Concerns that Chilliwack might be cut in half with redrawn federal electoral boundaries will be put to bed now that a report shows the municipality intact.

The Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission report on the new electoral map was tabled in the House of Commons on Monday.

The proposed changes mean the new federal riding of Chilliwack-Hope will have 92,735 people, an 11.5 per cent variance from the electoral quota of 104,763.

The new riding, which replaces Chilliwack-Fraser Canyon, also means the local MP will have less travel to do as the Fraser Canyon has been removed.

A draft report last summer proposed expanding the Chilliwack-Fraser Canyon riding into the Cariboo. The draft map showed a boundary between Abbotsford-Sumas and Chilliwack-Fraser Canyon that would be Highway 1 until Vedder Road where it would run south, dividing Sardis in half.

"I've heard from constituents all over the riding concerned with the changes being proposed," Chilliwack-Fraser Canyon MP Mark Strahl said in an August 2012 press release.

"The Commission has completely revised its proposal concerning the electoral district of Chilliwack-Fraser Canyon by designing two new electoral districts, Mission-Matsqui-Fraser Canyon and Chilliwack-Hope," the report says. "The new Chilliwack-Hope district has retained the former western boundary of the existing Chilliwack-Fraser Canyon district, and the eastern boundary is located near Hope. Most of the Fraser Canyon portion of the existing district is included in the new electoral district of Mission-MatsquiFraser Canyon."

British Columbia gains six electoral districts as a result of the increase in population. Five of the new ridings are in the Lower Mainland.

Now that the report has been tabled, MPs can provide feedback, which will be considered by the commission. By June a final report will be made law, and the new boundaries will be in effect if an election is called more than seven months after that.

Strahl was unavailable to comment Monday on the report.

phenderson@chilliwacktimes.com