Population boom shakes up federal ridings in N.S. [Video]

Nova Scotia’s recent population boom has triggered a redrawing of the federal political map that comes into play for the first time in a snap election that kicked off this week.

Numbers changed the most in the suburbs around Halifax, where one riding — Halifax West — grew by almost 25,000 people in a decade.

Halifax West became too big according to the rules of the Constitution, and paring it back caused a domino effect across the province. 

All but one of Nova Scotia’s 11 ridings have different boundaries for this election than when Canadians last went to the polls in 2021.

Immigration surge

The redistribution of seats used the 2021 census. Carolyn Whiteway said the population at that time reflects significant international immigration from India, the Philippines, Syria, China and Nigeria.