Comox residents will have to travel to Campbell River to visit the new office of Vancouver Island North MP John Duncan.
In a news release Thursday, Duncan announced he will move his office from Courtenay to Campbell River due to new electoral boundaries.
“The redistribution of federal constituencies on Vancouver Island, effective in 2015, will mean that the Vancouver Island North–Comox –Powell River Riding will not include the current location of my MP office in Courtenay,” the veteran Conservative MP said.
“As the office lease in Courtenay is up for renewal and as Campbell River is central to the new northern riding on the Island (including Powell River), I have chosen to relocate my office,” Duncan added.
“This is effective Jan. 21, 2014 and the new office is at 1250F Cedar St. in Campbell River (adjacent to Island Coach Lines/Greyhound bus depot).”
“Certainly that’s unfortunate, but perhaps not unexpected given the boundary change,” reacted Mayor Paul Ives of Comox. “Hopefully, our MP will continue to be accessible to constituents here in the Comox Valley up to the time of the next election.”
Duncan said he will retain all of his current staff.
“We look forward to continuing to serve constituents from the new location.”
In August, a binding decision by the Federal Boundaries Commission for B.C. split the area for the next federal election.
The commission divided Comox from Courtenay, Cumberland and Denman and Hornby islands, while merging them into a new riding named Courtenay-Alberni.
Comox remains in the newly broadened Vancouver Island North-Comox-Powell River riding. The renamed riding incorporates Area C (Puntledge-Black Creek) and Area B (Lazo North) of the Comox Valley Regional District, along with the Pentledge Indian Reserve No. 2 and Comox Indian Reserve No.1, and runs north to Port Hardy.
The Courtenay-Alberni riding incorporates Area A (Baynes Sound, Denman and Hornby islands) along with Port Alberni, Qualicum Beach, Parksville, Tofino and Ucluelet.
“I’m very disappointed to say the least,” Duncan said at the time.
He and three other MPs filed separate but complementary objections to the commission.
When the ruling was announced, Duncan confirmed his Comox Valley office would remain in Courtenay until the next election. The 42nd Canadian federal election is tentatively scheduled for Oct. 19, 2015.
editor@comoxvalleyrecord.com
