Council Composition & Ward Boundary Review
Council will be Passing a New Ward Boundary By-law - February 14, 2025
In accordance with the Municipality of Chatham-Kent Public Notice By-law 137-2020, Council of the Municipality of Chatham-Kent hereby gives notice of its intention to pass a by-law regarding re-establishing ward boundaries and council composition within the municipality.
As part of Chatham-Kent’s commitment to an effective and equitable representation system for all residents, this by-law addresses a structure that considers the Chatham-Kent of today and expected population growth through the 2026 and 2030 elections.
A copy of the draft by-law and associated maps detailing the adjusted ward boundaries and council composition will be added to the Chatham-Kent Let’s Talk page and will be on the Council agenda for March 3, 2025. The Council agenda package will be available by noon on February 27, 2025.
For more information, contact the Clerk’s office at 519-360-1998 or ckclerk@chatham-kent.ca.
Approved New Ward BoundariesMotion to Draft Bylaw Reducing Chatham-Kent Council Size Approved
Council has approved a motion by Ward 1 Councillor Melissa Harrigan directing staff to bring forward a bylaw that would reduce Chatham-Kent’s Council size to 14 Councillors and one Mayor. This change is based on recommendations by consultant StrategyCorp. If approved, these changes are expected to take effect for the 2026 election.
The motion included one amendment to the proposed boundaries in StrategyCorp’s Report titled “Option 1”. The amendment, brought by Councillor Jamie McGrail, will shift the community of Mitchell’s Bay from the new proposed ward 5 to the newly proposed ward 4.
The new ward boundaries, if the bylaw is approved, will consist of eight new wards, up from the previous six. Three wards in Chatham with two councillors each, three wards in the county with two councillors each, and two wards in the county with one councillor each.
If the bylaw is approved, this will be the first time Chatham-Kent has updated its ward boundaries since amalgamation in 1998. The proposed Council composition and ward boundaries reflect the significant change in the community since then and would ensure the electoral system continues to provide a system of effective representation at least through to the 2030 Municipal election.
Update From Council Meeting on December 16, 2024
At the Monday, December 16th council meeting, the following motions were passed:
1. Chatham Kent Council confirm option 15C-v2 in principle, of the Strategy Corp report, for a total size of 15 Members of Council going forward.
2. Chatham-Kent Council direct Strategy Corps to return to Council with a report on ward boundaries in wards 5, 6 and 7, for the purpose of considering the impact of an "at large" urban ward, located in the city of Chatham.
3. That the report review the boundaries between Wards 1 and 2 and Wards 4 and 3.”
Strategy Corp will return to council on January 27th 2025 to provide further updates. Follow this page to stay updated on the latest information regarding the council structure and ward boundary review.
Chatham-Kent is conducting a third-party Council Composition and Ward Boundary Review to ensure the Municipality can provide an effective and equitable system of representation for all residents.
What’s being reviewed?
- The size and structure of Council – i.e., the number of Councillors on Council and the potential role of an elected Deputy Mayor.
- How Councillors are elected – i.e., whether Councillors are elected by ward, at-large, or some combination of the two, or how many Councillors are elected per ward.
- The electoral ward boundaries– i.e., how well the Municipality’s current ward boundaries deliver effective representation and new options to re-draw boundaries.
The Municipality’s expert consultant, StrategyCorp, will review all the above elements and make recommendations to Council based on key considerations of: representation by population; present and future population trends (i.e., growth); communities of interest; physical and natural boundaries; and the overriding principle of “effective representation.”
Based on the finding and recommendations from this Review, Council will make a final decision on any specific changes or maintaining the status quo.
Why is this review needed?
Chatham-Kent has grown and evolved since the current ward boundaries were drawn 25 years ago at amalgamation. This review will aim to design a Council and ward boundary structure that considers the Chatham-Kent of today and expected population growth through the 2026 and 2030 elections.
How can you get involved?
The public will have opportunities to provide input and feedback through two (2) rounds of public consultation:
- The public will be consulted on the existing Council and ward boundary structure through a public survey and two (2) public meetings in late August 2024 (see below for details).
- The public will be consulted on specific possible ward boundary options through a public survey and two (2) public meetings in November 2024.
For more details on how to participate, check out the “Project Updates” below and subscribe to this page for regular updates.
To learn more about this review, visit the FAQs to the right on your screen.
How is Chatham-Kent’s Council currently structured?
Chatham Kent Council currently has 18 members, one (1) Mayor who is elected at-large by the entire Municipality, and 17 Councillors elected by ward including:
- Two (2) Councillors from Ward 1 (West Kent);
- Three (3) Councillors from Ward 2 (South Kent);
- Two (2) Councillors from Ward 3 (East Kent);
- Two (2) Councillors from Ward 4 (North Kent);
- Two (2) Councillors from Ward 5 (Wallacebug); and
- Six (6) Councillors from Ward 6 (Chatham).
An link to this map is available here.
Draft Ward Boundary Options
To access interactive map with for Chatham-Kent's draft Ward Boundary Options click here.
Populations Estimates are included here.
Option (1) - 18A
Option (2) - 15A Revised
Option (3) - 15B
Option (4) - 15C
Option (5) - 13A
Option (6) - 13B 
Option (7) - 13C