New boundaries for the province’s 49 electoral districts have been made public by the Electoral Boundaries and Representation Commission.

The commission’s recommendations are contained in its final report tabled with the clerk of the legislative assembly.

In the Miramichi region, the riding map would see significant changes, despite the area continuing to contain three ridings. Much of the western portion of the former Miramichi Bay-Neguac and Southwest Miramichi-Bay du Vin ridings would be combined to form a new riding called Miramichi West. Newcastle would no longer be in the same riding as the rest of the city, and instead would be part of the Miramichi Bay-Neguac riding, along with Natoaganeg first nation. The new Miramichi East riding would include much of the city, including Douglastown, Chatham, and Chatham Head, and would extend from Hardwicke in the east, nearly all the way to Renous in the west.

Co-chair Roger Clinch said the virtual hearings offered valuable information for the commission to consider within the context of the guiding principles of its mandate, as prescribed in the Electoral Boundaries and Representation Act.

The commission’s final report also includes several recommendations for the legislative assembly to consider. One recommendation proposes an amendment to the Electoral Boundaries & Representation Act prior to the next provincial general election. The amendment would allow for a deviation greater than 25 per cent in the application of extraordinary circumstances, which was an issue raised during deliberations over the redistribution of the new riding of Tantramar.

Another recommendation calls for a comprehensive review of the act, which would involve looking at process timelines, the structure of public consultations, as well as how the guiding principles of the commission’s mandate are prioritized.

The commission expects its work to be completed by late April. The final report may be viewed on the commission's website.