Council Composition and Ward Boundary Review

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.