A recommendation coming forward from the Electoral Boundaries Commission yesterday afternoon (May 25th) could mean big change for Cochrane and surrounding area for the 2019 provincial election.

Alberta Electoral Boundaries Commission has been reviewing population distribution to ensure each constituency has fair representation. One said recommendation coming forward from the interim report could see a new electoral division to the immediate north and west of Calgary, which includes both Airdrie and Banff- Cochrane ridings.

With Airdrie and Cochrane's explosive growth over the past couple of years, one said recommendation coming foward would see Airdrie divided into two constituencies, says Justice Myra Bielby, Chair of the Commission.

"Northwest of the city, would compose of the west part of the City of Airdrie and the entire Town of Cochrane, including the land in between and that would be (the) constituency called Airdrie-Cochrane."

Airdrie's other constituency would contain the population of the city of Airdrie from its eastern boundary, including all areas east of 8th St.and a new riding formed known as Banff- Stoney. The Banff- Stoney riding would capture any remaining areas of the current electoral divisions of Airdrie, Chestermere-Rocky View and Banff-Cochrane, taking in the Stoney-Nakota and Tsuut’ina First Nations reserves.

In the interim report it is stated that public submissions, feel that Cochrane is more closely aligned culturally and economically to Airdrie than to Banff and would allow for an undiluted voice. Where the new Banff-Stoney riding would keep the Bow Valley mountain communities together rather than pooling them with the agricultural interests of foothill communities and allow for a greater indigenous voice by placing both the Stoney First Nation reserve and the Tsuut’ina First Nation reserve within the same electoral division. 

These results are just the first set of recommendations from the commission, and they're opening the door for feedback on these possible changes during the week of July 17.

The commission noted that these possible new ridings could create concerns as it not only divides Airdrie but would mean one MLA would serve a large area between Airdrie and Cochrane.  

At the end of the day the commission found that many rural ridings would need to consolidate with suburban areas due to declining population in some regions, something that Bielby says is tough to work with.

"The reality in a democracy where you've got representation by population...the people that live in the areas with less population growth or no population growth are going to see a change."

For more on the commission and the Interim Report, you can visit their official website here.

 

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