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.

The federal NDP, which is flagging in the polls, has all 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."