2022 Canadian federal electoral redistribution


A redistribution of federal electoral districts began in Canada following the results of the 2021 Canadian census. The Constitution of Canada requires that federal electoral districts that compose the House of Commons undergo a redistribution of boundaries following each decennial Canadian census. The redistribution process began in October 2021; it was completed in October 2023. It is based on data obtained during the 2021 Canadian census. It is also based on the practice of giving each district only one member, which has been in effect since the 1968 election.
The changes to the federal electoral district boundaries took effect for the 2025 Canadian federal election, which was the first general election called after April 22, 2024. If the election had been called before this date, that election would have used the existing electoral district boundaries, which had been in effect since the 2015 federal election was called on August 4, 2015.
The redistribution formula for federal electoral districts is set out in Section 51 of the Constitution Act, 1867. The formula in Section 51 was amended to its current form in 2022 by the House of Commons Act. Section 52 permits additional seats to be added to the House of Commons provided proportionate representation between the provinces is maintained.
Under the Electoral Boundaries Readjustment Act, to redistribute the electoral boundaries within each province, ten independent electoral boundary commissions will be established, one for each province. The commissions are composed of three members, one appointed by the chief justice of each province, and two members appointed by the speaker of the House of Commons. Nunavut, the Northwest Territories and Yukon do not require commissions as each territory is allotted only a single member in the House of Commons, resulting in the entirety of each territory being a single electoral district.

Allocation of seats

Initial proposal

The initial allocation of seats to the provinces and territories was based on rules in the Constitution of Canada established in 2012 by the Fair Representation Act, as well as estimates of the Canadian population on July 1, 2021, made by Statistics Canada. The chief electoral officer announced the allocation of seats on October 15, 2021.
Province or territory2012 redistributionInitial 2022 seat allocationChange
Ontario1211221
Quebec78771
British Columbia42431
Alberta34373
Manitoba1414
Saskatchewan1414
Nova Scotia1111
New Brunswick1010
Newfoundland and Labrador77
Prince Edward Island44
Northwest Territories11
Nunavut11
Yukon11
Canada3383424

Final apportionment

Notwithstanding the chief electoral officer's announcement, Parliament retained certain powers to amend the Constitution Act, 1867 and thus the redistricting process. Such a change occurred during the 2012 redistribution. Amendments affecting proportionate representation between the provinces, however, required support of seven provinces representing at least 50 percent of the population of Canada.
Several days after the chief electoral officer's announcement of the allocation, Quebec provincial minister of justice Sonia LeBel said that Quebec's "special status" as Canada's "only francophone province" meant that the province must not lose any seats. LeBel said the province represents one of the "founding peoples of Canada", saying that represents much more than "a simple calculation of population". In November 2021, both the Premier of Quebec François Legault and the opposition Bloc Québécois also called for Quebec to maintain its current number of seats of 78.
The same month, The Toronto Star editorial board called for further seats to be added in Ontario, British Columbia and Alberta, to provide fair representation for voters in those provinces. It also said calls to institute a minimum threshold of seats for Quebec should be rejected. The Globe and Mails editorial board also called on Parliament to add additional seats to ensure the principle of "one person, one vote" would be realized.
On February 8, 2022, BQ shadow minister Martin Champoux introduced a private member's bill entitled An Act to amend the Constitution Act, 1867 . The bill proposed that Quebec would be guaranteed never to be allotted less than 25% of the seats in the House. This had previously been a provision in the failed 1992 Charlottetown Accord. The bill was defeated at second reading on June 8, 2022, by a vote of 51 to 264, with the BQ and New Democratic Party voting for the bill, and the Liberals and Conservatives voting against it.
On March 2, 2022, the House of Commons called for the rules for apportioning seats to be amended in a non-binding motion. The motion was introduced by the Bloc to avoid Quebec losing a seat in the House of Commons. Following the vote, the government announced it would reject any scenario where Quebec loses a seat and would be working on a way to ensure the existing number of Quebec seats would be maintained. Following the announcement, Conservative MP Michelle Rempel Garner said that the decision could contribute to western alienation and raised new questions about Canada's electoral system. She said Conservatives should consider advocating for the adoption of proportional representation.
On March 24, 2022, the government tabled legislation to prevent Quebec from losing any seats relative to the number of seats it was apportioned in 2012 Canadian federal electoral redistribution. Bill C-14 amended Rule 2 of subsection 51 of the Constitution Act, 1867, commonly known as the "grandfather clause". The Bill passed the House of Commons on June 15, 2022, passed the Senate on June 21, 2022, and received royal assent on June 23, 2022.
The chief electoral officer announced the new allocation of seats under the Preserving Provincial Representation in the House of Commons Act on July 8, 2022.
Province or territory2012 redistribution2022 seat allocationAverage population
per electoral district		Change
Ontario121122116,5901
Quebec7878108,998
British Columbia4243116,3001
Alberta3437115,2063
Manitoba141495,868
Saskatchewan141480,893
Nova Scotia111188,126
New Brunswick101077,561
Newfoundland and Labrador7772,935
Prince Edward Island4438,583
Northwest Territories1141,070
Nunavut1136,858
Yukon1140,232
Canada338343107,8485'

Initial proposals

Alberta

On June 10, 2022, the Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for Alberta released their initial proposal, proposing the following ridings:

British Columbia

On May 2, 2022, the Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for British Columbia released their initial proposal, proposing the following ridings:

Manitoba

On June 16, 2022, the Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for Manitoba released their initial proposal, proposing the following ridings:

New Brunswick

On June 16, 2022, the Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for New Brunswick released their initial proposal, proposing the following ridings:

Newfoundland and Labrador

On June 28, 2022, the Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for Newfoundland and Labrador released their initial proposal, proposing the following ridings:

Nova Scotia

On April 27, 2022, the Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for Nova Scotia released their initial proposal, proposing the following ridings:

Ontario

On August 19, 2022, the Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for Ontario released their initial proposal, proposing the following ridings:

Prince Edward Island

On May 2, 2022, the Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for Prince Edward Island released their initial proposal, proposing the following ridings:

Quebec

On July 29, 2022, the Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for Quebec released their initial proposal, proposing the following ridings:

Saskatchewan

On May 9, 2022, the Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for Saskatchewan released their initial proposal, proposing the following ridings:

Public hearings

The publication of the initial proposals by each of the Boundary Commissions was followed by 150 virtual and in person public hearings.
ProvincePublication of initial proposalPublic hearingsNo. of public hearingsPublication of final report
Newfoundland and LabradorJune 28, 2022August 15, 2022 – September 16, 202215December 7, 2022
Prince Edward IslandMay 2, 2022June 7, 2022 – June 9, 20223November 29, 2022
Nova ScotiaApril 27, 2022May 30, 2022 – June 27, 20229November 17, 2022
New BrunswickJune 16, 2022September 7, 2022 – September 29, 20229November 30, 2022
QuebecJuly 29, 2022September 6, 2022 – October 13, 202220February 1, 2023
OntarioAugust 19, 2022September 26, 2022 – November 8, 202223February 10, 2023
ManitobaJune 16, 2022September 7, 2022 – September 22, 20224December 6, 2022
SaskatchewanMay 9, 2022June 20, 2022 – July 14, 202215December 6, 2022
AlbertaJune 10, 2022September 6, 2022 – October 14, 202225February 2, 2023
British ColumbiaMay 2, 2022June 6, 2022 – September 29, 202227February 8, 2023

Final report

Alberta

On February 2, 2023, the Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for Alberta released their final report, submitting to the House of Commons the following ridings:

British Columbia

On February 8, 2023, the Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for British Columbia released their final report, submitting to the House of Commons the following ridings:

Manitoba

On December 6, 2022, the Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for Manitoba released their final report, submitting to the House of Commons the following ridings:

New Brunswick

On November 30, 2022, the Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for New Brunswick released their final report, submitting to the House of Commons the following ridings:

Newfoundland and Labrador

On December 7, 2022, the Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for Newfoundland and Labrador released their final report, submitting to the House of Commons the following ridings:

Nova Scotia

On November 17, 2022, the Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for Nova Scotia released their final report, submitting to the House of Commons the following ridings:

Ontario

On February 10, 2023, the Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for Ontario released their final report, submitting to the House of Commons the following ridings:

Prince Edward Island

On November 29, 2022, the Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for Prince Edward Island released their final report, submitting to the House of Commons the following ridings: The map is nearly identical to the commission's initial proposal, save for a small part of what had been the North Shore Fire District located west of Highway 25 and north of Highway 2 being transferred to Charlottetown. This area was annexed into the City of Charlottetown in June 2022.

Quebec

On February 1, 2023, the Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for Quebec released their final report, submitting to the House of Commons the following ridings:

Saskatchewan

On December 6, 2022, the Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for Saskatchewan released their final report, submitting to the House of Commons the following ridings:

Objections from MPs

After the publication of each commission's final report, the reports were referred to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs. MPs could file written objections to a report with the standing committee within 30 days of the tabling of the final report. Members had to specify the provisions objected to in the reports and the reasons for their objection, and objections had to be signed by at least 10 MPs.
After the filling deadline, the standing committee had 30 days to consider the objections, with a 30-day extension available, after which the reports along with a copy of all the objections, including those the committee did not support, were returned to the commissions through the speaker of the House of Commons.
The commissions had to consider the objections within the following 30 days, but they were not compelled to make any changes as a result of the objections.

New Brunswick

  • Conservative MP John Williamson objected to the name "Saint John—St. Croix", and proposed instead the name "New Brunswick Southwest". The standing committee supported the objection. The Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for New Brunswick dismissed the objection.
The standing committee completed its consideration of the New Brunswick Final Report on February 16, 2023, and reported the objection back to the House of Commons on March 20, 2023.

Newfoundland and Labrador

There were no MP objections to the Newfoundland and Labrador Final Report.
The standing committee completed its consideration of the Newfoundland and Labrador Final Report on January 31, 2023, and reported the lack of objections back to the House of Commons on February 8, 2023.

Nova Scotia

  • Liberal MP Sean Fraser objected to the division of Antigonish County and Pictou County into separate electoral districts, objected to the inclusion of Antigonish County in Cape Breton—Canso, and objected to the inclusion of Lawrencetown, Porters Lake and Chezzetcook in Pictou—Eastern Shore. The standing committee supported the objection, with the four Conservative members of the committee dissenting.
  • Liberal MP Sean Fraser objected to the name "Pictou—Eastern Shore" and proposed instead the name "Central Nova". The standing committee supported the objection.
  • Liberal MP Jaime Battiste objected to the territory exchange between Cape Breton—Canso and Sydney—Victoria. The standing committee supported the objection, with the four Conservative members of the committee dissenting.
  • Liberal MP Lena Diab objected to the removal of the area around Larry Uteck Boulevard from Halifax West and objected to the inclusion of the Chebucto Peninsula in Halifax West. The standing committee supported the objection, with the four Conservative members of the committee dissenting.
The Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for Nova Scotia dismissed all four objections.
The standing committee completed its consideration of the Nova Scotia Final Report on February 14, 2023, and reported the objections back to the House of Commons on March 20, 2023.

Prince Edward Island

There were no MP objections to the Prince Edward Island Final Report.
The standing committee completed its consideration of the Prince Edward Island Final Report on January 31, 2023, and reported the lack of objections back to the House of Commons on February 8, 2023.

Manitoba

The standing committee completed its consideration of the Manitoba Final Report on February 16, 2023, and reported the objections back to the House of Commons on March 20, 2023.

Saskatchewan

  • New Democratic MP Daniel Blaikie objected to the boundaries in Saskatoon, and proposed instead that the commission restore to the proposed "Saskatoon Centre" from the initial proposal. The standing committee supported the objection, with the four Conservative members of the committee dissenting. The Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for Saskatchewan dismissed the objection.
  • Conservative MPs Warren Steinley and Andrew Scheer jointly objected to the territory exchange between Regina—Lewvan and Regina—Qu'Appelle. The standing committee supported the objection. The Commission accepted the objection.
  • Scheer also objected to the removal of Wynyard and Ituna from Regina—Qu'Appelle. The standing committee supported the objection. The Commission accepted the objection.
The standing committee completed its consideration of the Saskatchewan Final Report on February 16, 2023, and reported the objections back to the House of Commons on March 20, 2023.

Submissions to the House of Commons

Alberta

On July 20, 2023, the Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for Alberta completed its work, with the final report as submitted to the House of Commons being considered final.

British Columbia

On July 20, 2023, the Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for British Columbia completed its work, with the final report as submitted to the House of Commons being considered final.

Manitoba

On April 26, 2023, the Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for Manitoba completed its work, with the final report as submitted to the House of Commons being considered final. Only one minor change was approved after the final report.

New Brunswick

On April 18, 2023, the Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for New Brunswick completed its work, with the final report as submitted to the House of Commons being considered final.

Newfoundland and Labrador

On March 23, 2023, the Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for Newfoundland and Labrador completed its work, with the final report as submitted to the House of Commons being considered final.

Nova Scotia

On April 26, 2023, the Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for Nova Scotia completed its work, with the final report as submitted to the House of Commons being considered final.

Ontario

On July 20, 2023, the Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for Ontario completed its work, with the final report as submitted to the House of Commons being considered final.

Prince Edward Island

On March 23, 2023, the Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for Prince Edward Island completed its work, with the final report as submitted to the House of Commons being considered final.

Quebec

On June 22, 2023, the Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for Quebec completed its work, with the final report as submitted to the House of Commons being considered final.

Saskatchewan

On April 26, 2023, the Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for Saskatchewan completed its work, with the final report as submitted to the House of Commons being considered final. There were two modifications from the final report.