THE CITY OF TORONTO

According to the census in 2001, the population of the City of Toronto is 2,481,494. It currently comprises 22 electoral districts having an average population of 112,795, or 4.78 per cent above the provincial quotient. Considering that this is a densely populated urban area, the Commission accepts this average variation and does not propose to change the total number of electoral districts within the City boundaries. In fact, there are seven electoral districts within the City of Toronto for which the Commission proposes no boundary changes at all.

The total population of the three electoral districts west of the Humber River (the former City of Etobicoke) is 338,117. Their average population is 112,706, a figure that is appropriate. The existing electoral district of ETOBICOKE–LAKESHORE has a population 113,914 and does not require any changes.

To reduce the population of the current electoral district of Etobicoke North from 118,583, the Commission proposes moving the area that is south of Dixon Road in the proposed electoral district of ETOBICOKE CENTRE. The effect of this change is to simplify the boundary between the proposed electoral districts of ETOBICOKE NORTH and ETOBICOKE CENTRE such that, from west to east, it is Highway No. 401 and Dixon Road.

The total population of the five electoral districts east of Victoria Park Avenue (the former City of Scarborough) is 593,297. Their average population is 118,659, or 10.23 per cent above the provincial quotient. The Commission carefully considered the acceptability of this variance. It was not realistic to add an electoral district to this area, because the population is too low. The only alternative would have been to propose at least one electoral district whose territory would have crossed Victoria Park Avenue, a decision that would have had considerable impact on electoral districts on both sides of what has been a traditional boundary. The Commission decided against making a proposal that would have involved the crossing of Victoria Park Avenue.

The Commission proposes maintaining the existing boundaries of SCARBOROUGH–AGINCOURT (population 114,411), Scarborough CENTRE (population 123,089) and SCARBOROUGH SOUTHWEST (population 113,616). To reduce the population of the existing electoral district of Scarborough–Rouge River from 126,382, the Commission proposes moving the boundary northward between SCARBOROUGH–ROUGE RIVER (population 119,115) and SCARBOROUGH EAST (population 123,066) such that the area bounded by Markham Road (on the west), Highway No. 401 (on the south), Collins Road (on the east) and Sheppard Avenue (on the north) is now included in SCARBOROUGH EAST.

The population of the remaining territory of the City of Toronto (the former cities of Toronto, North York, and York, and the Borough of East York) has a population of 1,550,080. The average population of the 14 electoral districts contained therein is 110,720.

The population of the current electoral district of Toronto Centre–Rosedale is 122,882. Although the Commission is proposing two electoral districts east of Victoria Park Avenue with higher populations (SCARBOROUGH CENTRE and SCARBOROUGH EAST), the Commission considers that the population of the existing Toronto Centre–Rosedale is unacceptably high, especially because the populations of some nearby electoral districts – notably, Toronto–Danforth (103,153), Trinity–Spadina (103,368), and Davenport (103,618) – are significantly lower. The Commission proposes that the Toronto Islands and the area bounded by University Avenue (on the west), College Street (on the north) and Yonge Street (on the east) be removed from Toronto Centre–Rosedale and added to TRINITY–SPADINA. On the north, the Commission proposes that the Governor’s Bridge area (population 388) be added to TORONTO CENTRE–ROSEDALE. This area was part of the former Borough of East York. Now that the municipal boundary in this area no longer exists, the Commission considers that Governor’s Bridge is appropriately joined with TORONTO CENTRE–ROSEDALE.

With the addition of the area east of University Avenue from the current electoral district of Toronto Centre–Rosedale, the population of TRINITY–SPADINA is significantly increased. The Commission proposes that the territory bounded by Ossington Avenue (on the east), Dundas Street (on the south), Dovercourt Road (on the west) and the Canadian Pacific Railway on the north) be moved to the proposed electoral district of DAVENPORT. South of Dundas Street and north of the Gardiner Expressway, the Commission proposes that the westerly boundary of TRINITY–SPADINA be moved westward to Dufferin Street, thereby affecting the boundaries of the current electoral districts of Davenport and Parkdale–High Park.

As noted above, the Commission proposes that the population of DAVENPORT be increased by adding territory on the east from the existing electoral district of Trinity–Spadina. The Commission also proposes a northern addition to DAVENPORT, i.e. the territory east of Keele Street and south of Eglinton Avenue that is within the existing electoral district of York South–Weston. However, the Commission proposes moving all of the territory south of Dundas Street currently within the current electoral district of Davenport to TRINITY–SPADINA and PARKDALE–HIGH PARK. The Commission proposes that, between Dundas Street and the Gardiner Expressway, the easterly boundary of PARKDALE–HIGH PARK be Dufferin Street. The net effect of this change is to increase slightly the population of PARKDALE–HIGH PARK to 110,639.

For YORK SOUTH–WESTON, the Commission proposes only the change referred to in the previous paragraph. Its population is reduced to 106,974.

The Commission sees no reason to change the boundaries of EGLINTON–LAWRENCE (population 111,237), ST. PAUL’S (population 108,696), and DON VALLEY WEST (population 115,539).

As noted above, the Commission proposes that the Governor’s Bridge area be moved from the current electoral district of Toronto–Danforth to TORONTO CENTRE–ROSEDALE. Because the population of Toronto–Danforth is already low at 103,153, the Commission proposes adding territory to the east from the current electoral district of Beaches–East York. The boundary between the two is simplified by using Coxwell Avenue throughout. Given that the municipal boundary between the current electoral districts of Beaches–East York and Don Valley East no longer exists, the Commission proposes that the new boundary between BEACHES–EAST YORK and DON VALLEY EAST be Sunrise Avenue.

The population of the existing electoral district of Don Valley East is high at 116,963. Its population can be reduced by using Finch Avenue as the only northerly boundary. The population of DON VALLEY EAST becomes 110,373.

The population of the existing electoral district of Willowdale is already high at 118,375. As noted above, the Commission proposes simplifying the northerly boundary of DON VALLEY EAST by adding to Willowdale the territory north of Finch Avenue in the current electoral district of Don Valley East. To reduce the population of Willowdale, the Commission proposes that the territory north of the Hydro line (that is north of Finch Avenue) and west of Yonge Street be moved to YORK CENTRE. The population of WILLOWDALE becomes 109,258.

The population of the current electoral district of York Centre is increased by the territory added to it from the current electoral district of Willowdale. However, because the population of the current electoral district of York West is only 103,616, the current boundary between York West and York Centre must be adjusted. At the south, the Commission proposes that the boundary continue to be Jane Street, as far north as Sheppard Avenue. Then it would go west to Black Creek, north to Grandravine Drive, and east to Keele Street, which would be the boundary between the two electoral districts right up to the northerly boundary of the City of Toronto. The population of YORK CENTRE is 113,420 and that of YORK WEST is 110,384.

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