WHEREAS currently eight members of the B.C. Legislative Assembly represent more than 50 of the provincial land base; AND WHEREAS the Electoral Boundaries Commission was clear that the present statutory requirement of representation by population will continue to produce fewer rural Members of the Legislature: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Union of British Columbia Municipalities support the overall increase in elected representatives, but also a reinstatement of the three elected representatives, one each for Northern British Columbia, the Kootenays and the Cariboo-Thompson as being necessary for equitable, accessible and effective representation.
Ministry of Attorney General Response On March 13, 2008 the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia unanimously endorsed a motion to create new electoral boundaries for British Columbia based on an 85-seat alternative scenario provided by the Electoral Boundaries Commission. Amendments were subsequently made to the Electoral Districts Act to implement this 85-seat electoral map, which will be in place for the May 2009 provincial election. Under this map, no region of the province will have fewer members than under the existing map. There will remain eight seats in the North region, five in the Cariboo-Thompson, and four in the Kootenays.