Burnaby ‘poorly treated’ by proposed federal electoral riding changes: mayor

Burnaby has been “very poorly treated” by proposed changes to the federal electoral boundaries map, says mayor Mike Hurley.

And he told the Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission as much last week at a public hearing specifically held to hear feedback on the proposed changes in Burnaby that would see the city splintered into six different ridings.

The commission has proposed a new set of federal electoral boundaries that would take bits and pieces of Burnaby’s current three ridings (Burnaby South, Burnaby North-Seymour, and New Westminster-Burnaby) and amalgamate them into neighbouring ridings.

A portion of the Central Park neighbourhood north of Kingsway, for example, would be combined into the Vancouver Kingsway riding. Their neighbours south of Kingsway would be represented by Vancouver South.

But Hurley told the Beacon that encumbrance doesn’t work in the best interest of those living east of Boundary—pointing out that Burnaby residents would make up only 7% of residents in Vancouver South.

“The residents of the west side of Metrotown will be weighed against the overwhelming majority of residents in South Vancouver,” he said.

While geographically they are just blocks apart, Hurley said Metrotown residents live a very different lifestyle than those who live in East Vancouver—from the difference in property prices, to economic circumstances, to “welfare of the people and how they’re looked at.”

And he sees similar problems with the other proposed changes. Part of the current Burnaby North-Seymour riding would change to Port Moody-Coquitlam, and the New Westminster-Burnaby riding would lose a chunk of Burnaby and annex some parts of northwest Surrey to become New Westminster-Bridgeview.

Only one riding, Burnaby South, would belong solely to the city—even though it is also losing territory to neighbouring ridings.

“So while it sounds like Burnaby is getting six representatives, really we only finish up with one true Burnaby representative MP. No other city our size has been fractured up like that,” Hurley said.

“It seems like they were trying to move the figures around and be fair to everyone else, but Burnaby has been really, very poorly treated by it in my opinion.”

The Constitution of Canada requires that federal electoral boundaries be reviewed after every 10-year census, in order to keep up with changes and growth in the Canadian population.

Based on BC’s population in the 2021 census of 5,214,805, the province will be allocated 43 seats in the House of Commons—and the main criterion for determining the boundaries of the ridings is population equality.

“However, in addition to population equality, commissions must consider other social and geographic factors,” the commission’s website reads.

Hurley said it seemed to him that in an effort to hit the ideal number of 115,000 residents per riding, the commission took pieces out of Burnaby and added them to other ridings—making them an “afterthought.” And he thinks it may sour people further from politics and politicians.

“There’s no fairness in it for Burnaby residents, and I would say an inherent unfairness. It seems to me like someone hasn’t figured out that Boundary Road actually does mean something,” he told the Beacon.

“It’s very important for our residents to stay engaged in the political process. And I really think this would further encourage people to be very negative toward politics.”

He spoke to commission members at the June 28 public hearing, alongside similar submissions from New Westminster-Burnaby MP Peter Julian and Burnaby Board of Trade CEO Paul Holden.

Hurley told the commission that Burnaby’s current ridings serve its quadrant system well, with one MP for the two north quadrants and one each for the two south quadrants. Each quadrant in Burnaby, he said, has its own character and its own set of issues.

The proposed new boundaries would “fracture” those well-established communities, he said, and five of the six MPs representing Burnaby would also have another city under their portfolio.

“No other city in BC would be as fractured as Burnaby, under this new proposal,” Hurley said last week.

The mayor presented stats that show that other major Canadian cities with a similar population to Burnaby—like Regina, Saskatoon, and Richmond—won’t see changes as dramatic.

He also pointed out that Burnaby has the distinction of being one of the most ethnically diverse cities in Canada, and that many newcomers in the city who need to access services have built relationships with community organizations and the offices of the MPs who represent them.

“Not only does this fracture create concerns for constituents—it also creates more work for non-profits which have established long-standing relationships with our local MPs,” he told the commission.

“To further divide neighbourhoods in Burnaby, and to introduce brand new boundaries drawn in a seemingly arbitrary way, presents unnecessary challenges for people who are already at a disadvantage.”

Hurley believes the commission members got the message that Burnaby residents aren’t happy with how the proposed boundaries have been drawn up, and is hopeful that the feedback will lead to changes.

There will be a similar public hearing held for feedback regarding the changes to New Westminster’s ridings on Sept. 14.

You can also provide your input on the proposed changes by email or mail.

The final redistribution of boundaries will be completed by September 2023, and the changes will be applied in the first general election to be called in Canada at least seven months after the representation order is proclaimed.