Vernon, Coldstream to be separated in electoral boundary changes

The proposed Vernon-Lumby provincial riding (graphic courtesy of the B.C. Electoral Boundaries Commission)

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“The rapidly growing City of Vernon is made up of a mixture of urban, suburban and rural neighbourhoods. We propose adjusting existing boundaries to keep the City of Vernon in one electoral district,” stated the report.

“However, the combined populations of Coldstream and Greater Vernon are now too large for a single riding. We address that by moving the District of Coldstream into the Kelowna-Lake Country electoral district. This avoids dividing Coldstream between two ridings. In consequence, we propose changing the name of this riding from Kelowna-Lake Country to Kelowna-Lake Country-Coldstream.”

The report, released Monday, April 3, noted the proposed Vernon-Lumby riding would include Silver Star Provincial Park, Blue Springs, Trinity Valley and Mabel Lake.

The proposed Kelowna-Lake Country-Coldstream electoral area contains the area of Kelowna north of Highway 33, including the neighbourhoods of Winfield and part of Rutland, Kelowna International Airport, and all of both Lake Country and Coldstream.

The proposed change would also cut off the eastern section of the existing Vernon-Monashee riding. If approved, the redistribution would move Cherryville and everything east into the Kootenay-West riding, which is losing some of its territory east of Nakusp and New Denver. The report justified the change saying Cherryville shares the transportation corridor with Upper Lakes communities, and the change would result in a better population balance with surrounding ridings.

The report noted it was recognized that Coldstream and Greater Vernon are “closely tied,” but stated the combined population is too large for a single electoral district.

The report stated, based on 2022 figures, the Vernon-Lumby electoral area population would be 57,423, the Kelowna-Lake-Country-Coldstream riding’s population would be 58,671, and the Kootenay-Monashee population would be 41,446.

Under the existing boundaries, the Vernon-Monashee riding’s population in 2022 was 69,857, the Kelowna-Lake Country’s population was 75,047, and the Kootenay West riding’s population was 43,723.

It was noted the Okanagan Indian Band wished to remain in the Vernon riding and not be brought into the Salmon Arm-Shuswap electoral area.

However, due to population balance concerns, the OKIB is proposed to be moved into the riding that would include communities in the Shuswap region along Highways 1 and 97 such as Salmon Arm, Sicamous, Enderby and Armstrong, as well as communities on the north shore of Okanagan Lake. The riding’s southern boundary follows the borders of Regional District of North Okanagan Electoral Area F and the Township of Spallumcheen. To the north, it is bounded by Columbia Shuswap Regional District Electoral Area F.

The published report marks the end of the Electoral Boundaries Commission’s work. It, along with the recommended changes, will be presented to the Legislative Assembly, where it will be decided to accept all, some, or none of the recommendations.

Click here to read the BC Electoral Boundaries Commission’s final report.

by Liam Verster

Vernon, Coldstream to be separated in electoral boundary changes

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