North Burnaby residents don't want their riding split in half and then connected to the North Shore, according to the latest poll commissioned by New Democrat Burnaby-Douglas MP Kennedy Stewart.
"Ever since the proposal to separate North Burnaby and combine it with North Vancouver to create a new electoral district was put forward by the commission, my office has been inundated with local residents concerned about how these changes would impact the depth of their representation in Ottawa," said Stewart in a press release.
According to Stewart's survey, four out of five North Burnaby residents who had an opinion on the matter opposed the proposed riding of Burnaby North - Seymour, suggested by the Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for B.C. The commission's three appointed members have redrawn the boundaries of B.C.'s federal electoral ridings to make room for the province's growing population. The commission has suggested joining the northern half of Stewart's Burnaby-Douglas riding with a sizeable chunk of the North Shore to create a new riding called Burnaby North Seymour.
Stewart's survey was conducted from Sept. 20 to 24, with 12,498 households reached and 1,376 responding. Of those respondents who had an opinion, 80 per cent did not want the proposed riding.
Stewart has also commissioned a similar poll but for North Shore residents in the area affected by the proposal, and those results showed that 79 per cent of polled North Vancouver residents (with an opinion) also opposed the idea.
"I, along with the many other Burnaby residents who will be speaking at the public hearing, look forward to a productive and impactful dialogue with the members of the commission," Stewart said.
The public hearing for Burnaby is Thursday, Oct. 18 at 7 p.m. at the Holiday Inn Express Metrotown, at 4405 Central Blvd.
