Northern MLAs Push Back on Proposed Boundary Reductions

Bonnyville–Cold Lake–St. Paul MLA welcomes local alignment but warns of lost northern voice

 

A group of northern Alberta MLAs has issued a joint letter to the Alberta Electoral Boundaries Commission, warning that proposed changes could silence rural and northern voices at the Legislature.

 

The letter, signed by nine MLAs including Bonnyville–Cold Lake–St. Paul representative Scott Cyr, calls on the Commission to reconsider its plan to eliminate one of the seven northern ridings — a move they say would weaken representation across 40 percent of Alberta’s land area.

 

> “Losing our voice is not an option,” the letter reads. “We are a people that have chosen to raise our families and build our communities in a vast and harsh land. Our provincial economy is physically married to our northern landscape… Long term, there would be an erosion of every riding outside Edmonton and Calgary.”

 

 

 

Boundary alignment welcomed in Bonnyville–Cold Lake–St. Paul

 

While raising concern over the loss of a northern riding, Cyr expressed support for one key recommendation in the draft report — aligning the Bonnyville–Cold Lake–St. Paul constituency with the boundaries of the M.D. of Bonnyville and the County of St. Paul, including Improvement District 349.

 

“This change reflects a request brought forward by the County of St. Paul, and I was proud to support our municipalities in advocating for it,” said Cyr. “It will bring clarity and consistency for local voters who have long been unsure which MLA represented them.”

 

Under the draft map, Saddle Lake Cree Nation would move to the neighbouring Slave Lake–Athabasca–Westlock constituency. Cyr said he values the relationship he’s built with the community and its leadership, noting the change aims to achieve fairer population balance across regions.

 

Independent and non-partisan process

 

Cyr also pushed back against suggestions that boundary adjustments are politically motivated. “Alberta’s Electoral Boundaries Commission is independent and non-partisan,” he said. “MLAs and political parties do not draw constituency maps.”

 

The Commission, chaired by a justice of the Court of King’s Bench, includes members appointed by both government and opposition MLAs. Its role is to apply Alberta’s population and geography criteria fairly and transparently.

 

What’s next

 

The proposed boundaries are not yet final. The Commission will review public feedback before tabling its final report, expected ahead of the 2027 provincial election, when new maps would officially take effect.

 

“It remains a privilege to represent this region,” said Cyr. “For the first time, our constituency may fully encompass both the M.D. of Bonnyville and the County of St. Paul — two municipalities with shared history and strong community ties. This alignment rightly reflects who we are and how we work together.”

 

Residents can review the draft report and submit feedback at abebc.ca.