Comment 127 – comments and feedback

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Emily Brown

Written Submission for Federal Redistribution 2022: Burlington Riding

Informal input was gathered through conversations, emails and social media engagement with residents of the Burlington Riding, and from neighbouring Ridings which are also undergoing redistribution reviews. This allowed for a broader and more comprehensive picture of the impact of these changes not only on the Burlington Riding but on other Ridings. Of significance were the stories that people told of their strong connections with existing communities, and the history of neighbourhoods within the community. The collaborative and cooperative nature of these discussions is paramount as the proposed changes will see far reaching impacts with a need to understand those impacts.

Thank you to the commission for the opportunities provided to speak to these proposed changes through the scheduled virtual and in person hearings.

The concerns are outlined below:

Average population, future growth estimates

According to the rules in the Electoral Boundaries Redistribution Act, the new quota of 116,950 can have a deviation of plus or minus 10 percent. This means the population for any given Riding could be as low as 105,255 and as high as 128,645. The Burlington Riding currently has a population of 123,180 which sits at one of the lower percent deviations from the quota of the six Ridings in the Halton, Guelph and Wellington areas, and essentially half of the average for those Ridings percent deviations from the quota. The proposed new Riding of Burlington- Lakeshore would have a population of 116,984 (with a deviation from the desired quota estimated at 0.34%). In the redistribution proposal, the new Burlington Lakeshore Riding would have mature, largely fully developed, low population growth areas, such as Tyendaga and Brant Hills removed from a Riding that they identify with from a community perspective and moved to one, Burlington-West Milton, to which they have little service or community connection. Proposed Riding boundaries add polling areas that the Burlington Riding have never historically had, while neighbourhoods that have historically been a part of the Burlington Riding. It would be less disruptive to have the neighbourhoods of Tyendaga and Brant Hills remain where they are. Further Elizabeth Gardens subsumed into a proposed Oakville Lakeshore Riding would make that community feel less significant, a junior partner if you will, in Oakville than was its historical place in the Burlington Riding.
Access to federal services

With established mature communities such as Tyendaga, Brant Hills and Elizabeth Gardens subsumed into the proposed Burlington-West Milton, there are concerns with respect to access to the offices and services provided by their MP, travel to an office which may be much further away, and access to an office by public transit as their currently is no regional or seamless city to city transit (ex. Burlington to Milton)
Federal representation on important issues

Having small neighbourhood populations within the city become part of a Riding where the overwhelming majority of the population comes from a different city (ex: Elizabeth Gardens becoming part of the proposed Oakville Lakeshore Riding) there is a concern that the needs of that proportionally small neighbourhood may be overlooked by both their new Riding and representative, as well as running the risk that their needs may not be considered by their former Riding or by their corresponding provincial and municipal representatives. There will be a lack of consistency, and perhaps a loss of identity for that small subsumed neighbourhood. Burlington risks being spliced up in ways that do not respect traditional communities using community significant roads or landmarks.
Confusion over services provided by levels of government and potential conflict in representation

The residents of Burlington already have multiple levels of representation that provide services appropriate to each level, municipal, (Mayor and councilors), regional, provincial and federal. It is hoped that levels of government work together to advance initiatives. With the proposed Riding changes, there may be additional confusion for the citizens and increased numbers of government representation and approval required to move important projects forward in a timely fashion to the benefit of residents.

If a government representative serves a Riding with constituents from a number of communities of interest, for example, Burlington, Oakville and Milton, there was concern raised over how that representative would successfully mitigate any conflicting concerns or needs. As mentioned earlier, the smaller of the neighbourhoods served in a Riding may simply not get the fair representation, as overwhelming larger communities of interest in the same Riding.

When communities are combined their needs and concerns can be vastly different. This needs to be taken into consideration for any Riding changes which represent multiple communities.
Using the 407 toll highway as a northern boundary for the Burlington Lakeshore Riding, rather than that which the Burlington community defines suburban Burlington, namely Dundas Street

While the commission in its report outlined its use of major road arteries, and natural boundaries such as rivers, using the 407 rather than Dundas Street, which was a historical dividing line has presented another source of concern and confusion for voters. Using the 407 as a Riding boundary has contributed to Tyendaga and Brant Hill neighbourhoods being removed from a Riding to which they have community identity. The 407 highway is a road which serves largely as a bypass through Burlington, and specifically passes under Brant Street, and not providing access to the Brant Hills and Tyendaga neighbourhoods, as Dundas Street does.
Scheduled consultations

Feedback I received about the consultations specifically was that there seemed to be very little awareness and the timing was inopportune for participation with many returning to fall schedules with school and work and some being more involved in the municipal campaigns and elections, with little time to focus on these federal changes. Many were disappointed that there was one virtual meeting for ridings from Hamilton to southwestern Ontario and felt that for such significant changes, this is not adequate. While the commission has taken some feedback to extend the timeline for feedback, key points of discussion still had to be prepared for these hearings. The recommendation is for the Commission to ask for a timeline extension, which is allowed under the Act, and to take the maximum time for public input. The timing of the proposal issue (at the end of summer, when many are on vacation, and the public hearing during the run up to the Ontario municipal elections) has marginalized the capacity for input from communities of interest.

In summary, it would be most beneficial to Burlington residents to have a consistent, cohesive Riding where the identity of this community of interest is respected, recognized and supported by any Riding boundary changes. Burlington residents do not want to be junior partners in a big Riding but expect to have effective government representation. Many do not feel that these proposed Ridings accomplish that.

Respectfully submitted,

Emily Brown

emilyabrown@bell.net

647-390-2726

Resident, and federal Conservative Candidate of Record, Burlington Riding