Commentaire 154 – commentaires et rétroaction

Ya'ara Saks
MP York Centre

As a resident and elected representative of York Centre, I would like to share the feedback and concerns I have received from my neighbours and constituents regarding the Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for Ontario's proposed redistribution plan.

The proposed redistribution of York Centre's boundaries would have a significant effect on our city and community's level of representation and should be amended.

There is concern with the removal of one riding within the City of Toronto compared to the 2013 representation order. The 24 proposed ridings, down from 25, are based on the 2021 census unadjusted population of 2,794,356. This population count notably does not take into consideration Statistics Canada's undercoverage - those people who are not counted by the census.

Per the City of Toronto's report on the city's population in the 2021 census (using Statistics Canada's Annual Demographic Estimates as their postcensal coverage study with population estimates taking undercoverage into account will only be available in September 2023), the net undercoverage rate for the city in the 2016 census was estimated at 3.12%, whereas for 2021 it may have near doubled, to 6.05%.

Twenty four ridings per the current proposal would significantly reduce Torontonians' representation when taking undercounting into account. Maintaining 25 ridings would account for this undercounting and ensure equitable representation for Toronto residents within the Commission's quota.

With respect to the specific boundaries of the York Centre riding, the proposed boundaries have raised several concerns with respect to the redistribution of the western sections of riding and their impact on communities of interest and historical patterns of York Centre.

The Commission's proposal would redistribute all parts of the current York Centre west of Keele Street to the renamed Black Creek riding. This does not recognize, and would damage, those communities' historical and ongoing connection to Downsview.

Downsview is at the centre of York Centre geographically, historically, and socially. The residential communities in York Centre arose around the airfield and industry established there 100 years ago. Over the course of a century, the Downsview lands have evolved from an airfield and de Havilland Canada manufacturing centre, to RCAF Station Downsview during the Second World War to its status as the Cold War-era CFB Toronto, to its devolution in the post-Cold War era to Downsview Park and the evolution of its aerospace industry.

The communities west of Keele Street are strongly identified with Downsview throughout its century-long history, and ongoing. The established neighbourhoods west of Downsview Park, which have been represented federally in the same riding as Downsview, have been intimately involved in its development as a social, cultural, and historical hub for decades. These communities west of Keele Street coexist with the communities within Downsview Park.

The proposed boundaries will separate and divide these established communities that are unified by Downsview. Separating those communities west of Keele Street from Downsview as proposed will mean that their federal representation would not represent their historical and common interest in Downsview.

The proposed boundaries should therefore be adjusted to retain those communities west of Keele Street within the York Centre riding per the 2013 representation order.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Commission and commissioners for extending the public submission period and for their work in ensuring an independent and non-partisan redistribution to uphold and maintain effective democratic representation.

Sincerely,

Ya'ara Saks