Comment 347 – comments and feedback

Mitzie Hunter, MPP for Scarborough-Guildwood

Dear Members of the Ontario Commission for the Federal Electoral Districts Redistribution;

I am MPP for Scarborough-Guildwood, resident of Scarborough within the City of Toronto. I am concerned about the proposed changes to the Federal Electoral Districts, particularly the loss of an electoral riding in Scarborough and thereby Toronto.

Scarborough has a distinct identity and sense of community within the City of Toronto. It is characterized by a large and diverse population, including a high number of seniors, children and immigrants. Our diversity is what makes us a strong community.

The proposal takes out a large portion of Scarborough North, and a sizable portion of Scarborough-Agincourt, and collapses areas of these communities into a new riding called Scarborough Northwest. This would not only break up existing communities, but it would redistribute a sizeable portion of Scarborough-Agincourt into North York and delete any reference to the history of Agincourt in the process. Scarborough Village dates back to 1832 and Agincourt emerged in 1858 as a farming town and continues to this present day to have a rich cultural and historical identity.

The western municipal boundary of Scarborough clearly ends at Victoria Park Ave. Taking parts of Scarborough from Warden Ave. and Pharmacy Road to Victoria Park Ave. will break up police services from 42 Division, health care services and social and seniors' community services. Like Scarborough North, Scarborough-Agincourt has large numbers of seniors, newcomers, families, and immigrants. Scarborough-Agincourt's immigrant population is 19% over the Toronto average. Over the decades, our communities have created an interconnected network of services that meet Scarborough's unique needs.

The Commission's proposed changes will redraw the very boundaries of Scarborough and displace many residents leaving them stranded for services and supports.

In anticipation of the Sheppard subway line, numerous developments are happening right now all along Sheppard Ave. E., and even more in the near future, including the Agincourt Mall 5,000-unit condominium/retail development, and the current Village Green (Kennedy and 401) condominium expansion. The Agincourt Mall project is the largest residential development application in Scarborough and the 2nd largest residential application in the City of Toronto. Furthermore, the redevelopment of the Golden Mile area spurred by the building of the Eglinton East LRT will drive intensification along the Eglinton corridor. We have already begun to see this transformation. The 2021 census does not take into account these developments, which, if factored in will substantially increase the population of Scarborough-Agincourt and Scarborough. Nor does the Census taken in 2021 (a pandemic year) reflect the true number of residents living in Scarborough. Making decisions using under reported population data will severely impact those diverse populations in Scarborough.

The proposed elimination of a Scarborough riding would impact our community in at least two significant ways.

1. Representation - with Scarborough's diverse population made of immigrants, refugees, children, youth and high number of seniors; representation matters. Whether these groups are voters or not, they require a strong voice to stand up for them and to ensure policies are reflective of their priorities and needs. Eliminating Scarborough-Agincourt and making Scarborough South West a riding in excess of the Commission's guidelines makes no sense. Scarborough has a number of groups who are often unreported in the census including refugees and Indigenous. These groups still require a number of services in the community and require representation. I urge the Commission to consult with Indigenous populations who will be impacted by these decisions before proceeding.
2. Community - Scarborough is a unique and unified community with a tremendous amount of placemaking pride. Keeping electoral boundaries within existing neighbourhoods supports citizen engagement and participation. Key projects such as the subway extension; LRTs and Golden Mile developments reflect the opportunities for growth and intensification of Scarborough in the near future.

Please take my concerns seriously and keep Scarborough-Agincourt and Scarborough North as distinct ridings within Toronto. There needs to be fair representation for Scarborough and Toronto as a whole.

Electoral Boundaries do matter and must take into account the character of communities. I urge the Commission to Keep Scarborough together.

Sincerely,

Mitzie Hunter, MPP for Scarborough-Guildwood