Wynne plans to adds 15 new MPPs for 2018 election

Increase in ridings to 122 is part of sweeping package of election changes the Premier is announcing this morning.

Thestar.com
June 4, 2015
By Robert Benzie

Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne has given in to public pressure, announcing Thursday that her government plans to create 15 new ridings to increase the number of MPPs to 122 from 107 in the 2018 election.

At a wide-ranging news conference on election reform, Wynne also said there are no decisions yet on how to limit third-party spending in elections. There had been talk of spending limits on controversial third-party advertising after years of unchecked millions of dollars being spent by unions and other groups to sway voters.

Ontario voters will also head to the polls four months earlier than expected under Wynne’s new electoral reforms for the next provincial campaign.

Wynne says Elections Ontario recommended moving the fixed election date from October to June to avoid overlap with federal and municipal elections.

Last year’s Ontario election was in June, but that was triggered after the opposition parties vowed to vote against the budget, which would defeat the then-minority Liberal government.

Wynne says Ontario will also match federal riding boundary changes, which means the number of members of the provincial legislature will grow from 107 to 122.

Ontario will keep one additional seat in northern Ontario than at the federal level because the government wants to make sure the “unique needs of the north” are protected.

Government officials have said the premier and Attorney General Madeleine Meilleur will also propose lowering the age of registering to vote to 16 - though casting ballots will still be limited to those 18 and older.

That measure is designed to engage younger voters by encouraging them to register.

But the Liberals will not be moving forward with online voting even though some have urged that to boost turnout among young people.

Nearly $9 million was spent on advertising by teachers’ unions and other labour organizations during the June 2014 election.

Most of that money helped Wynne’s Liberals by paying for TV attacks ads aimed at the Progressive Conservatives.

Third-party spending has continued to jump from about $6 million during the 2011 campaign and $1.8 million in the 2007 vote.

The most prominent advertiser has been the Working Families coalition of unions that the Conservatives have unsuccessfully tried to link to the Liberals in complaints to Elections Ontario and the courts.

Ontario has long lagged behind the rest of the country to adopt spending limits.

Quebec, British Columbia, Alberta and New Brunswick all have strict controls on third-party advertising while Ottawa limits spending to $188,000 per group nationally.

The Liberals on Wednesday refused to say precisely how far Wynne is prepared to go to meet Essensa’s call to beef up the rules.

He has urged “anti-collusion provisions” to ensure political parties aren’t in cahoots with third-party organizations to skirt any campaign spending limits.

In the April 23 budget, Finance Minister Charles Sousa promised that “informed by the report of the chief electoral officer, the province will also move to strengthen rules around the election-related, third-party advertising to protect the public interest.”

While Essensa has recommended moving provincial election from autumn to spring, he’s also urged voting be held on a weekend or school holiday in June.

Ontario elections are traditionally held on a Thursday.

Government officials said no decision has yet been made on whether ballots will be cast on a Saturday, Sunday or holiday.

Last year’s election was only held in spring because Wynne’s then minority government did not have the support to survive a confidence motion.

The next vote has been tentatively set for Oct. 4, 2018.