(CARLI BERRY / iNFOnews.ca)

The Central Okanagan's three Liberal MLA's have joined forces to push for a fourth riding in the region, just in time for provincial Electoral Boundaries Commission meetings in the Thompson-Okanagan regions next week.

By law, a three-person Electoral Boundaries Commission is struck after every second election. Its mandate allows it to create up to six more electoral districts in B.C.

“With an approximate total population in 2021 in the Central Okanagan of 216,000, West Kelowna to Lake Country, a case is being presented for the addition of an additional seat in the area,” states a press release issued by Kelowna-Lake Country MLA Norm Letnick, noting the population is projected to grow to 292,147 in eight years when the next commission will be put in place. That's an average of about 73,000 per riding.

Their proposal recommends a fourth Central Okanagan riding, calling it Kelowna Centre. The existing three ridings in the Central Okanagan region all have some parts that include areas of Kelowna.

The proposal takes into account projected growth rates throughout the region and would leave the existing Kelowna Mission riding pretty much as is because it’s expected to have a slower growth rate.

From maps presented with the news release it appears that the existing Kelowna West would cover West Kelowna and the rural area on the west side of Okanagan Lake but not Peachland.

Kelowna-Lake County would include Lake Country and parts of Kelowna that are north of Highway 33 while Kelowna Centre would be in the core of the city.

A map of the proposed boundary changes in the Central Okanagan.

Image Credit: SUBMITTED/Norm Letnick

READ MORE: Expect changes in Thompson and Okanagan ridings before the next provincial election

Nine public meetings will be held in the Southern Interior over the next two weeks as the provincial Electoral Boundary Commission considers changes to riding boundaries.

Five of the meetings will be in the Okanagan, Shuswap and Thompson regions, starting April 6 in Penticton, according to a commission media release.

The commission has not said what it is thinking for Okanagan, Shuswap and Thompson regions.

“Input from local community members is essential to the Commission process,” Justice Nitya Iyer, commission chair, said in the release.

The other two commission members are local government management consultant Linda Tynan and B.C.’s chief electoral officer Anton Boegman.

The commission was struck in October 2021 and needs to produce a preliminary report by Oct.21, 2022.

Along with the in-person meetings, people can participate in a virtual public meeting over Zoom on April 11 at 5 p.m. or send in their thoughts any time before May 31. Go here for information on the Zoom meeting.

For a list of the public meetings go here.

For more information on the commission go here. For online submissions, click on the Your Voice tab.

The commission asks people to notify them by email at info@bcebc.ca if they plan to attend.

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