Ward boundary changes: poorly explained

By Pepper Parr

May 26^th, 2025

BURLINGTON, ON

OPINION

Back to that engagement issue – and how the city communications department missed the point on this one.

Last week the city’s communications put out a media release on the decision the city had made in the ward boundaries that will be in place for the October municipal election in October of 2026.

• The community in North Tyandaga will move from Ward 1 to Ward 3
• The Leighland community will move from Ward 2 to Ward 1
• The west side of the Palmer community will move from Ward 4 to Ward 3
• The Maple Beach community will move from Ward 1 to Ward 2

For each of these, we asked – be more specific please – what are the boundaries

Doesn’t tell you nearly enough does it?

We responded to the communications people for more detail – they sent us to maps that they must have thought would make everything very clear.

The areas where changes were made is shown in the \\\ shading.

What is required if people are to fully understand where they are to vote is something similar to what the federal government does when they are explaining a constituency boundary.

Example:

Consists of that part of the City of Burlington lying southeasterly of a line described as follows: commencing at the intersection of the southwesterly limit of said city (Kerns Road) and Dundas Street; thence northeasterly along said street to Highway 407; thence southerly along said highway to Guelph Line; thence southeasterly along said line to Upper Middle Road; thence northeasterly along said road to Walkers Line; thence southeasterly along said line to Queen Elizabeth Way (Highway 403); thence northeasterly along Queen Elizabeth Way to the northeasterly limit of said city (Burloak Drive).

For a city with such a poor municipal election voting record, every opportunity to tell people where they will be voting is important.  You can never start too early.