National

B.C. proposes six new ridings, expands to 93 seats

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 17 Apr, 2023 05:00 PM

VICTORIA - British Columbia's electoral map is poised to expand by six ridings, increasing the number of provincial constituencies to 93 from the current 87 ahead of the 2024 fixed election date.

Amendments to the Electoral Districts Act were introduced Monday to establish the 93 electoral districts.

The changes to the provincial electoral map are the New Democrat government's response to recent recommendations from the independent Electoral Boundaries Commission to reflect rapid population growth.

The proposed increase of six new electoral districts includes four in the Lower Mainland in Vancouver, Burnaby, Surrey and Langley, one on Vancouver Island in Langford and another in Kelowna in the B.C. Interior.

The boundary commission's preliminary report was first presented to the legislature last October, with the final report delivered and unanimously approved earlier this month.

Attorney General Niki Sharma says the independent commission's call for the increase in electoral districts was largely based on population growth in certain areas, making it necessary for voter representation.

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

B.C. sets aside some timber supply for value-added

Forests Minister Bruce Ralston says the goal is to build a stronger, more resilient forest industry with value-added products such as mass timber, plywood, veneer, panelling and flooring. The statement says the program will be restricted to those facilities that have minimal or no forestry tenure and are approved as a value-added manufacturer.

B.C. sets aside some timber supply for value-added

Suspect pushed pedestrian to the ground, victim broke arm in the fall: Burnaby RCMP

A 29-year-old woman was walking on the sidewalk westbound along Edmonds Street, just before Griffiths Drive, shortly before noon when a man jogging towards her briefly stopped in front of her. The man did not say anything to the victim, but allegedly pushed her with both hands, causing her to fall to the ground.

Suspect pushed pedestrian to the ground, victim broke arm in the fall: Burnaby RCMP

U.S. sticks with 'unjustified' softwood duties: Ng

A raft of documents filed today by the U.S. Department of Commerce, just the latest in a series of reviews of the dispute, indicates the anti-dumping and countervailing duties aren't going away. The latest combined duty rates — which are preliminary and won't take effect until after a final review expected this summer — range between 7.29 and 9.38 per cent.

U.S. sticks with 'unjustified' softwood duties: Ng

Surrey RCMP need public's help in identifying suspect in groping incident

On Monday at 10:53 a.m., Mounties responded to a report of a female who had been groped by an unknown suspect near King George Blvd. and 102 Avenue. The suspect is described as a black man, 5’7”, in his mid to late 20s, with a slim build.

Surrey RCMP need public's help in identifying suspect in groping incident

Passport backlog 'virtually eliminated': minister

Most new passport applications were being processed on time by October, but thousands of people who applied before then still faced excessive delays. Those delays have finally come to an end, Social Development Minister Karina Gould announced Tuesday.

Passport backlog 'virtually eliminated': minister

Woman stabbed on Toronto streetcar, arrest made

Toronto police say a woman was stabbed in the head and face while riding a streetcar in the city today and another woman has been arrested in the case. They say police received a call around 2 p.m. for a stabbing on a streetcar near Spadina Avenue and Sussex Avenue and found a woman in her 20s suffering from multiple stab wounds.