The Government of Canada is committed to ensuring our country's democratic institutions remain strong and that all Canadians continue to be well represented in the House of Commons.
Today, the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities, introduced legislation to amend section 51 of the Constitution Act, 1867 so that no province will hold fewer seats in the House of Commons than it did during the 43rd Parliament of Canada. If passed, the amendment would update the 1985 grandfather clause of the seat allocation formula, providing a new minimum number of seats to provinces in the House.
Further to the seat allocation calculation, the ten independent electoral boundaries commissions, one for each province, established in November 2021 will continue their work to consider and report on any changes required to the boundaries of the electoral districts. This process, prescribed under the Electoral Boundaries Readjustment Act, allows for changes and movements in Canada's population to be reflected in the House of Commons.
Putting forth this legislation ensures that no province will lose a seat during this decennial census and reaffirms the Government's commitment to ensuring that Canadians remain well represented in the House of Commons.
