The 2013 New Brunswick electoral redistribution was undertaken through the process set out in the Electoral Boundaries and Representation Act of New Brunswick, Canada. The legislation establishes a statutory requirement for redistribution of electoral districts after every second New Brunswick general election.
A commission was struck to draw 49 electoral districts, a decrease from 55 districts, which will first be used in the 2014 provincial election. The 49 boundaries will have to be within the range of 95% to 105% of the 1/49th of the number of registered voters in the province except in "extraordinary circumstances".
Under the legislation, the commission will be chaired by one anglophone and one francophone and consist of 3 to 5 other commissioners, all of whom must be New Brunswick residents.
Legislative changes
The Electoral Boundaries and Representation Act of 2005 set out for a redistribution of 55 ridings after every decennial census with ridings within plus or minus 10% of 1/55th of the population. In Fall 2012, the legislation was amended to reduce the number of ridings to 49, shift away from census-based population numbers to the number of registered voters, and to make the process occur after every second election (approximately once every 8 years) rather than after each census (once every 10 years).
Commission The commission was appointed on August 28, 2012, following the unanimous recommendation of a committee of the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick. Its members are: Co-chair: Annise Hollies, former chief electoral officer of New Brunswick Co-chair: Allan Maher, former member of the legislative assembly (1978–1995) Member: Conde Grondin, retired professor of political science Member: Sue Murray, executive director of Atlantic Provinces Medical Peer Review Member: Jean-Guy Rioux, retired teacher and past president of La Federation des communautés francophones et acadienne du Canada Member: James Stanley, a lawyer involved with the labour movement
Public hearings Hearings were held in 13 communities around New Brunswick in October and early November 2012. Following these preliminary hearings, the commission created a draft proposal for public consideration at a second round of hearings that were held in February and March 2013.
New boundaries The commission released a draft map on January 17, 2013, which was open to changes following public consultations held from February 17 to March 6, 2013. Thereafter, the Commission prepared a final map, released on April 25. The Commission drew mostly completely new ridings. They said that because they had to reduce the number of ridings by about 10%, the tinkering that had been undertaken by previous boundaries commissions was not possible: When a Commission’s mandate is to make little or no change to the total number of ridings, it is both reasonable and practical to begin the work with the existing boundaries and see what if any adjustments should be made. However, the Legislative Assembly has instructed this Commission to draw a map with substantially fewer ridings. In order to meet the requirements of the legislation, the Commission must not simply revise existing boundaries – they must build an entirely new electoral map.Electoral Boundaries and Representation Commission. Preliminary Report. January 17, 2013. Accessed: January 17, 2013.
The 49 ridings proposed in January were altered only slightly in the final map released on April 25. The final map was reviewed again by the commission after 23 appeals were filed backed by members of the legislature. The Commission adopted two name changes, and one minor boundary change affecting 35 voters as a result of the appeals.
New districts These districts are almost entirely new, not reflecting any one former district or a merger of the majority of two previous districts. Final name for districtPreliminary name for districtPreliminary description of districtChanges from preliminary reportPredecessor district(s)*Bathurst East-Nepisiguit-Saint-IsidoreBathurst East-NepisiguitThe City of Bathurst, is divided in two along the Middle River. The Eastern portion joins a largely rural area south and east of the city to form Bathurst East-Nepisiguit, which the Western portion forms an urban/sub-urban riding with Beresford.Loses Little River area to Bathurst West; loses Saint-Léolin to Caraquet; gains Saint-Isodore area from CaraquetCentre-Péninsule-Saint-Sauveur (37%); Nepisiguit (34%); Bathurst (26%); Caraquet (3%)Bathurst West-BeresfordTerritory around the Tetagouche river exchanged with Restigouche-Chaleur; gains territory from Bathurst East in the Little River area.Bathurst (52%); Nigadoo-Chaleur (30%); Nepisiguit (18%)CarletonThe northernmost parts of the riding of Woodstock (around the Town of Woodstock) and the southern parts of the old riding of Carleton.Minor changes along the northern boundaryWoodstock (60%); Carleton (40%)Fredericton NorthThe centre part of the northside of the city of Fredericton, including most of the historic community of Marysville, all of Devon and St. Mary's First Nation and part of Nashwaaksis.Marysville removed and the missing part of Nashwaaksis added.Fredericton-Nashwaaksis (60%); Fredericton-Fort Nashwaak (40%)Fredericton SouthThe centre part of the southside of the city of Fredericton.No changesFredericton-Silverwood (58%); Fredericton-Lincoln (42%)Fredericton-YorkNashwaaksis-StanleyMost of the historic community of Nashwaaksis from the city of Fredericton and points north thereof up to the municipality of Stanley.Loses Nashwaaksis, while gaining part of Marysville and all of the communities along the Nashwaak RiverYork North (47%); Fredericton-Nashwaaksis (38%); Fredericton-Fort Nashwaak (15%)Gagetown-PetitcodiacA large rural riding about 125 km across in the south-centre of the province including the municipalities of Gagetown, Cambridge Narrows and Petitcodiac.Gains slight amounts of territory to its east while losing slight amounts to its southPetitcodiac (45%); Grand Lake-Gagetown (35%); Oromocto (13%); Kings East (5%); Hampton-Kings (3%)HamptonHampton-FundyCombination of the town of Hampton with coastal and suburban areas west of Saint JohnLoses some of the coastal communities while gaining part of the City of Saint JohnHampton-Kings (47%); Saint John-Fundy (18%); Saint John East (18%); Quispamsis (12%); Rothesay (6%)Kings CentreThe northwestern part of Kings County stretching from Grand Bay-Westfield along the Kingston Peninsula to Norton.Gains slight territory north of the Kingston PeninsulaFundy-River Valley (55%); Hampton-Kings (39%); Kings East (6%)Moncton CentreThe geographic centre of the city of Moncton.A number of neighbourhoods were exchanged between this riding and its neighbours.Moncton East (59%); Moncton North (41%)Moncton EastThe easternmost parts of the city of Moncton (not to be confused with the former district of Moncton East), including large parts taken from the former districts that contained the northeastern parts of the city.Minor exchanges of territory in the northern part of the ridingMoncton East (31%); Moncton Crescent (20%); Memramcook-Lakeville-Dieppe (17%); Kent South (14%); Dieppe Centre-Lewisville (11%); Petitcodiac (6%)Moncton SouthwestThe southwestern part of the city of Moncton and surrounding suburban areas.A number of neighbourhoods were exchanged between this riding and its neighbours.Moncton North (48%); Petitcodiac (24%); Moncton West (15%); Moncton Crescent (12%)Restigouche WestRestigouche County south and west of the communities of Campbellton and Dalhousie.A few communities were exchanged between it and neighbouring ridings.Restigouche-La-Vallée (39%); Campbellton-Restigouche Centre (37%); Dalhousie-Restigouche East (24%)Shediac Bay-DieppeCommunities in and around Shediac Bay moving inland to the northeastern part of the City of Dieppe.Exchanged neighbourhoods within the city of Dieppe with Dieppe; loses Cocagne to Kent SouthKent South (48%); Dieppe Centre-Lewisville (28%); Memramcook-Lakeville-Dieppe (20%); Shediac-Cap-Pelé (4%)Carleton-YorkYork County west of Fredericton except for the Hanwell-Kingslear area and McAdam area as well as small parts of southern Carleton County.Loses Douglas to Fredericton-YorkYork North (56%); Woodstock (32%); York (12%) * - measured in the percentage of its polling stations that came from the noted districts
Merged districts These districts are a result of a merger of large parts of two previous districts. Final name for districtPreliminary name for districtPreliminary description of districtChanges from preliminary reportPredecessor district(s)*Campbellton-DalhousieThe City of Campbellton and the Town of Dalhousie with those communities lying along the 20 kilometres between them.Exchanged a few communities with neighbouring districts.Dalhousie-Restigouche East (54%); Campbellton-Restigouche Centre (46%)Carleton-VictoriaMerger of most of Carleton with most of Victoria-Tobique.Slight adjustments to its southern boundary.Victoria-Tobique (57%); Carleton (43%)Fredericton-Grand LakeGrand LakeThe communities on the western side of Grand Lake stretching along Route 10 and the Saint John river into parts of the City of Fredericton east of the Nashwaak River.Gained most of Marysville; lost most unincorporated areas along the Nashwaak River.Grand Lake-Gagetown (56%); Fredericton-Fort Nashwaak (44%)Fredericton West-HanwellHanwell-SilverwoodThe southwestern part of the City of Fredericton with the suburban communities of Hanwell and Kingsclear.No changeYork (56%); Fredericton-Silverwood (44%)Kent SouthBouctouche returns to the district, while the Cocagne area leaves. Gains most of western and southern parts of old Kent districtMinor changes along its northern and southern boundariesKent (55%); Kent South (45%)MiramichiMost of the City of Miramichi except for the historic community of Douglastown.No changesMiramichi Centre (51%); Miramichi-Bay du Vin (49%)Oromocto-Lincoln**The Town of Oromocto, community of Lincoln, and southeastern parts of the City of Fredericton.No changesOromocto (50%); Fredericton-Lincoln (50%)Saint John EastThe southern parts of the old Saint John East district with the city parts of the old Saint John-Fundy districtLoses some of the city to Hampton, while gaining some of the city from Rothesay; exchanges neighbourhoods with Saint John PortlandSaint John East (59%); Saint John-Fundy (41%) * - measured in the percentage of its polling stations that came from the noted districts ** - riding was later renamed Oromocto-Lincoln-Fredericton in 2017.
Largely unchanged districts These districts underwent only minor changes.