Ontario Commission

Message from the Chair

Welcome to the website of the 2012 Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for Ontario.

The decennial census was conducted in Canada last year. As a result, the number of seats in the House of Commons allocated to each province and territory was recalculated based on new population numbers and a formula set out in the Constitution. Ontario's population has increased significantly since the previous census, and the number of electoral districts allocated to the province has increased from 106 to 121. 

Ten independent electoral boundaries commissions, one for each province, are responsible for readjusting the boundaries of existing electoral districts and establishing the boundaries of new electoral districts. This process is called "electoral redistribution." Each commission has three members. I am the chair of the Ontario Commission. My colleagues on the Commission are Mr. Douglas Colbourne and Dr. Leslie A. Pal.

Representation by population is a key principle of Canada's electoral system. When determining the boundaries of an electoral district, the Commission's main goal will therefore be to divide the province into districts as close as possible to the average population. We must also take into account such factors as communities of interest or identity, the historical pattern of electoral districts, and a manageable geographic size for districts in sparsely populated, rural or northern regions of the province.

Your electoral district may change once redistribution is completed. After the Commission has created a proposal for the new electoral boundaries, it will publish its proposal in newspapers and on this website. It will also publish the dates and locations of public hearings in numerous locations across the province. Those public hearings will be your opportunity to participate in the process of redrawing the electoral map for Ontario.

The task at hand in Ontario poses a formidable challenge, as well as an important democratic opportunity. Your commission looks forward to working with you to ensure that every possible effort is made to achieve electoral boundaries that are fair and equitable to all voters in Ontario.

Sincerely,

Mr. Justice George Valin