P.E.I.'s Malpeque and Egmont federal districts see border changes come into place

The boundaries of the federal district of Malpeque have shifted slightly as of April 23, 2023. The old boundaries are represented by the thin dark line, while the new boundaries are represented by the thicker, green line. The district expanded eastward slightly, taking on the communities of Frenchfort and Grand Tracadie. - Elections Canada

In the next federal election, some P.E.I. voters will be voting in a different riding.

New federal electoral ridings in P.E.I. came into effect on April 23.

Across Canada, the number of ridings – and by extension members of Parliament in Ottawa – has now grown from 338 to 343.

The most significant impacts for voters in this province will be felt in Malpeque and Egmont.

Egmont will see its borders expand eastward, encompassing some communities from the Malpeque riding, including Travellers Rest, North Bedeque, Bedeque, Chelton and Fernwood.

Malpeque, which has seen a growing population in communities like Cornwall, will expand slightly eastward into the riding of Cardigan to include Frenchfort and Grand Tracadie.

Aside from these communities, the rest of the Cardigan riding will remain the same.

The boundaries of the federal district of Egmont have moved eastward as of April 23, 2023. The old boundaries are represented by the thin dark line while the new boundaries are represented by the thicker, green line. The district now includes Bedeque, North Bedeque and Travellers Rest. - Elections Canada

Similarly, the Charlottetown riding will remain largely the same. The district will consume a small stretch of farmland, as well as the Jewell’s Country Market, which had been located in Malpeque north of St. Peters Road between the East Royalty Road and Route 25.

The boundaries of federal ridings have been changed to provide relatively equal representation based on population growth.

It remains to be seen what effect the changes in electoral boundaries will have on the results of future federal elections in P.E.I.

Aside from losing the communities of Frenchfort and Grand Tracadie to Malpeque, the district of Cardigan will largely remain the same in the coming federal election. - Elections Canada

A federal election is expected sometime before October 2025. The governing Liberals of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau currently have an agreement with the New Democratic Party of Jagmeet Singh that would see their co-operation in confidence motions. If the NDP were to break this agreement, an election would be held sooner.

While a general election called anytime after April 23 will be held with the next boundaries, any byelections that were to occur before a federal election would be held within the old boundaries.

The district of Charlottetown will remain largely the same in the coming federal election. - Elections Canada

Anyone who needs to find out their electoral riding should visit the website.

The changes in federal ridings will have no impact on P.E.I.’s provincial electoral boundaries, set by Elections P.E.I.

Stu Neatby is a political reporter with the SaltWire Network in Prince Edward Island. He can be reached by email at stu.neatby@theguardian.pe.ca and followed on X @stu_neatby.