About Ward Boundary Review
Wards are geographic sections of the city, and Vaughan has five wards. Citizens living in each of these areas elect one Local Councillor. Most cities elect Councillors from wards in this format. Some cities elect Councillors from across the city (at-large). Vaughan’s system of representation consists of a nine-member Council, composed of the Mayor as the Head of Council, three Local and Regional Councillors (elected at-large) and five Local Councillors (each representing one ward). Based on a decision made by York Regional Council (PDF), Vaughan will elect a fourth Regional Councillor in the 2022 municipal election.
The current five wards have been in place without significant change since 2009. This Ward Boundary Review is solely limited to consideration of the five ward boundaries. The review is not considering changes to the number of City Councillors.
Watch a video that explains ward boundaries and the review process.
The City of Vaughan has retained Watson and Associates Economists Ltd., ICA Associates, Dr. Robert Williams and Dr. Zachary Spicer to conduct a comprehensive and independent Ward Boundary Review through a process established by Council. Together, the consulting team has conducted more than 20 ward boundary reviews in Ontario. They will use their experience to assess the present electoral arrangements in Vaughan and design alternatives consistent with the guiding principles.
This consulting team has been hired to provide neutral, expert recommendations to Council for consideration. The report to Council requires the wisdom and input of citizens. There will be several opportunities for citizen input in the review. In the end, it is up to the Mayor and Council to decide on any changes to the ward boundaries well ahead of the next election in 2022.