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One more politician could enter the fold

The Yukon’s legislative assembly might need to find a new chair. And a desk.The next territorial election could see one more politician in…

The Yukon’s legislative assembly might need to find a new chair. And a desk.

The next territorial election could see one more politician in the house.

In its interim report, the Yukon Electoral District Boundaries Commission recommended the creation of a new electoral district called Copperbelt North.

“This new electoral district reflects the rapid expansion of the existing electoral district of Copperbelt,” states the 21-page report.

When it was established in 2002, the Copperbelt riding had 1,296 electors on the voting list.

Five years later, that number has increased to 1,748 electors.

“The increase in the existing electoral population of Copperbelt is an unacceptable 60.81 per cent above the average,” states the report.

The new electoral district of Copperbelt North should include Lobird and approximately two thirds of the Copper Ridge subdivision.

The estimated number of electors in the new riding is 1,180, putting it above average by only 2.88 per cent.

Copperbelt South should include most of the southern part of the existing electoral district of Copperbelt and the subdivisions of Mount Sima, Spruce Hill, Pineridge, Wolf Creek North, Wolf Creek, Mary Lake, Cowley Creek, Whitehorse Copper, MacRae and Golden Horn.

The new development of Fox Haven Estates should also be included. 

The proposed number of electors in Copperbelt South will be 1,169, which is below the average by 1.92 per cent.

In the territory, the average number of electors per electoral district is 1,147.

Districts should not deviate more than 25 per cent from the average, according to the report.

However, the Electoral District Boundaries Commission noted that the overall increase of the electoral population in Whitehorse is skewing the numbers in the rural areas. 

“While we have struggled to respect the plus or minus 25 per cent deviation guideline wherever possible, we concluded that we must be tolerant of higher deviations for some rural electoral districts in order to maintain a greater balance between the number of rural and urban electoral districts,” states the report.

It also proposed changes to the three electoral districts in Porter Creek to account for new development.

As well, there may be a new electoral district called Mount Lorne-Southern Lakes that will include part of the existing electoral district of Mount Lorne and the existing electoral district of Southern Lakes.

There may also be a new electoral district named Mountainview that includes the subdivisions of McIntyre, Valleyview, Granger and Hillcrest.

And a new electoral district named Takhini-Kopper King could be established that includes the subdivisions of Takhini, Takhini North, Mountain View, Yukon College and three mobile home parks. 

 Finally, the existing electoral district of Whitehorse West could be changed to include the proposed development in the Arkell subdivision by moving a portion of the existing electoral district into the proposed electoral district of Copperbelt North.

The changes still have to be approved by the legislative assembly.

To read the report visit www.yukonboundaries.ca.