For the first time in Airdrie’s history, the April 16 provincial election will see the city split into two constituencies, with residents voting in either the newly-created Airdrie-Cochrane riding or the Airdrie-East riding. The split into separate electoral districts was a result of Airdrie’s increasing population, according to the Alberta Electoral Boundaries Commission (AEBC). The average population per constituency should be about 46,803, the commission said, and Airdrie’s population in 2017 exceeded that figure by more than 20,000. Since Airdrie was too small to be split into two even ridings, the commission combined the city’s westernmost communities with Cochrane’s boundaries. Airdronians voting in the new riding include residents living west of 8 Street and residents living northwest of 24 Street and 1 Avenue NW (see map). “Airdrie itself is too large to be one constituency at this point, so that made it a forced choice – it had to be split some way,” said AEBC member Laurie Livingstone in an October 2017 interview with the Airdrie City View. She added the decision to merge communities in west Airdrie with Cochrane was due to similarities between the two municipalities, in that both are fast-growing communities near Calgary. On March 25, the Airdrie City View canvassed neighbourhoods west of 8 Street to see what residents in the riding thought of the decision to combine the two municipalities. While most respondents expressed disinterest or a lack of knowledge about the topic, a few agreed to provide their thoughts. Steven, a homeowner in Bayview, said he didn’t feel the new boundaries would benefit voters in west Airdrie. “The [new] riding is too large, with two different cities with different concerns for each community,” he said. “Airdrie is a 70,000-person community and Cochrane is a 25,000-person community. Now, you’re mixing Cochrane’s needs with half of Airdrie’s needs, and the other half is on its own. “It’s kind of divide-and-conquer in the way it’s being run.” Steven, who declined to provide his last name, added he didn’t feel one MLA could adequately represent people in two separate municipalities. “The focus of that [MLA] can’t be on those two things,” he said. “Airdrie itself should have had its own riding, and Cochrane should have been put with somewhere that has similar values, like the [rural surrounding areas].” Another Bayview resident, a woman who lives just down the road from the 8 Street boundary, said she didn’t feel Airdrie needs two representatives in the Legislature – especially if they’re from the same party, which she said she expects to happen in this election. “At the end of the day, an additional candidate is an additional salary, an additional pile of benefits and perks and all that,” said the woman, who declined to provide her name. “I think that’s a waste of taxpayer money. “I think there are better things we can spend money on than having more people smashing their hands, stomping their feet and yelling at each other in the legislative assembly. Why are we spending more money to hire more people? I think it’s a waste.” Only one respondent who answered the Airdrie City View’s questions had positive things to say about the split. Bayview resident Aalia Al-Quraisha said she felt Airdrie and Cochrane are similar communities. “I think it’s a good idea to join Cochrane,” she said. “We have more choice for who we want to [be elected] and we can meet more people in the community.” “It’s pretty close to Airdrie, so why not join them?” The candidates for Airdrie-Cochrane include Peter Guthrie of the United Conservative Party, Steve Durrell of the New Democratic Party, Matthew Morrisey of the Freedom Conservative Party and Vern Raincock of the Alberta Party. Guthrie and Durrell live in Cochrane, while Morrisey and Raincock live in Airdrie.
