PEI

Three Rivers to reduce number of wards, councillors in next election

Electoral boundaries are changing for the town of Three Rivers. 

Wards will go from 10 to 4; councillors reduced by 4

A banner on a light pole with a blue sky in the background.
The municipality of Three Rivers was formed when several former municipalities, including Cardigan, Montague and Georgetown, merged in 2018. (Shane Ross/CBC)

Electoral boundaries are changing for the town of Three Rivers. 

The resolution was passed at the municipality's regular council meeting Monday night.

Currently, Three Rivers has 10 wards and 12 councillors. 

But by the next election, that will go down to four wards with eight councillors. 

Mayor Ed MacAulay said there's been a lot of discussion on the topic, and it's been divisive. But he's hopeful the changes will make things clearer for constituents. 

"I think going forward, you know, it'll be less confusing when you know where your ward is and who represents you in your ward," he said.

"I think it'll probably communicate a lot easier. I think right now with 10 wards, it's been fairly challenging for people to know, 'Where exactly am I? Am I in this ward or that ward?' and so on, so I think it'll be more simplified.

Ten councillors were in favour of the change, with two opposed. 

The new maps are available on the municipality's website.

More from CBC P.E.I.

Corrections

  • A previous version of this story said the number of councillors would go down by two. In fact, it will be reduced by four.
    May 12, 2021 12:36 PM AT

With files from Jessica Doria-Brown