A motion to revisit proposed changes to Alberta’s electoral boundaries has passed in the legislature, restarting the review process ahead of the province’s next election and renewing political debate.
Members of the legislative assembly voted 44-36 on Tuesday in favour of Government Motion 37.
The motion creates a select special committee of MLAs to oversee a new review of the province’s electoral map, alongside an independent advisory panel. United Conservative MLA Brandon Lunty is set to chair the committee, which must submit the panel’s report to the legislature by Nov. 2, 2026.
The decision reopens Alberta’s electoral boundary review less than a month after the Alberta Electoral Boundaries Commission tabled its final report on March 26. That report recommended 89 electoral divisions, up from the current 87.
The new process has been directed to consider a map with 91 seats. In the motion, the government cited Alberta’s population growth of more than 800,000 people since the last review and said the commission’s majority report indicated it might have proposed at least 91 electoral divisions if it had been allowed to do so.
Premier Danielle Smith has said the larger legislature would better reflect Alberta’s roughly 20 per cent population growth since the last review in 2017 and help preserve rural representation. She pointed to comments in the commission material from chair Dallas Miller suggesting a larger legislature could avoid cutting rural ridings.
Opposition calls move ‘undemocratic’
Opposition Leader Naheed Nenshi strongly criticized the motion, calling the process “shameful and undemocratic”.
“Politicians don’t get to pick their voters; voters pick their politicians,” Nenshi said. “By passing Motion 37 … the UCP has now officially thrown out the independent Boundaries Commission’s final report and decided that their MLAs are somehow better at drawing a new electoral map.”
Nenshi also accused the government of trying to tilt the next election in its favour.
“We will continue to call on Danielle Smith and the UCP to stop cheating and implement the independent commission’s final report,” he said.
Government rejects criticism
The United Conservative government rejected that criticism, saying the review is needed to ensure fair representation across the province, particularly in rural areas facing population shifts toward major cities.
The timeline for the new process has also raised concerns. Alberta’s next provincial election is scheduled for Oct. 18, 2027.
Opposition members said Elections Alberta has indicated it needs at least 18 months to implement a new map.
With the committee’s report due in early November, the province faces a tight timeline to finalize and implement any changes before the next provincial vote.
