Title
Amendment to Electoral Boundary Bylaw No. 63-2003 (Bylaw No. 2015-20)
Proposed Motion(s)
1. That Bylaw No. 2015-20 receive first reading.
2. That Bylaw No. 2015-20 receive second reading.
3. That Bylaw No. 2015-20 be presented at this meeting for third reading.
4. That Bylaw No. 2015-20 receive third and final reading.
Body
Administration Recommendation(s)
Administration supports the recommendation.
Purpose
To amend Schedule "A" (i.e., map) which forms part of Electoral Boundaries Bylaw No. 63-2003, to illustrate that Marrakesh Properties, in its entirety, is in Division 4. This would allow for all eligible voters who reside in Marrakesh Properties to vote in the same division. The map has also been updated to reflect the current boundaries for Stony Plain and Spruce Grove, and to indicate the villages, summer villages, and First Nations Reserves that are not part of Parkland County.
Summary
Administration has reviewed Parkland County electoral boundaries to ensure that they are aligned with population distribution and continue to provide best representation of the electorate. Parkland County electoral boundaries were last reviewed and updated in 2003 with Bylaw No. 63-2003.
Based on 2011 federal census figures, divisional populations are as follows:
Division 1: 5,511 Division 4: 4,628
Division 2: 6,002 Division 5: 5,122
Division 3: 6,144 Division 6: 3,161.
Administration notes that, although Division 6 has a much smaller population than the other five divisions, Division 6 is much larger geographically than the other divisions. To increase the population represented by Division 6, its boundaries would have to be extended significantly, making the division much larger than it already is. Various options were considered with realigning all divisional boundaries to re-distribute populations in each division, however, the benefit to doing so at this time is minimal.
A concern that is raised at the time of municipal elections, is that a few properties (6) in the western portion of Marrakesh Properties are separated from the other 40 properties in the same subdivision (as illustrated in Attachment 1). Currently the north/south divisional boundary (i.e., Rge Rd 21) that separates Divisions 4 and 5 goes through this subdivision, causing six properties to be in Division 5, and 40 properties to be in Division 4. There are no other subdivisions in Parkland County that have this type of separation.
Proposed Bylaw No. 2015-20 was reviewed by the Governance and Priorities Committee at their May 5, 2015 meeting, at which time they approved a recommendation to Council to give three readings to the bylaw.
Strategic Plan/Policy/Legal/Staff Implications
Alberta's Electoral Boundaries Commission Act and the Canada's Electoral Boundaries Readjustment Act require that the population of an electoral division must not be more than 25% above or below the average population of all the proposed electoral divisions, notwithstanding extraordinary examples. Although not applicable to Alberta municipal electoral boundaries, the legislation suggests this is best practice. Division 6 is currently 36.5% below the average population of 5,095, however, due to the large geographical nature and sparse population of Division 6, administration feels the ward boundaries for Division 6 are adequate.
Financial Impact:
Cost: $0
Source of Funding: N/A