Published November 29, 2023

Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

Opposition is mounting against proposed changes to the boundary of the Huntingdon riding, following a report published by the Commission de la représentation électorale du Québec that recommends adding five municipalities to the constituency.

The commission is proposing to offset population growth in neighbouring ridings by adding the municipalities of Saint-Étienne-de-Beauharnois, Saint-Stanislas-de-Kostka, Saint-Louis-de-Gonzague, Saint-Blaise-sur-Richelieu, and a section of the city of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu to the Huntingdon riding.

Public consultations on the proposed changes ran from mid-October to November 15. A total of seven briefs were presented during an in-person session on November 7 in Salaberry-de-Valleyfield. Beauharnois MNA Claude Reid, Soulanges MNA Marilyne Picard, and Vaudreuil MNA Marie-Claude Nichols presented their perspectives, as did Miguel Lemieux and Patrick Bousez, the prefects for the MRC de Beauharnois-Salaberry and MRC de Vaudreuil-Soulanges. None spoke positively of the commission’s recommendations. Huntingdon MNA Carole Mallette was especially critical, arguing the changes would see the riding expand even further without any additional resources to meet new needs.

The CDC du Haut-Saint-Laurent also denounced the proposed changes in a memoir submitted to the commission, suggesting the addition of more populous municipalities could disproportionally impact the MNA’s available time to address issues facing smaller communities.

A resolution adopted by the municipality of Havelock on November 6 requests the status quo be maintained for the riding.

A parliamentary commission will review the recommendations and a revised proposal will be debated in the National Assembly before any new electoral boundaries will be adopted. The revised electoral map will be in place for the 2026 provincial election.

Scroll to Top