In pursuit of ‘equal representation’: Vaughan seeks input for ward boundary review

Over the last decade, Vaughan’s population has grown by almost 30 per cent

Yorkregion.com
Jan. 12, 2021
Dina Al-Shibeeb

The City of Vaughan is inviting its residents to four virtual public open house meetings regarding ward boundaries starting Jan. 12.

There are five current wards -- established in 2009 -- in Vaughan; however, with population increase, the city wants to push for “equal representation” and bolster the local democratic process.

Over the last decade, Vaughan’s population has grown by almost 30 per cent, the city said. “However, the growth has not been uniform across the community and has resulted in population disparity among the five wards.”

Vaughan's population is also expected to experience significant growth over the next 20 to 25 years. By 2031, the population is expected to increase by 42 per cent from 2016, to about 418,800 people.

Meanwhile, the “review is limited to consideration of the five ward boundaries, not the mayor or regional councillors.”

During the sessions, participant residents will have the chance to learn and raise questions about the review while providing feedback on the current ward structure. Register to attend at vaughan.ca/WardBoundary.

These are the timings for the online open house sessions:

-- Tuesday, Jan. 12 at 7 p.m.

-- Wednesday, Jan. 13 at 2 p.m.

-- Thursday, Jan. 14 at 10 a.m.

-- Thursday, Jan. 14 at 7 p.m.

People can also participate in an online survey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/vaughanwbr. The online survey will be available until Friday, Jan. 22.

On Jan. 5, the city published a video about why this review is important.