Comment 186 – comments and feedback

Tanis Darling

The difficult and time-consuming work put in by the Commission for Ontario into the proposal for new boundaries for Parkdale-High Park is greatly appreciated. Nevertheless, the proposed extension of the northern boundary to include the area north of the railway line, up to St. Clair Avenue in the north, and eastward to the north-south (GO Transit) railway line, ought to be rejected.

The railway line which makes the present northern border is a defined natural boundary, which separates different communities. In no other instances, are communities on both sides of the same railway line included with the proposed new riding of Taiaiako'n-High Park. In this case, the residents north of the railway line in question are served by different public facilities, including different educational institutions—e.g., the children in this area attend Harwood PS, George Syme CS, and Carleton Village Jr and Sr PS; whereas the children south of the railway line attend entirely different schools, including Warren Park Jr PS, Humbercrest PS, King George Jr PS, Annette Jr and Sr PS, and Indian Road Crescent Jr PS. Residents north of the railway line are represented by separate and distinct ratepayer associations, and the small businesses in the area participate in different Business Improvement Associations. In addition, the electoral boundaries for all other levels of government do not combine residents that are both north and south of this railway line. Residents north of the railway are served provincially by the MPP for York-South Weston, and municipally by the City Councillor for Ward 5; whereas residents south of the railway are served provincially by the MPP for Parkdale-High Park, and municipally by the City Councillor for Ward 4. Importantly, severing the community north of the railway line from the proposed new riding of Taiaiako'n--High Park will not jeopardize the Commission's goal of attaining, as close as possible, the Electoral Quota of 116,590 residents. The proposed portion north of the railway line and up to St. Clair Avenue represents only 1,222 people according to the 2021 Census—as such, removing this geographic region from the redrawn map of Toronto will nevertheless result in the new riding of having a total of 118,199 residents, still putting the new riding of Taiaiako'n—High Park at 1.4% above the Commission's target Electoral Quota.

Thank you again for all of your dedication and work to this important part of our democracy.

Sincerely,
Tanis Darling