Prince George, B.C. – The BC Electoral Boundaries Commission will hold public hearings in Williams Lake and Prince George today.

The hearings are to discuss the Commission’s preliminary report on electoral district changes released back in March.

Under provincial legislation, the Commission must conduct public hearings on those proposed changes.

“The Commission will consider all the feedback that they receive up until May 26, before MLAs give their feedback on May 27,” says communications manager Don Main.

“Then the Commission will come back and meet and discuss all the input and any changes that they have to make to come up with a final report which must be tabled in the legislature before September 25.”

Once that step is complete, he says “it’s then up to the legislature to adopt and accept the changes which would come into effect in time for the 2017 provincial election.”

The report proposed adding two ridings, in Richmond and Surrey, due to significant population growth.

The commission also proposed boundary changes to 49 other ridings, including the two in Prince George.

The changes would move the entire Hart neighbourhood into the Prince George-Mackenzie riding and all of College Heights into Prince George-Valemount.

If you’d like to read the report, click here. The hearing in Williams Lake starts at 10am and takes place at Thompson River University.

The Commission in Prince George starts at 4pm at the Coast Inn of the North.