A new report from the Aristotle Foundation for Public Policy proposes expanding the House of Commons to 350 seats to correct long-standing imbalances in representation that have left Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia underrepresented compared to other provinces. The study argues that these disparities fuel Western separatist sentiments, particularly in Alberta, where Premier Danielle Smith has called for a referendum on abolishing the unelected Senate.
Current Representation Imbalances
According to the report, Alberta has the lowest representation in the House of Commons, with one member of Parliament for every 135,057 citizens based on 2025 population figures. British Columbia follows with one MP per 133,077, and Ontario with one per 132,645. In contrast, Prince Edward Island has one MP per 44,820 residents, Quebec one per 116,816, and Saskatchewan one per 89,351. The report notes that these disparities have persisted for decades, undermining the democratic principle of representation by population.
Senate Representation Also Skewed
The study also examines the Senate, finding that British Columbia is the most underrepresented province, with 953,720 people per senator, followed by Alberta at 826,683. Prince Edward Island, by comparison, has one senator per 44,820 people, Nova Scotia one per 107,963, and Quebec one per 379,651. The authors argue that such imbalances erode the legitimacy of federal institutions and contribute to Western alienation.
Proposed Solution: A 350-Seat House
The report recommends restructuring the House of Commons to 350 seats based on current population data, which would better reflect 21st-century realities rather than the 1867 Confederation or even the 1982 Constitution. The authors state: “One part of our rationale for change is that continued imbalances in representation will exacerbate Western alienation and feed potential separatist sentiment in Western Canada. Another part is that the principle of representation by population is critically necessary for legitimacy in a democracy.”
Root Causes of Imbalance
The current disparities stem from constitutional provisions, including a clause ensuring provinces have no fewer MPs than senators and another guaranteeing a minimum number of MPs based on historical benchmarks. The Liberal government recently updated this benchmark to 2019 levels, but the report argues these measures have led to chronic underrepresentation for faster-growing provinces.
Expert Authorship
The report was co-authored by Mark Milke, head of the Aristotle Foundation and former Canadian Taxpayers Federation director; Ven Venkatachalam, an economist; and Gordon Campbell, former Canadian diplomat and premier of British Columbia from 2001 to 2011. Milke emphasized: “Canada’s House of Commons should reflect 21st-century population realities and restore a greater sense of fairness across the country.”
