If new electoral map is approved, northern Ontario will lose a seat in next federal election

Northern Ontario could have one less riding in the next federal election. 

Northern Ontario currently has 10 federal ridings, but if the latest electoral map is approved, that will drop to nine the next time voters go to the polls.

The Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for the Province of Ontario published its final report Friday, which includes redrawn electoral maps for many parts of the province, including the north.

If it makes anyone feel better, Toronto also lost a seat.- David Tabachnik, political science professor, Nipissing University

Every 10 years the commission revisits the electoral map based on the latest census population data. The goal is for each district to have 116,590 voting age people in it. Although even with the new changes, all of northern Ontario's ridings fall short of the quota.

"Out of the, I believe, 343 seats that now will have MP's in Parliament, we get measly nine," said Nipissing University political science professor David Tabachnik.

"If it makes anyone feel better, Toronto also lost a seat."

Tabachnik said special consideration should be given to regions like northern Ontario based on its size and contributions to the economy in sectors like mining and forestry.

An earlier proposal from the commission also included nine ridings, but created a massive electoral district called Kiiwetinoong-Mushkegowuk that occupied all of the far north.

The idea was to have a riding that was primarily home to Indigenous people. But the riding would have been by far the largest in Ontario.

"It just wasn't feasible in any practical sense," Tabachnick said.

In the final map, three ridings take up that portion of Ontario's far north, and some areas further to the south. From east to west they are Kapuskasing-Timmins-Mushkegowuk, Thunder Bay-Superior North and Kenora-Kiiwetinoong.

Opposition from northern MPs

Carol Hughes, the MP for Algoma-Manitoulin-Kapuskasing, said she and other northern Ontario MPs plan to oppose the commission's report.

Hughes said they have 30 days to officially oppose the proposal, which will go to a House committee for review. 

"Generally, you know, there are minor adjustments that you make to this," Hughes said.

"I've never been through a process at this point where it's a whole seat that we're losing."

Hughes said her riding would disappear under the proposed plan, but added she's more worried about the north losing its voice in Ottawa. 

Overall, Ontario would have one more electoral district in the new electoral map than in the previous election, with 122 seats.