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WHEREAS the Government of Alberta has formed an Electoral Boundaries Commission (EBC) to review and propose changes to provincial electoral boundaries to reflect population growth; and
WHEREAS the EBC released an interim report in December 2025 with proposed changes to Alberta’s provincial electoral boundaries; and
WHEREAS following engagement related to the interim report, the EBC is expected to submit a final report to Cabinet in late March 2026; and
WHEREAS rural constituencies across Alberta are characterized by large geographic areas, dispersed populations, and significant travel distances, creating unique challenges for effective political representation; and
WHEREAS the EBC’s interim report has acknowledged that equal population does not necessarily mean equal representation, and that voter parity must be addressed in a nuanced way that reflects local and geographic realities; and
WHEREAS despite this acknowledgment from the EBC, the interim report treated population variance thresholds that could support effective rural representation as a last resort rather than as a legitimate tool to support rural and remote representation; and
WHEREAS many rural constituencies already encompass exceptionally large geographic areas, creating substantial travel demands for MLAs and limiting their capacity for regular, in-person engagement with constituents, municipal councils, and Indigenous communities; and
WHEREAS further enlarging or consolidating rural constituencies, especially in northern and other remote areas, would significantly increase travel burdens and further reduce accessibility to elected representatives; and
WHEREAS urban MLAs benefit from compact ridings, proximity to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, and reduced travel time, creating inequitable levels of effective representation and access to MLAs for rural residents; and
WHEREAS the creation or expansion of hybrid ridings may prioritize population consistency over the practical ability of an MLA to effectively represent communities with divergent rural, small urban, and urban interests; and
WHEREAS many small urban municipalities in Alberta identify closely with surrounding rural regions and rely on shared service areas, transportation corridors, and regional governance, and proposed boundary changes may negatively affect their access to effective representation;
Operative Clause:
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Rural Municipalities of Alberta (RMA) advocate to the Government of Alberta (GOA) to reject any electoral boundary redistribution that further enlarges or consolidates rural constituencies, where such changes would undermine effective representation and accessibility; and
FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED that RMA advocate to the GOA to make greater and more appropriate use of permitted population variance provisions were justified by geography, travel burden, and local conditions, to preserve effective rural and remote representation; and
FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED that RMA emphasize to the GOA that geographic size, travel burden, dispersed population, and constituency accessibility must be weighted as critical factors, alongside population parity, when determining provincial electoral boundaries; and
FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED that RMA request the GOA and the Electoral Boundaries Commission to reconsider the use and expansion of hybrid ridings where they compromise the ability of MLAs to effectively represent rural, small urban, and urban communities with distinct interests.
Member Background:
The Government of Alberta is undertaking a redistribution of provincial electoral boundaries to address population growth, particularly in Alberta’s urban and suburban centres. While population parity is an important democratic principle, rural constituencies across Alberta face unique challenges related to geographic size, dispersed populations, long travel distances, weather conditions, and access to services.
RMA has recognized that effective representation in rural Alberta cannot be achieved solely through population equality, and that voter parity must be addressed in a more nuanced way that reflects local, geographic, and practical realities. However, recent approaches to redistribution have not fully reflected this principle in practice.
Rural ridings across Alberta—including northern, west-central, and other remote regions—already cover vast territories. Further consolidation or enlargement risks reducing effective, on-the-ground representation and increasing barriers to access for residents, municipalities, and Indigenous communities.
There remain opportunities to address population growth in urban areas without eliminating or consolidating rural ridings, while remaining within constitutionally and statutorily permitted population variance thresholds. A balanced approach that adds capacity in urban centres while preserving rural geographic integrity would better support effective representation for all Albertans.
RMA Background:
RMA has no active resolutions directly related to this issue.
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