There has been significant change to the electoral districts throughout the southeast which includes the creation of a new electoral district. The province recently unveiled new configurations which show that the boundaries of La Verendrye, Emerson, and Steinbach will change significantly.
Every ten years, the Electoral Divisions Boundaries Commission reviews and makes changes to the names and boundaries of Manitoba’s electoral divisions pursuant to The Electoral Divisions Act.
In the southeast, significant changes have been made to the La Verendrye, Emerson and Steinbach constituencies. The new alignment places entire municipalities within the boundaries of specific constituencies, with the exception of the RM of Hanover. The municipality is divided because it contains the City of Steinbach which is large enough to be its own constituency.
As part of the realignment, the boundaries of the Steinbach constituency have moved inward due to population growth. Areas formerly within Steinbach will now be part of La Verendrye.
The realignment of the constituencies of La Verendrye, Emerson and Springfield allowed for the creation of a new constituency called Dawson Trail, which includes the RM’s of Tache, Ritchot and Ste. Anne. This constituency was initially named Tache but it was renamed after numerous requests to the RM of Ste. Anne in order to keep francophone communities together as much as possible.
The RM of De Salaberry remains within the constituency of Emerson; however the RM of Stuartburn, and Piney are now part of La Verendrye along with the RM’s of Reynolds, Piney, Hanover and La Broquerie.
As population changes it is necessary to review electoral boundaries to ensure effective representation for everyone. If an electoral division has an increase or decrease in population the boundaries for that electoral division may need to change.
In order to determine the area and boundaries of any electoral division, the Commission considers population factors and human factors such as special diversity or the greater interests of the people who live in the area being reviewed.
The province of Manitoba adopted these changes on December 22, 2008.
The provincial electoral districts were last reviewed in 1998.
Constituency / Population / Deviation
Dawson Trail / 19,530 / -3.06%
Emerson / 20,370 / 1.11%
La Verendrye / 20,590 / 2.20%
Steinbach / 19,415 / -3.63%
