City launches review of ward boundaries to even out populations
Shifts in Calgary’s population distribution could bring big changes for municipal ward boundaries.
As the city begins a regular boundary review to address imbalances in representation by councillors, two scenarios are being shared with the public for consideration.
One plan would see the boundaries of Ward 12, a sprawling southeast district represented by Coun. Shane Keating, geographically cut almost in half, though it would remain among the city’s most populous wards. It is currently the largest district in the city with more than 110,000 residents, according to census data.
Ward 3 — the smallest ward with about 71,000 residents, represented by Coun. Jyoti Gondek — would expand slightly, while Ward 9, represented by Coun. Gian-carlo Carra, would stretch south. Ward 11, represented by Coun. Jeromy Farkas, would stretch east.
In the other proposed scenario, inner-city ward boundaries would see slight changes and adjustments would be made to Wards 3 and 12, which have the largest deviations from the average population of all wards.
The changes would bring the maximum population deviation from average across all wards to 14.5 per cent and a minimum of 11.3 per cent, respectively, compared with 5.5 per cent and 7.4 per cent in the previous scenario.
Both options take into account expected future growth and other demographic factors within the same ward, while maintaining community association boundaries.
The maximum population deviation allowed between districts under Canadian law is 25 per cent.
“A ward boundary maintains equitable representation by councillors across the city,” city spokeswoman Laura Kennedy said in a news release.
“As cities grow or people move to developing parts of the city, the deviation in population between wards will increase. In order to adjust for variances in population between wards, ward boundaries must change.” In all, four wards are up for review.
Wards 12, 3 and 7 were found to have population deviations, meaning they are more than 15 per cent above or below the average.
Ward 12 is 20 per cent above the average, whereas northern Ward 3 and inner-city Ward 7 are 22.9 per cent and 15.9 per cent below the average, respectively.
“If you’re looking at, say, 20,000 or 30,000 more people than other wards, you have that many more concerns,” Keating told Postmedia when new census data was released in late 2019.
“You don’t have the one-to-one interaction that you would like to have when you have 110,000 people in your ward. You just can’t do it. Staff can (help), but many people get a little perturbed because I’m not the one responding. But I can’t do it because of the demands.”
Northeast Ward 5 has an “elector count deviation,” largely due to large numbers of immigrants in the ethnically diverse area who aren’t eligible to vote.
The city’s ward boundaries were last redrawn in 2017, following a fraught process that saw city council dismiss some of the recommendations made by an independent commission.
Calgarians can provide feedback on ward boundaries on Monday at city hall, pop-up engagement sessions throughout the city or online at engage.calgary.ca/wardboundaries.
As cities grow or people move to developing parts of the city, the deviation in population between wards will increase.