Alberta begins redrawing electoral map as population grows past five million
EDMONTON — Alberta is launching a review of its electoral boundaries to keep pace with rapid population growth. A new Electoral Boundaries Commission is beginning public consultations this week as the province moves to add two new ridings, increasing the number of MLAs from 87 to 89.
The bipartisan commission will hold hearings across the province, starting May 29, and accept written submissions to help draft a new electoral map. An interim report is expected in October 2025, with a final version due by March 2026, in time for the next provincial election.
The last boundary review was in 2017. Since then, Alberta’s population has grown by more than 700,000 people. Several urban ridings have seen surges of over 40 percent, while many rural and urban areas have declined in population.
The commission, chaired by Justice Dallas Miller, includes members appointed by both the United Conservative Party and the NDP. It must balance population equity with recent legislative changes that remove the requirement to respect Calgary and Edmonton’s municipal boundaries, prompting concerns about ridings that may stretch into rural areas.
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