Review of the electoral map: Changes that reflect today's Québec

QUÉBEC CITY, Sept. 19, 2023 /CNW/ - The Commission de la représentation électorale must review Québec's electoral map every two provincial elections to ensure that electors are fairly and equitably represented in the Assemblée nationale. The proposal for the delimitation of the 125 electoral divisions , prepared by the three commissioners over the past few months, was tabled today in the Assemblée nationale.

The electoral map must take into account the growth and movements of the population in Québec, which create inequalities in the representation that must be corrected. This is why the Election Act provides for the map to be reviewed every two provincial general elections. The current map, based on the number of electors in November 2014, was used for the 2018 and 2022 elections. The next electoral map will be used for the 2026 and 2030 elections.

• The proposed delimitation modifies 55 of the 125 electoral divisions.
• A new electoral division has been added to the greater Laurentides and Lanaudière regions; it is called Bellefeuille (see the explanatory video  – in French). Another electoral division has been added to the greater Estrie and Centre-du-Québec region; it is called Marie-Lacoste-Gérin-Lajoie (see the explanatory video  – in French).
• One electoral division has been withdrawn from the eastern part of Île-de-Montréal (see the explanatory video  – in French), and another from the greater Bas-Saint-Laurent and Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine regions (see the explanatory video  – in French).
• Changes are proposed to the boundaries of certain electoral divisions in the Capitale-Nationale, Laval, Montérégie, Outaouais and Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean regions.
• Five electoral divisions remain unchanged: Abitibi-Témiscamingue (3), Chaudière-Appalaches (7), Côte-Nord (2), Mauricie (4) and Nord-du-Québec.

The Chair of the Commission de la représentation électorale and Chief Electoral Officer, Mr. Jean-François Blanchet, state that "the proposal for the delimitation is intended to correct inequalities in representation. We act to respect the principle of effective representation, which is enshrined in the Election Act and recognized by the Supreme Court of Canada. This principle ensures that all electors are fairly and equitably represented in the Assemblée nationale.

The delimitation consists of dividing Québec into 125 electoral divisions of approximately 51,000 electors who, where possible, share common characteristics. In the course of their work, the commissioners take various factors into account to create the most logical groupings possible. For example, they study the boundaries of neighbourhoods, municipalities and RCMs; the socio-economic links between municipalities; and the territory's axial highways and natural boundaries, such as watercourses. To enable them to bring together communities with natural ties, the Election Act provides that an electoral division may have up to 25% more or less electors than the average.

"The primary purpose of an electoral map is to ensure the relative equality of the vote of electors in each electoral division, so that the weight of an elector's vote is roughly the same from one electoral division to another. That being said, the logic is far from purely mathematical: we also need to bring together communities with common interests in the same electoral division, as best we can," said Commissioner Édith Gravel.

"We invite the public to send us their comments and suggestions on the proposed delimitations. The public's contribution will enable us to improve the proposal we are making public today, so that the electoral map reflects the reality of Québec today," said Commissioner Kevin Bouchard.

There are three ways to make comments and suggestions:

1. On the www.electoralmap.quebec  website by answering the opinion questionnaire or filing a document;
2. In person, by attending either one of the public hearings  to be held from October 10 to November 9 in a dozen cities.
3. Online, at the virtual hearings  to be held on November 3 and 15. 

• Following the public hearings, the Assemblée nationale's MNAs (members of the National Assembly) will have the opportunity to comment at a parliamentary committee meeting. It should take place this fall.
• The commissioners will analyze all the comments they receive according to the criteria set out in the Election Act. They will then present a revised delimitation proposal. Thereafter, the public will be able to make comments and suggestions. The revised proposal will also be debated in the Assemblée nationale.
• No later than ten days after this debate, the commissioners will decide on the boundaries of each electoral division. The new electoral map should be adopted in 2024. It will be used for the first time in the 2026 provincial elections.

The Commission de la représentation électorale  is an independent, decision-making institution whose mission is to create Québec's electoral map. It is completely neutral and impartial to ensure that Québec electors are fairly and equitably represented in the Assemblée nationale. The three commissioners  also have certain responsibilities when municipalities and English-language school boards revise their electoral maps.

View original content to download multimedia: http://communiques.gouv.qc.ca/gouvqc/communiques/GPQE/Septembre2023/19/c1491.html