Toronto to lose one riding in proposed change to federal electoral map

There could be one less Member of Parliament from Toronto if a new proposed redistribution of federal electoral boundaries is approved.

The Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for Ontario tabled its proposed changes to the province's federal electoral map in the House of Commons on Friday.

In its report, the three-panel commission proposed reducing the number of federal ridings in Toronto to 24. The city currently has 25.

The commission noted in the report there are "substantial disparities" in the population size of the current ridings. Currently, the 25 ridings would have an average population of 111,774, which is below the quota of 116,590.

"The commission noted that this overrepresentation in Toronto has emerged due to uneven population growth between Toronto and surrounding areas, which is expected to continue or increase in the future," the report stated.

When the proposal to cut one federal riding was taken to the community for feedback, the commission said it received submissions opposing the move.

"A large share of these submissions argued that unique features of Toronto — namely its highly diverse population, its economic centrality, and its rapid growth — necessitated maintaining the current number of constituencies. In the Commission's view, these arguments apply with equal or greater weight to constituencies surrounding Toronto, which are on average faster-growing, similarly diverse, and economically dynamic," the report read.

"As a result, the commission concluded that the districts in Toronto be reduced by one."

Hence, the commission redrew boundaries, with Scarborough seeing the most drastic changes.

Currently, it has six federal ridings – Scarborough Agincourt, Scarborough Centre, Scarborough Southwest, Scarborough North, Scarborough Guildwood and Scarborough-Rouge Park.

Before the final report, the commission initially recommended Scarborough-Agincourt be absorbed into the existing North York ridings of Don Valley North and Don Valley East.

It admitted that the recommendation was widely criticized by officials, organizations and stakeholders, who argued that eliminating a riding in Scarborough is "inappropriate."

The commission said their initial plan was seen as "another act against a part of Toronto which feels it has suffered a long series of setbacks and disappointments from governments of all levels."

As a result of the criticism, instead of eliminating a Scarborough riding, the commission proposed merging Don Valley East to its three neighbouring ridings – Don Valley North, Don Valley West (to be renamed as Don Valley South), and Scarborough Centre (to be renamed as Scarborough Centre-Don Valley East).

“By moving the boundaries of two Scarborough-based districts across Victoria Park Avenue, the loss of a district is shared between Scarborough and the rest of Toronto,” the report stated.

The current riding of Scarborough-Guildwood will also see a significant change. The commission proposed shifting its boundaries towards the west "to reflect population equality and to draw boundaries on clear, straight, easily-explained features." As a result, the new boundary will not include the community of Guildwood Village, so the riding is being renamed Scarborough-Woburn.

Meanwhile, Guildwood will be joining the current riding of Scarborough-Rouge Park to become Scarborough-Guildwood-Rouge Park.

The riding of York South-Weston is set become York South-Weston-Etobicoke as a portion of its propsed new boundary will cross the Humber River. The commission's initial plan was to eliminate the current riding and create Humber riding, but it was scrapped following community pushback.

Other proposed changes include a new name for the riding of Parkdale-High Park. It will be changed to Taiaiako'n-Parkdale-High Park.

"This was done in a spirit of reconciliation in recognition of the Haudenosaunee village and burial mounds on the site of High Park," the report stated.

Spadina-Fort York will also be renamed as Spadina-Harbourfront.

The commission said it considered population equality and social and geographic factors -- which include respect for communities of interest or identity, and historical patterns of previous boundaries -- during the redistribution process, as well as submissions during last year's public consultations.

"The time and effort committed by the public to this important democratic process was remarkable and very much valued by the Commission," said Honourable Justice Lynne C. Leitch, who is the chair.

"We are satisfied that we have balanced our statutory obligations with the views of the people of Ontario, striving for the goal of effective representation."

The report will be reviewed by the House of Commons Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs.