Toronto city councillors slam federal plans to cut riding of Don Valley East
CBC
Nearly every member of Toronto city council is strongly opposing an Elections Canada move to cut a federal riding in the city, expressing concern that the elimination of a representative will undoubtedly harm residents.
If the current riding redistribution plan for Ontario is finalized by the federal government, Toronto will have its ridings reduced, from 25 to 24, meaning one less representative in Ottawa. Don Valley East would be eliminated and its population split up and absorbed by Don Valley North, Don Valley West (which will be renamed Don Valley South) and Scarborough Centre (which will be renamed Scarborough Centre-Don Valley East).
Coun. Lily Cheng represents Ward 18 Willowdale and organized a letter signed by council members opposing the riding change.
"This flies in the face of our democratic values, our ideals of fairness, and our ability to make sure the residents of Toronto can reach their representative of choice in a time of need," Cheng said at a Monday news conference.
The Don Valley East riding currently covers the northeast section of North York and is represented by Liberal MP Michael Coteau and Liberal MPP Adil Shamji, who also spoke at the news conference.
Coteau and Shamji said that communities weren't given a chance to provide their opinions about the potential restructure.
"Citizens were disenfranchised through the process," said Coteau.. Those in Don Valley East or in the ridings that may absorb the riding had no chance to weigh in, he said.
They and multiple other politicians discussed the role the riding plays in supporting new immigrants and the need for strong representation for those constituents.
In February, the Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for Ontario tabled planned changes to the province's federal ridings. The commission cited "disparities" in the sizes of Toronto's current 25 ridings, as the average population is around 111,000 per riding, which is below the target of around 116,000.
In its report, it said Toronto is over-represented, "due to uneven population growth between Toronto and surrounding areas."
The reduction in the number of ridings at the federal level could have implications for representation at the provincial level as well, the councillors said at the news conference.
In an emailed statement to CBC Toronto, the Ontario Commission, which revised the boundaries for Elections Canada, cited its public consultation initiatives in 2022, which included in-person and virtual meetings. It said that at this stage, it's up to MPs to make any recommended changes and referred to the timeline the public can access online.
Coun. Jon Burnside, who represents Don Valley East at a municipal level, called the decision a "slap in the face," saying it will further marginalize his own constituents.
"We talk about welcoming new Canadians and we're just changing boundaries, it would seem, without any thought to their input," said Burnside.
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