By Debbie Kasman
At its July 9, council meeting, South-West Oxford Township (SWOX) Council
approved a public consultation session to be held on Tuesday, Sept. 17th, 2024 at 6:50 p.m. at the Municipal Office at 312015 Dereham Line, Mount Elgin asking the community for feedback regarding a potential ward boundary change.
All six wards are impacted by the proposed changes.
The primary goal of reviewing ward boundaries is to ensure each ward within the township has a proportionate number of residents to ensure every resident’s vote carries equal weight in local elections and that each councillor represents a reasonably equal number of constituents.
Township staff took a preliminary review of the current electoral representation in August 2023 because Mount Elgin residents had expressed a desire for dedicated representation for Mount Elgin on township council after councillors had approved several phases of subdivision expansion for Mount Elgin while living in other communities. Mount Elgin residents felt they weren’t being properly represented at council meetings. The review being done is a normal periodic boundary review in advance of the next municipal election to ensure boundaries reflect growth.
Township data indicates the population in Ward 2 is over the optimal size and range compared to the other five wards within the township and there may be justification to realign the township’s ward boundaries to ensure fair and proportionate representation across the township. However, the population in Mount Elgin does not yet appear to justify a dedicated ward councillor, according to township staff.
The proposed draft ward boundary map is available for viewing here: https://www.swox.org/en/news/ward-boundary-review-2024.aspx.
A side-by-side comparison of the current versus proposed ward boundaries can be viewed here: https://www.swox.org/Current-vs-Proposed-Ward-Boundaries-2024.pdf.
Feedback can be made in person at the meeting or in writing.
Feedback can also be submitted through the following online survey: https://forms.swox.org/Ward-Boundary-Review-Public-Consultation-Survey.
Alternate forms are available upon request to the Clerk. All inquiries should be directed to Clerk, Julie Middleton: clerk@swox.org or 519-485-0477 ext. 7023.
Any proposed changes will not come into effect until the 2026 municipal election.
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