The Western Ontario Wardens Caucus is pleased the region will retain its rural federal seat count as part of the federal riding redistribution plan.
Last fall, the caucus strongly suggested that communities remain whole and the rural seat count must be maintained.
The original proposal would have split up several Midwestern Ontario ridings. The caucus also believes the decision will allow municipal and community organizations to engage with one federal MP, instead of possibly working with two MPs representing competing political parties.
“While the WOWC understands that the location and density of population growth required the Commission to move boundaries, the originally proposed federal electoral districts unnecessarily fragmented many of our region’s communities – and jeopardized our rural seat count in Southwestern Ontario,” stated Chair Glen McNeil. “We are pleased to see that the Commission considered our suggestions and kept communities whole while maintaining the rural seat count in Western Ontario.”
Proposed changes to ridings in Huron, Bruce and Grey would have split up counties. Under the original proposal, multiple rural communities across the region would not have been kept whole, including but not limited to: Dawn-Euphemia, Zorra, Tillsonburg, Warwick, and Chatham-Kent.