If you have a MMP system, with enough proportional seats to ensure that the overall result is proportional to the provincial list votes, it would be unnecessary to worry about using ranked choice voting in the single member ridings or to be concerned about the exact riding boundaries. Even if the single member seats produce a grossly disproportional result, this would be corrected by the list seats.
The problem here is to do this you would either have to make the provincial legislature a lot larger which might be a tough sell (i.e. costs more tax dollars) or you would have to make the ridings bigger so there are fewer constituency seats. The latter would be a non-issue in the Lower Mainland, but a major issue in the Interior as many of the Northern ridings are larger than some European countries and take several hours to drive across so making them even larger wouldn't go over well. Most countries that use PR have much higher population densities so this is less of an issue. After all BC has 1/17th the population of Germany yet 2.5x the landmass.
Weighted STV. It makes no sense to sort ballots into equal piles, when the voters do not sort themselves into equal-sized groups. It also makes no sense to sort areas into quantum-sized populations, when the voters don't live in equal-population areas. There is no reason to fudge community-of-interest to match equality, or to fudge equality to match community-of-interest.
(1) The magnitude of a district may be fractional (e.g. 1.45 in the interior, or 7.37 in Vancouver). Redistributions often will be simple recalculation of magnitudes, with occasional changes in boundaries to reflect long-term demographic change, such as suburban areas extending further into the countryside. It may be possible for voters in an area to initiate a change of district, since it will have minimal political effect. Magnitudes will be rounded to 0.01 for simplicity.
(2) Voters rank candidates. There will be no ballot exhaustion. A voter who has not expressed a full set of preferences, will be assumed to have adopted the preference order of his 1st preference for the remaining candidates.
(3) Quota = Ballots Cast/Magnitude
(4) Two thresholds will be calculated;
Exclusion Threshold: Minimum (Ballots Cast * 0.25, Quota * 0.8)
In small magnitude districts (less than 3.2), this is intended to permit politically diverse representation.
Surplus Threshold: Quota * 1.2
This is intended to prevent any single MLA of exercising too much power. The difference between the Surplus Threshold (Quota * 1.2) and Exclusion Threshold (Quota * 0.8) is intended to permit variable representation based on party strength. This also incentivizes turnout, and recognizes finer changes in support.
Counting proceeds like normal STV, Surpluses above the surplus threshold will be distributed. Counting stops when all candidates exceed exclusion threshold.
New Zealand method (transfers of votes to previously elected candidates) might be used. Possible resucitation of excluded candidates.
(5) Voting weight magnitude distributed among elected candidates based on their final ballots.
(6) Elected members would exercise weighted vote.
(7) Cost containment.
If number of members is too large for assembly chamber, then allocate seats based on party. Members can swap out during sittings, or sit in overflow room.
Legislative salaries can be based on weighted vote, with some minimum. In-district offices can be shared, with clerical office staff working for all members. Travel expenses can be reduced by sitting 6 days/week when in session. Consideration should be given to meeting on the mainland (is it cheaper to transport staff to Vancouver, or the MLA's to Victoria). Perhaps meetings can be conducted via virtual presence/reality. Eliminate defined benefit pensions. Members should be eligible for Canadian OA pension, and with high salaries plus expenses can afford own investments.
Possible Constituencies:
North:
Peace River-Northeast (1.5)
Prince George (2)
Prince Rupert-Northwest (1.5)
Cariboo-Thompson (4)
Columbia-Koootenay (3)
Okanagan-Kelowna (7.5) Possibly split, but might not be possible without splitting Kelowna.
Greater Vancouver
Vancouver (12.5) two districts.
West Vancouver-North Vancouver (4.2)
Tri-Cities (4.5)
Burnaby-New Westminster (5.5)
Richmond (4)
Surrey-Delta (12) two districts.
Fraser Valley (10) two (3?) districts.
Vancouver Island (15):
Victoria (6)
Nanaimo-Cowichan-South Island (5)
North Island (4)
