City Council passes bylaw to alter Burlington’s ward boundaries

At the May 20, 2025 City of Burlington Council meeting, a bylaw was passed to update Burlington’s ward structure. Bylaw 30-2025 allows for minor changes to Burlington’s current ward structure and will be in place for the 2026 Municipal Election, subject to any appeals. These changes align with recommendations from the City’s recent Council Composition and Ward Boundary Review and are designed to reflect Burlington’s growing population.

Thank you to everyone who participated in public engagement opportunities over the last ten months, as part of the Council Composition and Ward Boundary Review.

New ward structure

The bylaw allows for minor changes to Burlington’s current ward structure. Burlington will continue to have six (6) wards with one Local Councillor representing each ward, plus one Mayor elected at large. This structure provides adequate population distribution and population parity while maintaining communities of interest. This structure also garnered the most interest from the public during engagement sessions.

Minor changes to Burlington’s ward boundaries include:

• The community in north Tyandaga will move from Ward 1 to Ward 3
• The Leighland community will move from Ward 2 to Ward 1
• The Palmer community will move from Ward 4 to Ward 3
• The Maple Beach community will move from Ward 1 to Ward 2

What happens next?

Under section 222(4) of the Municipal Act 2001, S.O. c. 25, any person or agency may appeal Bylaw 30-2025 to the Ontario Land Tribunal. A notice of appeal must be filed within 45 days of when the bylaw was approved. The final day to file a notice of appeal for Bylaw 30-2025 is Friday, July 4, 2025. Details about how to file an appeal can be found on the City’s website under Public Notices.