Vernon, B.C. residents would ‘have their electoral voice muted’ by proposed boundary change: Chamber

Concerns that a large number of Vernon, B.C., residents would have their electoral voice “muted” if the provincial riding of Kelowna Lake Country shifted its boundaries and absorbed several heavily-populated neighbourhoods is causing some concern.

Among the electoral boundary changes proposed by the non-partisan Electoral Boundaries Commission in October is the division of the City of Vernon between two provincial electoral districts: Vernon-Monashee and Kelowna-Lake Country. It would put a chunk of historically North Okanagan population into the Central Okanagan’s provincial boundaries.

For B.C. voters to be fairly represented on a population level, the commission aims to have between 40,000 and 67,000 residents per riding, though exceptions above and below those figures are permitted in the interest of ensuring access to MLAs.

To do that, the commission is proposing to add six new additional ridings, taking the total number
of electoral districts from 87 to 93. But out of the existing 87, they’re proposing boundary changes to 71.

In the preliminary report, the commission indicated that the close ties between Lumby and Cherryville, Vernon and Coldstream support keeping them in the same electoral district. However, they then suggest more southern North Okanagan communities bear the weight of the shift, and that is where the chamber is raising concerns.

“We are not suggesting that Cherryville and Lumby be removed from Vernon-Monashee as there is a strong economic and social connection between Vernon and these communities, but the Commission’s argument regarding Lumby and Cherryville also applies to Predator Ridge, Okanagan Landing and the Bella Vista areas of Vernon,” reads an open letter posted by the Chamber.

“If Predator Ridge, Okanagan Landing and Bella Vista are placed in Kelowna-Lake Country, we are concerned that approximately 9,000 residents of Vernon will effectively have their electoral voice muted by the larger population of Kelowna that will dominate the focus of the MLA.”

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Additionally, Predator Ridge, Beachcomber Bay, Okanagan Landing and the Bella Vista Highlands into Kelowna-Lake Country will mean that a large portion of Vernon’s population will now be separated from the rest of the community at the provincial level;

The chamber has 600-plus members, and it supports the motion adopted May 9 by Vernon council that “the City of Vernon, District of Coldstream and Areas B and C of Regional District of the North Okanagan remain in the same electoral boundary.

In the chamber press release, they said while they appreciate that the commission is responding to population growth in B.C. by redistributing boundaries, their members believe it makes sense for the City of Vernon to have a single common representative at the provincial level because a single representative will simplify the process for local government to pursue senior government support for joint projects and local services.

They also argued that residents and businesses owners will better understand the roles and responsibilities of their representatives within Vernon when there is one electoral district.

The Boundaries Commission released its recommendations for new and re-drawn electoral districts in early October, based on the results of the 2021 census and consultations across the province.

“British Columbia is a growing province,” commission chair and B.C. Supreme Court Justice Nitya Iyer said

“The population has increased by more than 300,000 people over the last five years. Our recommendation to increase the number of electoral districts in B.C. reflects that growth.”

Commissioners held 50 public meetings in 43 B.C. communities and received 1,300 written submissions in crafting the recommendations.

See the full report, including proposed new boundaries and riding names, here.

— with files from Simon Little

A correction was made to indicate that the commission was proposing to add six additional ridings. Not changing six electoral boundaries.