Photo: Contributed

The B.C. Electoral Boundaries Commission is recommending riding changes in the North and South Okanagan.

While no significant changes were recommended for the Central Okanagan, boundary changes are being suggested for both the North and South Okanagan.

In the North Okanagan, a slight boundary change has been recommended to strengthen the population of the Shuswap riding.

"To better balance the population in this area, we propose to move the boundary between Vernon-Monashee and Shuswap south to include Swan Lake in the Shuswap electoral district."

A major boundary shift is also proposed in the South Okanagan.

The commission is recommending an expansion of the Boundary-Similkameen district west to include Princeton.

That, according to the commission, would bring the population to within plus or minus 25 per cent of the provincial average.

Currently, the riding is nearly 30 per cent below the provincial average.

The commission has also recommended adding two new provincial ridings, bringing the number of elected representatives in the legislature to 87. Those additions would be in Richmond and Surrey.

The commission will now hold public hearings beginning next month before tabling a final report in September.

Any changes adopted by the legislature would come into effect for the anticipated 2017 and 2021 provincial elections.