Leduc-Beaumont constituency maintained as part of new electoral map

BEAUMONT -- The provincial constituency of Leduc-Beaumont will remain intact as part of Alberta's new electoral map.

This comes following this week's approval of a new electoral boundary map penned by an independent advisory panel. The newly approved map includes the continuation of the Leduc-Beaumont constituency, which has been in place since 2010. Original recommendations from the spring called for Beaumont to split from Leduc and join a new riding with south Edmonton. However, the advisory panel recognized the advocacy from municipal officials in keeping the riding as is.

"While the advisory panel is unanimously inclined to recommend a Leduc-Beaumont Electoral Division, the problem with its significantly higher than average population remains," reads the panel's report. "And so, to reduce this high population, the independent advisory panel recommends including Nisku, the Edmonton International Airport, and the areas around it, into a new south Edmonton Electoral Division we propose to be named "Edmonton-Nisku."

The panel says the "Edmonton-Nisku" constituency would not act as an additional riding, but as a replacement for the "Edmonton-Beaumont" riding that will no longer be implemented. Meantime, Beaumont Mayor Lisa Vanderkwaak is expressing her gratitude for the panel's decision to keep Beaumont and Leduc as part of a singular constituency. 

"I am pleased that the independent panel appointed to draw the boundaries for provincial elections opted to largely restore the Leduc-Beaumont constituency," said Vanderkwaak. "Beaumont and our neighbours in the City of Leduc and Leduc County form an integrated and functional regional community. We share school jurisdictions and many of our services, our economies and transportation networks are closely linked, and we have strong social ties."

Prior to the suggestion that Beaumont form a new riding with south Edmonton, a previous interim report from the Electoral Boundaries Commission had actually suggested splitting Beaumont down the middle at 50th Street. This would have seen the city's population west of 50th Street remain in Leduc-Beaumont, while those residing to the east would have joined Sherwood Park.