Winnipeg could be getting another riding in the next provincial election.
In its interim 2018 report, the Manitoba Boundaries Commission outlines changes to all 57 existing electoral divisions in the province.
The commission has tinkered with the boundaries because of shifting population trends.
“The electoral divisions of Fort Whyte, St. Norbert, The Maples, Southdale, and Rossmere have experienced considerable growth and boundaries needed to be adjusted to balance populations,” the Commission wrote in the report. “The Commission considered current populations and projected growth in developing boundaries.”
Right now, Winnipeg is home to 31 of Manitoba’s 57 ridings. This report proposes giving Winnipeg 32, with the ridings of Flin Flon and The Pas merging to make up the difference.
A number of ridings could also also be renamed because shifting boundary lines means that some names no longer make sense. For example, Minto would no longer contain the Minto Armouries, so it would be renamed Notre Dame. Likewise, Logan Avenue would no longer fall within the Logan riding, so the Commission wants to rename it Union Station.
The main changes to ridings in Winnipeg occur around the edges of the city where population is growing the fastest.
- Kildonan has moved eastward and now includes the historic Kildonan area that is on the east side of the Red River; the new electoral division of Garden City has been added
- Fort Whyte has been adjusted to include the communities of Linden Woods, Linden Ridge, and Whyte Ridge
- South Pointe and Bridgwater Forest have been consolidated to create the electoral division of Waverley
- Charleswood has been extended across the Assiniboine River
- St. Norbert has been added to the Seine River
- Lagimodière was created to accommodate significant growth in Sage Creek
Public hearings will be held across Manitoba this fall on the proposed changes.
A final report must be submitted to the Lieutenant Governor by the end of the year.