B.C.'s ridings look different this federal election. Here's how that shakes things up

As part of the once-a-decade riding redistribution process, B.C. has gained a riding for the 2025 federal election and seen many political boundaries reshaped.

The new political map is likely to change the political calculations for federal parties, with the additional riding located in the B.C. Interior, an area historically popular with the Conservatives.

And a University of B.C. political scientist says the redrawing of political boundaries in Metro Vancouver could add to the challenges faced by the federal NDP and its leader Jagmeet Singh, who has to contest in a significantly redrawn riding.

Stewart Prest says riding boundaries matter a lot in Canada's first-past-the-post electoral system, where each geographically-defined electoral district elects an MP that residents can identify.

"When you create a new riding, it creates a new seat," he said. "When you move a boundary several blocks, it can make a difference in a close riding between victory and defeat."

The riding redistribution is part of a process that is based on Canada's population growth, with riding boundaries redrawn to ensure each seat has roughly the same amount of voters across the country. Voters can search for their electoral district by postal code on the Elections Canada website.

"Take a moment to find out what riding you're in," Prest urged. "It may not be the one you're used to, but it is worth the time and to see who is running to represent you. And this is an election that matters."

Here are some of the ways that the redrawn ridings could influence the upcoming federal election.

Questions for NDP in Burnaby

The federal NDP, which is flagging in the polls, has three of its Metro Vancouver seats located in the Burnaby and Tri-Cities area — a region that has seen some significant changes with the redrawing of political boundaries.

Of particular significance is NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, who won the last two elections from Burnaby South, but is now contesting from the Burnaby Central seat.

Burnaby South has been broken up, with the southern portion of it in Vancouver Fraserview-South Burnaby and Burnaby Central taking portions of what was the Burnaby North-Seymour riding.

Prest says the NDP faces an uphill battle to even hold onto historical safe seats like Vancouver East in the current political climate, and the redrawing adds new wrinkles.

"Mr. Singh, well, he has built some political machine in Burnaby," he said. "He is having to somewhat shift that focus given ... Burnaby South has been redistricted as a central Burnaby riding.

"That means Mr. Singh has an additional local challenge in addition to his national challenge."

Redrawn Vancouver ridings

In Metro Vancouver, the Liberals have a high-profile candidate running in former Vancouver mayor Gregor Robertson.

Robertson will contest the newly redrawn riding of Vancouver Fraserview—South Burnaby, which features much of the old riding of Vancouver South and also includes an adjoining area in Burnaby.

Prest says Robertson will not have deep linkages to the Burnaby portion of the riding, which means he'll have to convince voters there that he's the right choice.

"I think it suggests an area where he's going to have to work in a different way to build up the same kind of rapport that he enjoys with Vancouverites," he said.

New riding could benefit Tories

In the Interior, where a new seat for Vernon—Lake Country—Monashee has been added and numerous district boundaries have been reshaped in response to population growth, Prest says the Tories are most likely to benefit. 

"It is part of the province where Conservatives, both provincial and federal, do very well," the political scientist said. 

"I would say on its face, it does give the Conservatives a chance to pick up the new seat, and perhaps even to pick up a couple of other seats."

Prest notes, however, that while the Tories may benefit in the Interior, the redrawn ridings in the Lower Mainland will be a different kind of battle — as parties try to present a form of change that also incorporates high levels of Canadian patriotism.

"Those other districts that are in the Lower Mainland, where the ridings are more marked by a kind of urban demographic and an urban sensibility, there is going to be, I think, a harder test for [the Conservatives]," he said.