With a potential major shift in electoral ridings on the horizon, local officials are left finding their new place in the big, provincial picture.
Final recommendations from B.C.’s new electoral district boundaries were recently released, revealing possible dramatic changes to the way the eastern Fraser Valley would be represented.
Rather than remaining in the Chilliwack-Kent riding, Agassiz-Harrison, the District of Kent, Harrison Mills and Deroche would all be encompassed in the Fraser-Nicola riding. The proposed riding would be roughly the size of Portugal, and the the Districts of Kent and Hope would be among its largest population centres.
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Chilliwack would be split into two ridings: Chilliwack North and Chilliwack-Cultus Lake. The latter proposed riding includes the northern portion of Harrison Lake, Yarrow, Promontory, Cultus Lake, the Eastern Hillsides and Ryder Lake. Chilliwack North would include Rosedale, Sumas Mountain, Greendale and Popkum.
District of Kent Mayor Sylvia Pranger said municipal officials are disappointed with this potential outcome.
“It’s not that we don’t get along with Hope; our natural trading route, the hospital, our health services generally all flow between Agassiz-Harrison and Chilliwack,” Pranger told The Observer. Pranger added that with the Fraser Valley Regional District also being headquartered in Chilliwack, the Chilliwack-Kent riding seemed like a more natural fit.
With the new Fraser-Nicola riding, the District of Kent becomes one of the larger population centres of the riding. However, Pranger said it’s not clear yet if that would mean the district has more influence in area political discussions.
“It would be a huge learning curve for all of us to (move into) a new riding,” she said. “If it goes through, we’ll have to work a whole lot harder to try and find working relationships.”
Harrison Hot Springs Mayor Ed Wood was unsure if the village would have more influence in the political arena with the new riding.
“I don’t think it’ll matter,” he told The Observer. “Depends on the leader.”
RELATED: MLA has no plans to leave Fraser-Nicola riding despite changes to electoral map
While virtual meetings are certainly a viable response to the new distances between municipalities in the riding, it lacks a personal touch that Pranger and others prefer.
Even with a steep learning curve and a new dynamic to inter-municipality relationships, Pranger thinks the district can make it work.
“I will work with anyone,” Pranger said. “It’s just a big learning curve, but if we’re put in that position, we will do our best to do so.”
Should she seek re-election next cycle, Chilliwack-Kent MLA Kelli Paddon would not represent the Agassiz-Harrison area if the new boundaries go through as proposed.
“Parties independent of government draw the boundaries after months of consultation and deliberation so that new/altered ridings are best suited to serve British Columbians,” Paddon told The Observer.
The MLA stressed that she will continue to work for Chilliwack-Kent up until the new election, tackling issues such as housing, health care and the cost of living.
“Until the next election I will proudly continue to work hard for people as MLA for Chilliwack-Kent,” she stated.”As an elected official, I will always do my best to support and advocate for the people in my constituency.”
The proposed changes would add six new ridings to the province, boosting it from 85 to 93, in the areas where growth is the fastest, including Langley, Surrey and Kelowna.
“Our proposal to increase the number of electoral districts reflects our growing province,” said Justice Nitya Iyer, chair of the Commission. “We do not recommend reducing the number of ridings in more sparsely populated areas of the province because doing so would undermine effective representation.”
– With files from Jennifer Feinberg and Kemone Moodley