Public x Report No. 11-10-1317 Private Date: October 18, 2011 HALIFAX REGIONAL SCHOOL BOARD Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board Electoral Boundary Report PURPOSE: To provide the Board with information regarding the upcoming electoral boundary hearing at the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board. BACKGROUND: On July 27, 2011, the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board (NSUARB) released its decision regarding the number of electoral districts and councillors representing the Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM). The number of electoral districts and councillors has been reduced from 23 to 16 plus the Mayor. Based on this decision, HRM’s electoral boundaries will be significantly altered for the October 2012 election. The Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board determined the number of electoral boundaries and directed HRM to formulate the altered districts. HRM has provided two scenarios and gathered public comment regarding these proposed electoral districts. On October 21, 2011, HRM will submit the proposed boundaries to the NSUARB which will hold a hearing on November 7, 2011. It is in the mandate of the NSUARB to make the final determination of the electoral boundaries. This decision will be based on both public comment and legislative requirements. The primary consideration in electoral district reviews is voter equality, which endeavours to achieve relative parity across electoral districts and is measured by calculating and comparing the variances in the number of electors per district. The NSUARB has determined the acceptable variances in the number of voters per electoral district. The decision in respect of HRM’s boundary application in 2004 application in part stated: … as noted in its February 2004 municipal boundary decision respecting HRM, the Board now expects variances for relative parity between polling districts to be within +/- 10%, only allowing variances up to +/- 25% in extraordinary circumstances where the municipality provides a detailed written explanation confirming that factors such as community of interest or geography clearly justify the necessity of an increased variance in a polling district. (2004 NSUARB 78) Section 43 of the Education Act requires: … in the year 1999 and every eighth year thereafter, every school board shall apply to the Utility and Review Board to confirm or change the number and boundaries of the electoral districts in the school district or school region. 1995-96, c.1, s. 43; 1998, c.18, s. 555 - 1 - In 2008, the Halifax Regional School Board submitted an application to NSUARB to change the number of electoral boundaries and Board members to eight elected members in addition to the Mi’kmaq and African Nova Scotian representatives. The NSUARB reduced the number of electoral districts to eight and the number of elected members to nine (eight elected by district and the African Nova Scotian representative). Section 42 of the Education Act states that “A school board consist of such number of members, not less than eight nor greater than eighteen, as determined by order of the Utility and Review Board.” As outlined, the Halifax Regional School Board would be required by the Education Act to apply to the Utility and Review Board to confirm or change the boundaries in 2016. However, HRSB has decided to file an application to the NSUARB to change its electoral districts for the following reasons: • in accordance with Section 44 of the Education Act, the UARB considers the boundaries of municipal polling districts and wards when it determines the electoral boundaries for school board districts; • school board elections are held at the same time as municipal elections and HRSB is responsible for incidental election costs related to the election of its members and with vastly different electoral districts the cost would be significant; and • closely aligned electoral boundaries between HRM and HRSB will lessen voter confusion. The number of elected Board members and districts will not be reduced; however, the geographical area of each district will be altered. CONTENT: HRM presented two options for the public’s consideration and comment. During the consultation process, staff from HRM and HRSB worked collaboratively to determine mutually acceptable boundaries. HRM’s public consultation concluded on October 14, 2011 with a staff report and recommendation being tabled with Regional Council on Tuesday, October 18, 2011. Based on public comment and staff’s recommendation the following motion was put and passed: Moved by Councillor Walker, seconded by Councillor Streatch, that Halifax Regional Council recommend to the NSUARB Option 1 as revised during the public consultation process with the 16 polling district boundaries as outlined in Attachment 1 of the October 14, 2011 staff report. - 2 - Attachment 1 of this report depicts the proposed electoral boundaries as well as graphically outlines each district. For school board electoral district purposes, two Municipal boundaries would be consolidated to create one School Board boundary. This option divides the HRM into sixteen districts, generally maintaining and urban, suburban, and rural division. This option would result in eight HRSB electoral districts as follows: District 1 – HRM A and C District 2 – HRM E and D District 3 – HRM F and G District 4 – HRM I and J District 5 – HRM H and K District 6 – HRM L and M District 7 – HRM N and P District 8 – HRM B and O Staff reviewed this option and would offer the following analysis: Advantages • Generally maintains identifiable communities of interest across all of HRM; • Voter parity of most districts is within the 10% variance • Generally follows community boundaries and where required uses other identifiable boundaries to shape the polling districts; • From a municipal perspective, the primarily rural district in the eastern shore is maintained as well as maintaining communities of interest in the south western coastal areas of HRM; • This scenario is the preferred option as it better represents the family of schools and communities of interest. Disadvantages • Given that HRSB electoral boundaries are comprised of two municipal electoral boundaries there are proposed districts which will have an urban/suburban split and a rural/suburban split. This is evident with Eastern Shore and Cole Harbour being consolidated as well as the south end of Halifax and the northwest arm communities; • There will be significant change in the Dartmouth East and Cole Harbour Electoral Districts. There is a requirement by the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board that Lake Loon, Cherry Brook and Cole Harbour be maintained as one polling district. To ensure voter parity and respect the aspirations of surrounding communities, it would be difficult to revise the proposed boundary; • Proposed changes to the Halifax Peninsula districts create proposed HRSB boundaries that have an urban/suburban split. This is necessary given the voter parity requirement and the significant change to the municipal boundaries; - 3 - • Although this is the preferred option in respecting the Family of Schools structure, there are areas that the Families of Schools will be split; however, this occurs in the existing electoral districts. The Board will distribute this report to School Advisory Councils for feedback and will post the report on its website at www.hrsb.ns.ca . The Board will accept public input on the report at [email protected] . COST: In 2008, the incidental election costs to the Board was, approximately $320,000.00 and should the Board not amend the existing boundaries an additional cost of approximately $420,000.00 would be incurred. FUNDING: Election costs are under the purview of the Board Governance budget. TIMELINE: Approved electoral boundaries to the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board in for November 2011 to be implemented for Municipal and School Board elections in fall 2012. APPENDICES: Appendix 1 – Proposed overall elec toral districts and individual district maps Appendix 2 – Voter populations and variance by district Appendix 3 – Polling District Descriptions Appendix 4 – List of Schools in each proposed district RECOMMENDATIONS: Senior Staff recommends that the governing Board approve the electoral boundaries and forward them to the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board for consideration. COMMUNICATIONS: AUDIENCE RESPONSIBLE TIMELINE Community via Web Doug Hadley Immediately School Advisory Councils Danielle McNeil-Hessian Following the Board meeting Department of Education Charles Clattenburg Following the Board meeting Halifax Regional Municipality Selena Henderson Following the Board meeting From: For further information, please contact Charles Clattenburg, Director of Operations Services or Jill McGillicuddy, Planner – Operations Services by way of e-mail at [email protected] or at 464-2000 ext 2277. To: Senior Staff: October 18, 2011 Full Board: October 26, 2011 - 4 - Appendix 1 – District Maps Overall District Boundaries Source: Halifax Regional School Board - 5 - Proposed District A Source: Halifax Regional Municipality - 6 - Proposed District B Source: Halifax Regional Municipality - 7 - Proposed District C Source: Halifax Regional Municipality - 8 - Proposed District D Source: Halifax Regional Municipality - 9 - Proposed District E Source: Halifax Regional Municipality - 10 - Proposed District F Source: Halifax Regional Municipality - 11 - Proposed District G Source: Halifax Regional Municipality - 12 - Proposed District H Source: Halifax Regional Municipality - 13 - Proposed District I