Process for Public Consultation – Ontario
Public consultation
Before drafting the proposed redistribution plan, the Commission welcomed public input.
Written submissions were received from interested parties, which were very helpful in the preparation of the proposal.
The Commission's proposed redistribution plan is publicly available on the Commission's website (redistribution2022.ca).
There is an opportunity for further public comment by written submissions or representation at the virtual and in-person meetings planned pursuant to the proposed schedule below.
The Commission looks forward to hearing from all interested parties in relation to boundaries and/or names of proposed districts either in person, virtually or in writing.
How to make a submission
The Electoral Boundaries Readjustment Act requires that parties wishing to make representations to the Commission give notice in writing to the Secretary of the Commission.
A Public Hearing Participation Form is available at redistribution2022.ca and is the form of notice to be completed by those who wish to make oral representations.
The Commission has set Sunday, September 25, 2022, as the date by which the Public Hearing Participation Form is to be filed.
The Public Hearing Participation Form must state the name and address of the person who seeks to make the representation and concisely indicate the nature of the representation and the interest of the person.
The Public Hearing Participation Form, or alternatively written submissions (for those who only wish to make a submission in writing), may be filed by email or by mail to:
ON@redecoupage-federal-redistribution.ca
Ms. Paula Puddy
Commission Secretary
Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for Ontario
PO Box 37018 Southdale
London, Ontario N6E 3T3
Schedule of public meetings
The Commission has scheduled in-person hearings in areas where significant changes to districts are proposed.
The Commission noted the vastness of the province (the second largest in Canada), the recent extensive use of remote hearings, the public's ability to utilize and access remote meeting technology in their homes or community facilities, the efficiency of remote hearings, and the potential for restrictions on in-person meetings in light of the pandemic.
As a result, the Commission has also scheduled many opportunities for participation in a virtual hearing.
The Commission reiterates that a submission may be made in writing as an alternative to appearing at an in-person or virtual hearing.
Public input is important to this process.
| Location | Place | Date | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual hearing | Central Ontario; Northern GTA; Eastern GTA; and Central East Ontario The link will be provided to participants | Monday, September 26, 2022 | 6:30 p.m. |
| Virtual hearing | Hamilton and Niagara; South Central Ontario; Southwestern Ontario; and Southernmost Ontario The link will be provided to participants | Tuesday, September 27, 2022 | 6:30 p.m. |
| Virtual hearing | Halton, Guelph, and Wellington; Brampton, Caledon, and Dufferin; and Mississauga The link will be provided to participants | Wednesday, September 28, 2022 | 6:30 p.m. |
| Virtual hearing | City of Toronto The link will be provided to participants | Thursday, September 29, 2022 | 6:30 p.m. |
| Sioux Lookout | The Forest Inn & Conference Centre 11 May Street | Monday, October 3, 2022 | 6:30 p.m. |
| Kenora | Douglas Family Art Centre-The Muse 224 Main Street South | Tuesday, October 4, 2022 | 6:30 p.m. |
| Timmins | The Senator Hotel 14 Mountjoy Street South | Tuesday, October 11, 2022 | 6:30 p.m. |
| Milton | FirstOntario Arts Centre Milton 1010 Main Street East | Wednesday, October 12, 2022 | 6:30 p.m. |
| Brampton | Peel Art Gallery, Museum and Archives, 9 Wellington Street East | Thursday, October 13, 2022 | 6:30 p.m. |
| Whitchurch-Stouffville | Whitchurch-Stouffville Museum & Community Centre 14732 Woodbine Avenue | Monday, October 17, 2022 | 6:30 p.m. |
| Scarborough | Scarborough Civic Centre Committee Rooms 1 and 2 150 Borough Drive | Tuesday, October 18, 2022 | 6:30 p.m. |
| Toronto | Beeton Hall, Toronto Reference Library 789 Yonge Street | Wednesday, October 19, 2022 | 6:30 p.m. |
| Ottawa | Rotunda, Canadian Museum of Nature 240 McLeod Street | Thursday, October 20, 2022 | 6:30 p.m. |
| St. Catharines | Pond Inlet, Mackenzie Chown Complex, Brock University 1812 Sir Isaac Brock Way | Friday, October 21, 2022footnote * | 6:30 p.m. |
| Virtual hearing | Northern Ontario; Eastern Ontario; and Ottawa The link will be provided to participants | Wednesday, October 26, 2022 | 6:30 p.m. |
| London | Ivey Spencer Leadership Centre 551 Windermere Road |
Friday, October 28, 2022footnote * | 6:30 p.m. |
| Virtual hearing | Ontario open virtual hearing The link will be provided to participants. | Saturday, October 29, 2022 | 12 p.m. |
Footnotes
Return to footnote * Please note that the date in the newspaper inserts for this public hearing has since changed. The date given above is correct.
We ask that all interested parties pay particular attention to the rules set out herein and check the Commission website (redistribution2022.ca) regularly for any changes of schedule.
Note: If there are no expressions of interest to make a submission at any particular hearing, the Commission may cancel the hearing. In such instances, the Commission will post a notice of postponement or cancellation on its website.
The Commission's rules of procedure for public submissions
Pursuant to the Electoral Boundaries Readjustment Act, the Commission has established the following rules to regulate its proceedings and the conduct including public hearings.
- All persons wishing to make an oral submission must complete the Public Hearing Participation Form described above.
- In the interest of transparency, the Commission will make public all written submissions that it receives in response to the proposed redistribution plan. These will be published on the Commission's website and will include the person's name and the date of the submission. The home address of those making written submissions will not be shared.
- Two members of the Commission shall constitute a quorum for the holding of a hearing.
- If a quorum cannot be present at a hearing, the Commission may postpone that hearing to a later date.
- If the Commission cannot complete hearing representations within the time allowed, the Commission may adjourn the hearing to a later date at the same place or may–taking into account the convenience of persons whose representations have not been heard or have been only partly heard–adjourn the hearing elsewhere or to a virtual hearing.
- At each hearing the Commission shall decide the order in which the representations are heard.
- The Commission may restrict the time available for oral representations if necessary to meet timing constraints.
- Only one person shall be heard in the presentation of any single representation, including a representation on behalf of an association or group, unless the Commission, in its discretion, decides otherwise.
- The link to the virtual public hearing is not public and may only be shared with participants/observers who have registered with the Commission and with members of the media.
- A moderator will manage the agenda, the speaking time and microphones of the participants.
- The use of a headset by presenters at a virtual public hearing is recommended.
The process following the public hearings
Following the receipt of submissions, the Commission will finalize its redistribution plan and submit a final report to the Chief Electoral Officer of Canada.
The report will be delivered to the House of Commons for consideration.
After Parliament has considered the report, it is returned to the Commission with any objections, the minutes, and evidence of the House of Commons committee. The Commission will consider any objections and then prepare a final report.
While the Commission will consider all submissions, the Commission is an independent body and, as such, makes all final decisions.
The Commission will deliver a final certified copy of its report to the Chief Electoral Officer of Canada.
Once the Chief Electoral Officer of Canada has received the final reports of all Commissions, a representation order is prepared describing and naming the electoral districts established by all Commissions.
The Governor in Council announces the new boundaries in a proclamation published in the Canada Gazette.
New boundaries can first be used in an election if at least seven months have passed between the date that the representation order was proclaimed and the date that Parliament is dissolved for a general election.