Simcoe-Grey loses Springwater, keeps Blue Mountains

New Tecumseth Free Press February 27, 2013

Simcoe County and Georgian Bay region will grow from six to seven ridings, according to latest update from the Ontario Commission studying redistribution of federal electoral boundaries posted this week on its web site.

The new riding will encompass Barrie (north of Dunlop Street W), part of Oro, and Springwater.

Springwater is currently part of Simcoe-Grey but will shift with redistrubition. The Town of Blue Mountains was also slated to become part of Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound, but will instead remain in Simcoe-Grey because of its historical connection to Collingwood. Mulmur Township, also proposed to join Simcoe-Grey will stay with Dufferin-Caledon.

The Georgian Bay and Simcoe area has a population of 741,871, which was deemed to high for six ridings.

“At the public hearing held in Barrie, the Commission heard persuasive objections to its proposal to adjust population by crossing county lines, notably in assigning the Township of Mulmur and the north half of the Township of Uxbridge to electoral districts beyond their county boundaries. Furthermore, the Commission learned that, although the Town of The Blue Mountains lies within the boundaries of Grey County, its community of interest is strongly and significantly with the Town of Collingwood and other communities in the electoral district of Simcoe-Grey. It has no significant community of interest or identity with communities in Grey County,” according to the report.

“The Commission also learned that residents of the area lying northeast of 9 Line in the Township of Oro-Medonte have a much greater community of interest with communities in the electoral district of Simcoe North than with communities in the proposed electoral district of Barrie North.

The Commission received submissions at the public hearing recommending the creation of one completely urban Barrie electoral district, and a second Barrie electoral district composed of the balance of urban Barrie plus the rural area surrounding the city to the north, west and south. The Commission also heard submissions objecting to that recommendation. It was clear to the Commission that the Town of Innisfil has developed a significant community of interest with the south part of the City of Barrie, and that it does not have any community of interest with the rural areas west and north of the City of Barrie.

There was one common thread of opinion at the public hearing in Barrie and in written submissions received with respect to the Georgian Bay and Simcoe area: people are significantly more concerned about community of interest and historical attachment than correspondence with the provincial quota.”

Below are the outlines of the seven ridings:

BRUCE-GREY-OWEN SOUND unchanged. It has a population of 106,475, which is 0.25 per cent above the provincial quota.

DUFFERIN-CALEDON unchanged. It has a population of 116,341, which is 9.54 per cent above the provincial quota.

SIMCOE-GREY is composed of the boundaries from the 2003 representation order, less the Township of Springwater. It has a population of 116,307, which is 9.50 per cent above the provincial quota.

SIMCOE NORTH is composed of the boundaries from the 2003 representation order, less that part of the Township of Oro-Medonte lying southwest of 9 Line and Moonstone Road East, assigned to the new electoral district of Barrie-Oro-Springwater. It has a population of 108,672, which is 2.32 per cent above the provincial quota.

BARRIE-ORO-SPRINGWATER is composed of the following: that part of the current electoral district of Barrie lying north of Dunlop Street West and Tiffin Street; plus the Township of Springwater, formerly part of the electoral district of Simcoe-Grey; and plus that part of the Township of Oro-Medonte lying southwest of 9 Line and Moonstone Road East, formerly part of the electoral district of Simcoe North. It has a population of 97,876, which is 7.85 per cent below the provincial quota.

BARRIE-INNISFIL is composed of the following: that part of the current electoral district of Barrie lying south of Dunlop Street West and Tiffin Street; plus the Town of Innisfil, formerly part of the electoral district of York-Simcoe. It has a population of 101,584, which is 4.36 per cent below the provincial quota.

YORK-SIMCOE is composed of the boundaries from the 2003 representation order, adjusted as follows: less the Town of Innisfil, assigned to the electoral district of Barrie-Innisfil; and less that part of the Town of East Gwillimbury lying south of Green Lane and west of Highway 404, assigned to the electoral district of Newmarket-Aurora. It has a population of 94,616, which is 10.92 per cent below the provincial quota.