NORTHERN ONTARIO

The population of Northern Ontario is now 838,812 and the region currently has 11 electoral districts. Northern Ontario electoral districts were already significantly below the provincial quotient after the previous electoral readjustment. The population of Northern Ontario has not only failed to keep up with provincial growth but in eight of the 11 electoral districts it has actually declined from the level indicated in the previous census of 1991.

The average population for each electoral district in this region is 76,256. If the current number of electoral districts were retained, their average population would be well below the maximum variance of 25 per cent from the provincial quotient, according to the 2001 census information. Thus, the only way to preserve the status quo would be to depart from the general rules for establishing electoral districts, a decision that requires the Commission’s judgement that extraordinary circumstances justify this treatment. The existing boundaries are not based on exceptions to the allowable variance and the Commission does not believe that since the last readjustment occurred, extraordinary circumstances have arisen that would justify deviating from the requirement that electoral districts remain within 25 per cent of the provincial electoral quotient. To retain 11 electoral districts would result in significant overrepresentation in this area.

The Act allows consideration of a manageable geographical size for electoral districts in sparsely populated, rural or northern regions. The Commission has responded to this consideration in its approach to Northern Ontario. If the electoral districts for Northern Ontario were based solely on the principle of representation by population, this region would be allocated only eight electoral districts – a decrease of three. Just as the Commission is unwilling to accept significant overrepresentation in this region, it is also unwilling to accept the drastic reduction of representation for Northern Ontario that would result from decreasing the number of electoral districts from 11 to eight.

The Commission considered several alternative approaches and believes that the best proposal reduces the region’s number of electoral districts to 10 (as distinct from nine or even eight, which would be the result of a strict adherence to the quotient).

The existing electoral district of Kenora–Rainy River has a population of 78,758, which is 26.83 per cent below the provincial quotient. The Commission proposes that the southeastern boundary of Kenora–Rainy River be extended to include the entire Territorial District of Rainy River. With this change, the electoral district of KENORA–RAINY RIVER has a population of 82,681, which is 23.19 per cent below the provincial quotient.

With a population of 76,009, Thunder Bay–Atikokan is 29.39 per cent below the provincial quotient. The movement of Atikokan into Kenora–Rainy River further reduces the population of Thunder Bay–Atikokan, requiring that more of the City of Thunder Bay be included in this electoral district. The Commission proposes a readjustment that simplifies the boundaries of the electoral district by following Thunder Bay Expressway, Oliver Road and John Street. It proposes that this electoral district be called THUNDER BAY.

The proposed electoral district of THUNDER BAY–SUPERIOR NORTH includes the rest of the City of Thunder Bay and follows the north shore of Lake Superior to the northern outskirts of Sault Ste. Marie, as well as the northern boundaries of the current electoral districts of Thunder Bay–Superior North and most of Algoma–Manitoulin.

The Commission proposes that the electoral district of SAULT STE. MARIE be enlarged to include the City of Sault Ste. Marie as well as several surrounding townships, from Prince to the west as far as Plummer Additional to the east.

The proposed electoral district of GREATER SUDBURY–MANITOULIN contains the southwestern part of the City of Greater Sudbury (including the communities of Dowling, Onaping, Chelmsford, Lively, Azilda, and Mikkola), the Manitoulin Islands, and that part of the current electoral district of Algoma–Manitoulin that is not in THUNDER BAY–SUPERIOR NORTH.

The existing electoral district of Timmins–James Bay remains unchanged, with the exception of an adjustment to the southeast boundary of the electoral district. The Commission proposes that the part of the District of Cochrane that is in the existing electoral district of Timiskaming–Cochrane be added to the electoral district of TIMMINS–JAMES BAY. The Commission believes that uniting the communities in this area in an electoral district that also includes Timmins, is consistent with the area’s community of interest.

The Commission proposes extending the existing electoral district of Sudbury within the City of Greater Sudbury, to the south and east between Highways No. 69 and No. 17, including the community of Coniston. With this proposed change, the electoral district of SUDBURY has a population of 83,710, which is 22.23 per cent below the provincial quotient.

The Commission proposes that the current boundaries of the electoral district of Timiskaming–Cochrane be extended to include the northern and eastern parts of the City of Greater Sudbury, (including the communities of Garson, Falconbridge, Val Caron, Val Therese, Hanmer and Capreol). As the proposed electoral district no longer contains any part of the District of Cochrane, the Commission proposes that it be renamed TIMISKAMING–GREATER SUDBURY.

The existing electoral district of Nipissing has to be enlarged. The Commission proposes extending the boundaries of the electoral district of NIPISSING to include that part of the eastern portion of the existing Parry Sound–Muskoka electoral district, following Highway No. 11. This includes the Village of Burk’s Falls and several townships, the most southern of which are the Township of Perry and the Town of Kearney.

With the changes made to Nipissing, the electoral district of PARRY SOUND–MUSKOKA has to be increased. The Commission proposes extending the boundaries to the north and west, to include the municipalities of French River, St.-Charles and Killarney, and nearby unorganized territories. The southern boundary of the electoral district, adjoining the current electoral district of Haliburton–Victoria–Brock, is adjusted to respect current municipal boundaries.

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