By Staff
January 16th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
The City is conducting a Council Composition and Ward Boundary Review. The review is being done to help plan for the future and ensure voters are represented equally in the local government decision-making process.
The last ward boundary review for Burlington was completed in 2005, when the city’s population was 139,000. Since this time, the city’s population has grown to approximately 186,948 (2021 Census). Over the next 25 years, the city will continue to grow. Approximately 265,000 people are expected to call Burlington home by 2051.
Phase One of public engagement for the Council Composition and Ward Boundary Review, in October 2024, focused on the current size and structure of Burlington City Council. On Dec. 2, 2024, an interim report was presented to City Council. This report was informed by resident feedback shared in Phase One of the review. On Dec. 10, 2024, City Council directed the consultant team to coordinate the review to bring back ward boundary options that maintain six wards in Burlington. This means Burlington Council will continue to have seven members, one mayor and six councillors, and each local councillor will continue to represent their ward in Burlington and be a regional councillor on Halton Regional Council, along with the mayor.
With this direction, Phase 2 of the Council Composition and Ward Boundary Review will focus on the design of Burlington’s six wards. A total of seven design options are proposed, with each taking four guiding principles into consideration to achieve effective representation:
Representation by population
Future population trends
Communities of interest
Geographic representation.
Next steps
Public engagements throughout the month of February provide opportunities for residents and businesses to review the proposed seven options and share their feedback. The feedback gathered will inform a report that goes to City Council in spring 2025. At this time, Council will determine whether to adjust or maintain the city’s existing ward boundaries. If changes are required, they will be implemented before the 2026 Municipal Election (Oct. 26, 2026).
Residents are invited to review and share their feedback on seven options for the design of Burlington’s ward boundaries.
In-person and online public engagement opportunities for Phase Two of Burlington’s Council Composition and Ward Boundary Review will take place between Feb. 4 and Feb. 28.
Drop-in information sessions:
Tuesday, Feb. 4, 1:30 – 3 p.m., La Salle Pavillion (Main Ballroom), 50 North Shore Blvd.
Wednesday, Feb. 5, 6:30 – 8 p.m., Ella Foote Hall, 2175 Blessington St.
Thursday, Feb. 6, 7 – 8:30 p.m., Burlington Senior’s Centre (Community Room 3), 2285 New St.
Wednesday, Feb. 12, 7 – 8:30 p.m., Mountainside Community Centre (Community Room 1), 2205 Mount Forest Dr.
Thursday, Feb. 13, 1:30 – 3 p.m., Haber Community Centre (Community Room 1), 3040 Tim Dobbie Dr.
Thursday, Feb. 13, 7 – 8:30 p.m., Tansley Woods Community Centre (Community Room 2), 1996 Itabashi Way
Thursday, Feb. 20, 7 – 8:30 p.m., Appleby Ice Centre (Community Room 1), 1201 Appleby Line
Online virtual information session:
Wednesday, Feb. 19, 7 – 8 p.m., Online Virtual Session, on Zoom
Online survey:
Tuesday, Feb. 4 – Friday, Feb. 28, Online Survey open
P.S. Where are the results of the Survey on “Increasing the Size of Council at COB”?
As far as I know, nothing has been reported on this. Hopefully this Survey was done and recorded by the Consultant who was hired by the City to do this.
If history is any guide, the decisions have already been made, and the public engagement is just window dressing.
Totally agree with you! Any Engagement opportunities run by our mayor and city council is strictly for “show purposes only”. No one need apply or attend, as “they” have already decided. Just like “increasing the size of Burlington city council” was already decided by them, Not by Burlington residents, but by Burlington city council!!
What about if Waterdown wants to join our city and become Ward 7?