The BC Electoral Boundaries Commission will hold public meetings in Nelson and Trail next week.
The group charged with reviewing BC’s electoral map will stop at the Hume Hotel in Nelson on Monday at 8:30 a.m. and at the Trail Chamber of Commerce the same day at noon.
There will also be a virtual public meeting for these regions on Monday, April 11.
“We are eager to hear from residents,” Justice Nitya Iyer, the commission chair, said in a news release. “Input from local community members is essential to the Commission process. We encourage you to share your thoughts with us on this important topic.”
The commission is an independent and non-partisan three-person panel with a mandate to review the area, names and boundaries of provincial electoral districts, and submit proposals to the Legislative Assembly.
The commission considers not only population but also geography, demographics, means of communication and transportation, the protection of communities of interest and special circumstances in developing its proposals.
To provide input to the commission, you can attend an in-person or virtual public meeting, complete the survey on the commission website, or contact the Commission directly.
The deadline for public input is May 31.
The Kootenay West riding has existed since 2009. From 2001-09, it was part of West Kootenay-Boundary, and from 1924 to 2001, it was known as Rossland-Trail.
The Nelson-Creston riding has been largely unchanged since it was created in 1933, although at various times Salmo has belonged to a neighbouring riding.