont | 39,651 | 4.8% |
| 8 Calgary-Elbow | 38,727 | 2.4% |
| 9 Calgary-Fish Creek | 36,971 | -2.2% |
| 10 Calgary-Foothills | 48,056 | 27.1% |
| 11 Calgary-Fort | 37,177 | -1.7% |
| 12 Calgary-Glenmore | 35,719 | -5.6% |
| 13 Calgary-Hays | 47,599 | 25.9% |
| 14 Calgary-Lougheed | 47,456 | 25.5% |
| 15 Calgary-Mackay | 50,307 | 33.0% |
| 16 Calgary-McCall | 51,524 | 36.2% |
| 17 Calgary-Montrose | 35,073 | -7.3% |
| 18 Calgary-Mountain View | 42,932 | 13.5% |
| 19 Calgary-North Hill | 35,509 | -6.1% |
| 20 Calgary-North West | 60,511 | 60.0% |
| 21 Calgary-Nose Hill | 38,267 | 1.2% |
| 22 Calgary-Shaw | 44,613 | 18.0% |
| 23 Calgary-Varsity | 38,365 | 1.4% |
| 24 Calgary-West | 55,571 | 46.9% |
| 25 Edmonton-Beverly-Clareview | 38,537 | 1.9% |
| 26 Edmonton-Calder | 36,786 | -2.7% |
| 27 Edmonton-Castle Downs | 46,538 | 23.1% |
| 28 Edmonton-Centre | 41,299 | 9.2% |
| 29 Edmonton-Decore | 43,483 | 15.0% |
| 30 Edmonton-Ellerslie | 40,067 | 5.9% |
| 31 Edmonton-Glenora | 35,814 | -5.3% |
| 32 Edmonton-Gold Bar | 38,682 | 2.3% |
| 33 Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood | 37,054 | -2.0% |
| 34 Edmonton-Manning | 40,868 | 8.1% |
| 35 Edmonton-McClung | 45,010 | 19.0% |
| 36 Edmonton-Meadowlark | 38,434 | 1.6% |
| 37 Edmonton-Mill Creek | 39,340 | 4.0% |
| 38 Edmonton-Mill Woods | 42,214 | 11.6% |
| 39 Edmonton-Riverview | 36,569 | -3.3% |
| 40 Edmonton-Rutherford | 35,357 | -6.5% |
| 41 Edmonton-Strathcona | 37,724 | -0.3% |
| 42 Edmonton-Whitemud | 56,596 | 49.6% |
| 43 Airdrie-Chestermere | 53,646 | 41.8% |
| 44 Athabasca-Redwater | 36,701 | -3.0% |
| 45 Banff-Cochrane | 37,497 | -0.9% |
| 46 Barrhead-Morinville-Westlock | 35,230 | -6.8% |
| 47 Battle River-Wainwright | 30,403 | -19.6% |
| 48 Bonnyville-Cold Lake | 31,435 | -16.9% |
| 49 Cardston-Taber-Warner | 31,377 | -17.0% |
| 50 Cypress-Medicine Hat | 36,265 | -4.1% |
| 51 Drayton Valley-Calmar | 32,919 | -13.0% |
| 52 Drumheller-Stettler | 33,195 | -12.2% |
| 53 Foothills-Rocky View | 35,297 | -6.7% |
| 54 Fort McMurray-Wood Buffalo | 52,658 | 39.2% |
| 55 Fort Saskatchewan-Vegreville | 38,149 | 0.9% |
| 56 Grande Prairie-Smoky | 40,690 | 7.6% |
| 57 Grande Prairie-Wapiti | 41,532 | 9.8% |
| 58 Highwood | 41,058 | 8.6% |
| 59 Innisfail-Sylvan Lake | 40,017 | 5.8% |
| 60 Lac La Biche-St. Paul | 30,294 | -19.9% |
| 61 Lacombe-Ponoka | 43,382 | 14.7% |
| 62 Leduc-Beaumont-Devon | 42,964 | 13.6% |
| 63 Lesser Slave Lake | 26,943 | -28.8% |
| 64 Lethbridge-East | 36,641 | -3.1% |
| 65 Lethbridge-West | 38,012 | 0.5% |
| 66 Little Bow | 33,770 | -10.7% |
| 67 Livingstone-Macleod | 33,479 | -11.5% |
| 68 Medicine Hat | 38,285 | 1.2% |
| 69 Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills | 34,517 | -8.7% |
| 70 Peace River | 33,692 | -10.9% |
| 71 Red Deer-North | 38,926 | 2.9% |
| 72 Red Deer-South | 45,120 | 19.3% |
| 73 Rocky Mountain House | 34,223 | -9.5% |
| 74 Sherwood Park | 37,936 | 0.3% |
| 75 Spruce Grove-Sturgeon-St. Albert | 44,371 | 17.3% |
| 76 St. Albert | 42,541 | 12.5% |
| 77 Stony Plain | 42,036 | 11.1% |
| 78 Strathcona | 44,392 | 17.4% |
| 79 Strathmore-Brooks | 41,757 | 10.4% |
| 80 Vermilion-Lloydminster | 33,814 | -10.6% |
| 81 West Yellowhead | 30,283 | -19.9% |
| 82 Wetaskiwin-Camrose | 39,330 | 4.0% |
| 83 Whitecourt-Ste. Anne | 33,654 | -11.0% |
Input can be provided by submitting written recommendations for consideration by the Electoral Boundaries Commission, or by presenting views to the Electoral Boundaries Commission during the public hearings, or both. Public consultation is essential to the process and the means for accepting submissions are extensive. Written submissions can be sent through the mail, via electronic mail, and via facsimile machine.
Public hearing locations will be advertised in newspapers and in a brochure that will be delivered to each household in Alberta. Persons or groups who wish to make a presentation at one of the public hearings are asked to register with the Electoral Boundaries Commission office, to ensure that sufficient time will be available to hear from all presenters.
The first round of public hearings will take the Electoral Boundaries Commission members to fourteen locations around the province to facilitate participation of Albertans.
Legislation directs that Alberta will be divided into 87 electoral divisions.
The Commission must take the following into consideration:
The population of a proposed electoral division must not vary more than 25% from the provincial average; that is, the population must be between 28,365 and 47,275. An exception may be made in up to four special consideration electoral divisions which may be up to 50% below the provincial average (that is, they may have a population as low as 18,910).
Proposed special consideration electoral divisions must meet at least three of the criteria detailed in the Electoral Boundaries Commission Act, which include:
The Office of the Electoral Boundaries Commission can be contacted:
After the final report of the Electoral Boundaries Commission is provided to the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, the Speaker will lay the report before the Legislative Assembly. If the Assembly approves, or approves with alterations, the recommendations of the Commission, a Bill will be introduced to establish new electoral divisions. The Bill will come into force on Proclamation and, if enacted, will be effective before the holding of the next provincial general election.
Just let the Commission know you want to speak by contacting the Commission office at least a week ahead of the hearing at which you wish to speak. Click here for contact information.
Yes, you certainly can. All written submissions will be considered. You can submit them by regular mail, facsimile or e-mail. Written submissions should be received at the Commission office by October 13, 2009. Click here for contact information.