CHETICAMP: Nova Scotia’s independent 2025 Electoral Boundaries Commission released its final report today, January 30, in both French and English.
Commission members were appointed in April 2025 by an all-party select committee of the House of Assembly for the purpose of recommending electoral boundaries to provide effective representation of the Acadian region of Chéticamp and area.
The select committee also provided the commission with terms of reference.
The last review of the province’s electoral boundaries took place in 2018-19. Reviews normally take place at least every 10 years.
This review, however, was conducted as a result of an order by the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia, which ruled that the previous commission’s decision not to create an exceptional electoral district for Chéticamp violated Section 3 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
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In its interim report, submitted in August 2025 after public consultation, the commission presented three alternatives: keeping the status quo, with 55 electoral districts, and two other proposed scenarios, each with 56 electoral districts.
For the final report, the commission’s terms of reference mandated that only one set of boundaries be recommended.
After deliberations following a second round of public consultation, the commission is unanimously recommending a House of Assembly of 56 seats.
The current district of Inverness would be divided into two new electoral districts: Chéticamp-Margarees-Pleasant Bay and Inverness-We’koqma’q.
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Commission Chair Kenneth Deveau thanks everyone who contributed oral and written comments during the two rounds of public consultation.
“It was a difficult job, but it was a pleasure working with this commission of dedicated members,” Mr. Deveau said. “There were very helpful and passionate contributions from the public in all the communities we heard from.
“As our mandate draws to a close, I – and I am sure I speak on behalf of all commission members – am honoured to have been chosen and to have had the opportunity to serve my province through this process.”
The commission’s work is now complete. Its interim and final reports can be found online at https://www.nselectoralboundariescommission2025.ca/ until July 21, 2026.
They will be archived on the legislative library’s website at: https://legcat.gov.ns.ca.