In April of 1987, the Honourable Judge Thomas K. Fisher was appointed under the Inquiry Act to head an electoral commission to redraw electoral boundaries and to study the elimination of B.C.'s 17 two-Member electoral districts. In his findings, Judge Fisher recommended that the number of MLAs be increased from 69 to 75. He also decided that, in drawing constituency boundaries, he would not allow constituencies to deviate more than plus or minus 25 percent from the average constituency population in B.C.
Judge Fisher further recommended that a non-partisan and independent electoral boundaries commission be legislated to make future revisions to electoral boundaries.
The Legislative Assembly adopted these recommendations and enacted the Electoral Boundaries Commission Act, 1996.
The commission must be made up of:
- A current or retired judge of the Supreme Court or the Court of Appeal, nominated by the Lieutenant Governor in Council
- Someone who is not an MLA or government employee nominated by the Speaker, after consultation with the Premier and the Leader of the Official Opposition
- The Chief Electoral Officer
