City councilors wrangle, one walks out, during ward boundary discussion

London city councillors gave initial approval to a plan to tweak — and in some cases substantially redraw — the boundaries of the city's 14 municipal wards at a committee meeting Tuesday. 

Councillors on the strategic priorities and policy committee (SPPC) were asked to give in-principle approval to one of two proposals to re-draw the ward boundaries put forward by consultant Watson & Associates. The border adjustments are needed to bring better population balance to the wards, which have in some cases become lopsided with London's recent and rapid growth. 

In addition to balancing the population across all wards, the consultant's task included re-shaping the boundaries in a way that would not divide or displace established neighbourhoods and communities. 

Councillors have voted to give in-principle approval to Option 1, as seen in the map below.

Some of the most substantial changes approved are in Ward 1. The east London ward, represented by Coun. Hadleigh McAllister, currently stretches from Wellington Street to Veterans Memorial Parkway and will now extend part of its northern boundary to Oxford Street west of Highbury Avenue.

That change effectively pushes Ward 4, represented by Susan Stevenson, north, with its southern border now running along the Canadian Pacific Kansas City railway tracks.

Stevenson, who has been a vocal and at times controversial advocate for Old East Village, will no longer represent that neighbourhood should she choose to run again in Ward 4. 

Lambeth pushes back

More drastic changes were proposed in Option 2 put forward by the consultant, which didn't receive council support. It also sparked pushback from the west-London neighbourhood of Lambeth. Proposed changes would have left Lambeth represented by three different wards. Currently, it falls entirely inside Ward 9.

Resident Darren Boyce grew up in the area and is now raising his family in Lambeth.

"For more than two centuries we've been a unified community with shared values," said Boyce, who believed the proposed boundary redrawing would "disrupt this cohesion and undermine our ability to advocate for our needs." 

In the option moving forward, all of Lambeth will remain in Ward 9.

McAllister leaves meeting

McAllister left the meeting after an amendment he put forward to the proposed redrawing of his ward was voted down. His proposed change would have shifted a section of the east end of his ward to Ward 14.

The area in question is bordered by Clarke Road, the Canadian National Railway tracks, the city's eastern city boundary and the Thames River. McAllister said the area is largely industrial.

"What I heard is that this area has more in common with ward 14," he said. In total, about 850 residents live in the section proposed to be moved. 

Immediately after his amendment failed on a 6-9 vote, McAllister gathered his things, left the meeting, and did not return. When reached by CBC News, he said in a text: "I don't think the consultants truly listened. They created a Ward 1 based solely on inflated population numbers and did the opposite of what I and my residents conveyed."

"I'm tired of telling council about my ward because they have proven time and time again that they don't care." 

Franke suggests names, not numbers, for wards

Coun. Skylar Franke put forward a motion suggesting council consider using names, instead of numbers, to identify city wards. She pointed to Edmonton, which uses Indigenous place names for wards, and suggested London could consider naming wards after local trees. 

She said residents are generally aware of their ward councillor yet often don't know their ward number.

"Numbers don't necessarily convey a sense of place," she said. 

Her motion asked staff to explore possible naming conventions for wards after the boundary adjustments are decided. However, it was voted down, with some councillors expressing concern it would get bogged down in debate. 

Tight timeline

Deputy Major Shawn Lewis explained to the committee that the ward boundary changes need to have final council approval by the Jan. 14 SPPC meeting to meet provincial rules and be in place for the next municipal election in 2026. 

The old boundaries will remain in place until the election is called, with candidates running in the newly redrawn wards in the 2026 municipal election.