The Commission's decision – Prince Edward Island

The 2012 redistribution resulted in variances from the electoral quota of -0.03% in the district of Malpeque, -1.29% in Egmont, -1.40% in Charlottetown, and 2.72% in Cardigan. However, the most recent census shows that population growth and shifts since then have changed those variances to 2.98% in Malpeque, 3.33% in Cardigan, -6.89% in Egmont, and 0.59% in Charlottetown.

The Commission appreciates and understands the position taken by the Société acadienne et francophone de I'Île-du-Prince-Édouard. However, the Commission feels that a change of 0.3%, or even 1.8%, is not a sufficient reason to permit a variance of 10% of electors in the district of Egmont (-6.89%) compared with Malpeque and Cardigan (+3%).

Therefore, we have decided to move the boundary line of Egmont to the east to include such communities as Lower Bedeque, North Bedeque, and the Rural Municipality of Bedeque and Area, and to move the boundary line of Malpeque to the east to include communities such as Grand Tracadie and Corran Ban. This has the effect of making the province-wide variance from the electoral quota between -2% and 2%, as shown in the table below. The electoral district of Egmont will still be the smallest electoral district but the variance between Egmont and the others will be no more than 3.85%.

The specific descriptions of the four electoral districts are attached hereto. We recommend that there be no changes to the names of any of the federal electoral districts.

Dated at Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, this 25th day of November, 2022.