Comment 19 – comments and feedback

James M. Diodati, Mayor, City of Niagara Falls

Dear Commissioners:

Re: Redistribution of Federal Electoral Districts

Thank you for the opportunity to send in a written submission with feedback on the proposed revisions to Canada's federal electoral boundaries.

I would like to share my comments regarding Niagara's electoral boundaries in particular. Having represented our community municipally for nearly 20 years, both on City Council and since 2010, as mayor, I know well, the nuances within the geographical areas and feel strongly that there are some areas in which the geography is aligned and the political boundaries should be too.

The current boundaries that exist which encompass Fort Erie, Niagara Falls and Niagara-On-The-Lake work well for a number of reasons and the area should be kept intact. With critical aligned issues like tourism, a shared border with four international bridges, the Queen Elizabeth Way and intersecting transportation hubs like GO train stations and a shared airport, as well as the same hospital for its residents, it just makes sense that these areas remain one electoral district. In addition to these major issues, the three municipalities also share the Niagara River Parkway and all have land under the stewardship of the Niagara Parks Commission along the river. It seems counterproductive to dissect this region into separate electoral boundaries given their many intertwined issues, which range from municipal to federal and international.

Thank you for your strong consideration to keep the current electoral boundary in Niagara encompassing Fort Erie, Niagara Falls and Niagara-On-The-Lake. Having strong and aligned federal representation in our region is in the best interest of Niagarans and keeping the boundaries intact is a key factor in ensuring that.

Yours truly,

James M. Diodati
Mayor