Council Composition and Ward Boundary Review

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The City of Burlington is reviewing its Council composition and ward boundaries. The review will assess how well the current Council structure and ward boundaries work for our community.

With Burlington’s population expected to grow, the review will help ensure voters are represented equally in the decision-making process, no matter where they live in the city.

Ward boundary reviews are typically undertaken every three to four election cycles (12 – 16 years). Burlington’s last ward boundary review was in 2005. Since this time, the city’s population has grown to approximately 186,948, according to the 2021 Census. Burlington has had a

The City of Burlington is reviewing its Council composition and ward boundaries. The review will assess how well the current Council structure and ward boundaries work for our community.

With Burlington’s population expected to grow, the review will help ensure voters are represented equally in the decision-making process, no matter where they live in the city.

Ward boundary reviews are typically undertaken every three to four election cycles (12 – 16 years). Burlington’s last ward boundary review was in 2005. Since this time, the city’s population has grown to approximately 186,948, according to the 2021 Census. Burlington has had a seven-member Council since 1997, when Burlington had a population of 139,000.

The goal of the review is to assess the current Council composition and establish a ward structure that will accommodate growth and population shifts for at least the next three municipal elections.

The Council composition and ward boundary review will entail extensive public consultations and engagement opportunities for all residents. We’ll be asking you to tell us about your community and provide feedback on the current ward boundaries. Factors such as population growth, geography, community history, community interests and minority representation are all considered in the division of wards.

  • City seeking input for council composition and ward boundary review

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    Work to review the composition of Burlington City Council and the city’s ward boundaries is set to begin this fall. The review will assess how well the current council size and structure, and ward boundaries work for our community.

    All residents and Burlington business owners are invited to share their input through a series of upcoming public engagements. Information about the review and opportunities to be involved are available on this project page.

    What is a council composition and ward boundary review?
    A council composition and ward boundary review helps plan for the future. The reviews ensure voters are represented equally in the local government decision-making process.

    The last ward boundary review for Burlington was done in 2005, when the city’s population was 139,000. Since this time, the city’s population has grown to approximately 186,948 (2021 Census). Over the next 25 years, the city will continue to grow. Approximately 265,000 people are expected to call Burlington home by 2051.

    • Council composition reviews look at the size and structure of City Council. They determine if the current number of councillors and the coverage they provide are adequate for our community.
    • Ward boundary reviews are typically undertaken every three to four election cycles (12 – 16 years) to look at the boundaries of a city’s wards. Factors, such as population, future growth, geography, community history, community interests, and minority representation, are also considered in the division of wards.

    Public engagement and Council decisions
    Public engagement and Council decisions will happen in two phases for the review. In phase one, residents will be asked for their input on council composition. Input gathered from the community will be used to help inform a report that will go to City Council for their consideration in December 2024.

    In phase two, public engagement will focus on ward boundaries. This phase is anticipated to start early in 2025. More information will be shared on getinvolvedburlington.ca/boundaryreview later this year.

    Council composition public engagement opportunities

    • Monday, Oct. 7 – 9:30 a.m., presentation at Committee of the Whole, Council Chambers, 426 Brant St.
    • Monday, Oct. 7 - 7 to 8:30 p.m., Tansley Woods Community Centre, 1996 Itabashi Way
    • Wednesday, Oct. 9 - 7 to 8:30 p.m., Central Arena, 519 Drury Ln
    • Thursday, Oct. 10 - 1:30 to 3 p.m., Mountainside Recreation Centre, 2205 Mt. Forest Dr.
    • Tuesday, Oct. 15 – 7 to 8:30 p.m., virtual public meeting
    • Wednesday, Oct. 23 – 7 to 8:30 p.m., Haber Community Centre, 3040 Tim Dobbie Dr.

    Residents and business owners can also share their feedback through the council composition and ward boundary survey, available on getinvolvedburlington.ca/boundaryreview starting Oct.7.

Page last updated: 22 Jul 2025, 08:58 AM