Commentaire 12 – commentaires et rétroaction

Andrew Scuse Whitby Chambers of Commerce, Board President

Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for Ontario PO Box 37018 Southdale London, Ontario, N6E 3T3 ON@redecoupage-federal-redistribution.ca

Re: Federal Electoral Districts Redistribution – Whitby Boundary Adjustment

The Whitby Chamber of Commerce (WCC) writes to express our concerns about the proposed federal boundaries redistribution which impacts our membership organizations. Our position supports the Town of Whitby's position on the redistribution of the eastern GTA ridings. Following the 2021 Federal Census results, your honourable office has proposed to move Brooklin, Whitby's northern community, into the City of Pickering riding and to incorporate a western part of the city of Oshawa into the southern Whitby riding.

Respectfully, this proposal is not in the long-term best interests of the Whitby community, and ultimately will not be an accurate or effective redistribution of the Federal Electoral Riding map. While the proposed ridings would have the appropriate distribution of population, they would not be an accurate representation of the regional community identities.

Historically, Brooklin has been situated in Whitby Township, which was eventually split into Whitby Township and East Whitby Township in 1857. East Whitby, which has historically been a rural area, amalgamated with the City of Oshawa. In 1967, the Township of Whitby amalgamated into the present boundaries and included Brooklin.

Looking at future projections, it is anticipated that Brooklin will see a population growth of 60,000 by 2031. Pickering is also expected to see exceptional growth within these years; even though the 2021 Census may not have captured this trend. The 2021 Census data provides insight into Canada's demographics during the height of COVID-19 and under extremely unique circumstances; accordingly, the data may not reflect the long-term population trends the Durham Region in particular, is experiencing.

Given this, it is likely that the proposed riding maps will need to be redrawn in the coming years to account for these changes. We kindly ask that these growth models be considered along with the community impact before ridings are redistributed to ensure their longevity.

Though party politics may align practically, the Brooklin community does not ideologically identify with the City of Pickering. We believe Whitby has more in common with the City of Oshawa, particularly within the business community. Both Whitby and Oshawa expect similar types of economic and demographic growth within their boundaries and given their geography, they will connect even more in the future as development expands their downtown cores. If Brooklin were to share a riding with the City of Pickering, there is legitimate concern that the voices of countless small business owners in Brooklin would be lost behind the large manufacturing workforces in Pickering. Strategically, Pickering's priority to strengthen and grow its industrial sector and Whitby's drive to empower its small businesses, does not align.

Federal electoral riding maps inevitably impact provincial ones, which in turn affect municipal boundaries, resources, and politics; accordingly, these proposals should be thoroughly assessed before they are implemented. If the new electoral riding proposals kept Whitby unified, the votes and voices of our citizens would be more accurately represented. Since 1967 Whitby residents have worked to build a community and purpose for this town, redrawing electoral lines will reshape not only the politics, but also the way the community rallies and builds together.

Other towns and cities (e.g. Windsor, Ontario) have raised similar concerns over federal ridings breaking apart municipalities; while that may be unavoidable as populations rise, the identities of our municipalities should be considered in the process. WCC shares the Town of Whitby's position that if federal riding maps are redrawn, they should align north Whitby with north Oshawa, with particular regard to our business community and members.

We thank you for the opportunity to share our insight on the proposed changes to the federal electoral map and ask that you consider our feedback before confirming any changes to Whitby's ridings.

If you would like to connect on this matter further, please do not hesitate to reach out.

Sincerely,

Andrew Scuse Whitby Chambers of Commerce, Board President

CC: Member of Parliament, Ryan Turnbull Regional Chair, John Henry Mayor, Don Mitchell