Newfoundland and Labrador boundaries proposal

Summary#

This is a proposal from the Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador to redraw federal election district lines after the 2021 census. The plan keeps the province at 7 seats, keeps Labrador as its own seat despite its small population (26,655, a deviation of -63.45% from the provincial quota), suggests small boundary tweaks on the island, and proposes several riding name changes; written feedback was requested by August 1, 2022.

What it does#

• Uses the Electoral Boundaries Readjustment Act framework and the 2021 census to recheck how populations line up with the provincial quota (72,936 people per seat).
• Decides Labrador should remain a separate district with no boundary change. The commission treats Labrador as an “extraordinary circumstance” because of its size, geography, history and Indigenous populations.
• Creates a separate island “reference quota” of 80,649 for the six island ridings and adjusts several island boundaries to bring them close to that figure.
• Proposes specific boundary tweaks to reduce splits and reflect local travel and service patterns (examples):
  • Put the whole town of Paradise into the Avalon district instead of splitting it.
  • Move parts of Conception Bay North out of Avalon and into the riding renamed Terra Nova—The Peninsulas.
  • Move a small White Bay area into Long Range Mountains so nearby communities stay together.
  • Adjust the St. John’s harbour-area boundaries so related neighbourhoods sit in St. John’s East.
• Proposes new riding names for some districts:
  • Terra Nova—The Peninsulas (formerly Bonavista—Burin—Trinity)
  • Notre Dame—Bay d’Espoir (replacement for Coast of Bays—Central—Notre Dame)
  • Cape Spear (replacement name proposed for St. John’s South—Mount Pearl)
  • Keeps the names Avalon, Labrador, Long Range Mountains, and St. John’s East.
• Sets a public consultation process with hearings across the province in August and September 2022, including a virtual hearing on September 16, 2022. Written comments were asked for by August 1, 2022.

Who's affected#

• People who live in Newfoundland and Labrador. Changes can shift which federal riding they vote in and who represents them in Ottawa.
• Residents of remote and Indigenous communities in Labrador, including people from the Inuit of Nunatsiavut, the Innu Nation, and NunatuKavut. The proposal explicitly treats Labrador as a distinct community.
• Municipalities and towns near proposed boundary changes (for example, Paradise, Spaniard’s Bay, Bay Roberts) — local services and community ties were considered when redrawing lines.
• Candidates, political parties and local organizers. Campaign plans and voter outreach can be affected by new boundaries and names.
• Members of Parliament and Elections Canada will see the map changes if the proposal moves forward and is finalized.

Why it matters#

• Electoral boundaries determine who represents you in the House of Commons. Small shifts can change which MP speaks for a community.
• Keeping Labrador as a separate seat recognizes its geographic isolation and large Indigenous population. That affects how well people in Labrador can access representation and services.
• Name and boundary changes on the island try to match modern travel and service patterns so MPs can represent communities more practically.
• This is a proposal, not final law. The commission sought public input in August–September 2022 and will revise its plan before submitting a final report to the House of Commons.