Comment 278 – comments and feedback

Judi Denison
Lytton Park Residents' Organization

We represent the Lytton Park Residents' Organization, a resident volunteer group within the current Eglinton-Lawrence riding boundaries.

The proposed redistribution is radical and disproportionately significant, causing serious negative impacts on our community. Splitting the riding at Avenue Road divides a community currently integrated by residents' associations, school catchment areas including school trustee zones, community centers, etc. For example, it will no longer possible to host all candidates' meetings for all levels of government. School boundaries have finally been reviewed, to include families on both sides of Avenue Road. The community on both sides of Avenue Road share traffic concerns, development issues, religious institutions, schools, cultural interests and commercial infrastructure.

The existing western boundary is a physical one, with people on the western side of the tracks tending to look west to Keele Street, not east to Dufferin.

The proposed boundary would significantly increase the riding's population, making it harder for our Member of Parliament to represent constituents.

If history is a guide, the proposed boundary would become the template for Toronto's future provincial and municipal riding boundaries, further weakening the community's provincial and municipal representation. Our municipal boundaries were already halved in 2018. The new boundaries, if adopted, would further exacerbate matters by depriving Toronto of one MP, thus adding stress to already overburdened councillor's and school trustees in North America's 4th largest city.

We understand that the goal of the process is to ensure fair and equitable distribution in terms of population, however this plan would divide a close cohesive community, while degrading our level of democracy.

Thank you for your consideration.

J.V.Denison, Director,
Lytton Park Residents' Organization