FAQs

Chatham-Kent’s Ward boundaries have not been changed since they were drawn 25 years ago at amalgamation.

Ward boundaries often have their roots in history. They often reflect where the population lived and how big it was at the time the boundaries were first drawn.

Communities grow and evolve, and as population grows, it is common that wards grow at a different rate, which can throw the population of wards out of balance. 

The goal of this Review is to ensure that Chatham-Kent’ ward boundaries, electoral structure, and Council structure continue to provide a system of “effective representation” for all residents.

The Review will examine the following:

1. The size and structure of Council – i.e., the number of councillors on Council and the potential role of an elected Deputy Mayor.
2. 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.
3. The electoral ward boundaries– i.e., how well the Municipality’s current ward boundaries deliver “effective representation” and new options to re-draw boundaries.

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. 

The principle of “effective representation” was set out by the Supreme Court of Canada in what is commonly referred to as “the Carter Decision” which remains the leading authority and framework for evaluating electoral boundaries in Canada.

Effective representative is the right to be “represented in government,” where “representation” entails both the right to a voice in the deliberations of government (the legislative role of elected representatives) and the right to bring your concerns to your representative (the ombudsman role of elected representatives).

There are six principles that have been established and reaffirmed by the courts in Carter and more recently in Hamilton, that make up the legal test for effective representation:

1. Representation by Population: Wards should have relatively equal populations relative to the number of representatives for each ward.  It is generally accepted, that wards should not vary in population by more than 25% from the average, unless there is a good reason to depart from this having regard to overall effective representation;
2. Population and Electoral Trends: consider anticipated population increases/decreases so that ward sizes will be balanced for up to two terms of Council;
3. Geographic and Topographical Features: use geographical and topographical features to delineate ward boundaries while keeping wards compact and easy to understand;
4. Community or Diversity of Interests: as far as possible, ward boundaries should be drawn around recognized settlement areas, traditional neighbourhoods and community groupings – not through them.
5. Means of Communication and Accessibility: group existing neighbourhoods into wards that reflect current transportation and communication patterns; and
6. The Overriding Principle of “Effective Representation”: While voter parity should be considered of “prime importance,” a degree of variation is acceptable when taken into consideration with the other four principles as they relate to a municipalities unique characteristics. 

The Municipality of Chatham-Kent’s Council currently has 18 members, one (1) Mayor who is elected at-large by the entire Municipality, and 17 councillors elected by ward including:

• 2 councillors from Ward 1 (West Kent);
• 3 councillors from Ward 2 (South Kent);
• 2 councillors from Ward 3 (East Kent);
• 2 councillors from Ward 4 (North Kent);
• 2 councillors from Ward 5 (Wallacebug); and
• 6 councillors from Ward 6 (Chatham).

The following table outlines the most current 2024 population estimates across Chatham-Kent’s existing wards. These numbers should be expected to continue to evolve over the course of the process as we continue to refine our data to reflect current and projected population counts over the next two terms of Council.

The size of Council can impact the effectiveness of decision-making, as well as the diversity, visibility, participation, and accountability of councillors. For the most part, municipalities are free to choose a size and structure for Council that fits their unique circumstances. Section 217 of the Municipal Act authorizes a municipality to “change the composition” of its council subject to a minimum council size of five members, including the head of council (the mayor). The Act gives no guidance on:

• the maximum size of Council.
• an appropriate number of councillors per resident.  

Across Ontario the number of councillors per resident ranges from one councillor per thousand residents to one councillor for almost a hundred thousand residents, in large communities like Toronto and Mississauga.

So, to determine the right Council size and structure for Chatham-Kent, we need to look at Council’s overall function, and determine the best form Council can take to ensure that it is capable of delivering on its assigned functions for the Municipality.

The legislated role of Council is to:  

• oversee the overall strategic needs of the community,
• manage the needs of the ward,
• provide oversight on financial governance and accountability,
• deliver on provincially mandated responsibilities.

While there is no “right” number, the optimal size for any council must be established through a number of considerations unique to each community, including the effectiveness of governance and decision-making of Council, the nature, population, and geographic size of constituencies, councillor workload and compensation (full-time or part-time), and administrative costs.

Municipalities often consider council size in similar municipalities as a relevant guide when reviewing the size of their councils. In the 2021 Cencus, Chatham-Kent’s reported population was 103,988. The chart below shows the size of Councils for 26 lower-tier, single-tier, or separated Municipalities in Ontario with Populations between 70,000-220,000.

The chart above shows that for Municipalities within this population range:

• The most common size of council was 9 members (8/26); followed by 11 members (6/26), and 13 members (5/26). 
• The majority of lower tier municipalities (12/15) have 9 or fewer members of council.
• The majority of single tier or separated municipalities (9/11) have 11 or 13 members of council.
• Chatham-Kent is one of only 2 municipalities in this population range with 13 or more members of Council. In fact, the only other single tier or separated municipalities with more members of Council than Chatham-Kent are the Cities of Ottawa and Toronto. 

Also worth noting is Chatham-Kent’s geographic size in comparison to the comparator municipalities included above. The Municipality of Chatham-Kent is almost 2,500 km². The average land area of the municipalities included above is 170 km² and 1,090 km² for lower-tier and single-tier or separated municipalities respectively. The only two comparator municipalities examined here larger then 2,000 km² are 

1. The City of Kawartha Lakes with a census population of 75,423, which has 9 councillors, and 
2. The City of Greater Sudbury with a census population of 161,531, which has 13 councillors.

Council Pay structure was last amended on February 7^th, 2020 based on recommendations from the Citizen Review Committee on Council Renumeration to set the total base budget honorarium to $36,900 per councillor for the 2022-2026 term of council. Additionally, councillor related expenses include a pooled benefits charge that included the costs of Canada Pension and Employer Health Tax, as well as expenses for things like office equipment, travel, training, car allowances, etc.

The average cost per councillor in 2023 is summarized below:

For the purposes of this Review, it is reasonable to assume a budget $44,000 per councillor. This represents approximately 0.02% on the total 2023 Municipal Levy, or 0.01% of the total 2023 budget for the Municipality.

Additionally, Chatham-Kent’s 17 Councillors are currently part-time. Significant changes in council size may impact the expected time commitment and workload of individual councillors, potentially leading to a need to evaluate council salary.

There are a variety of factors that influence Councillor workload, many of which do not relate to structure, but to culture, demand for service, or personal style.  

• The quantity and pace of Council and Committee meetings: It is often said that “many hands make light work.” In thinking about the work of a Council, having more councillors can make it easier to populate committees.  The alternative is also true. The smaller the Council, the greater the demand and burden to serve on committees.   Yet, there is a considerable body of literature related to governance and decision-making that points out that when it comes to effective and efficient decision-making, bigger is not necessarily better or more efficient.[1]
• The needs of the ward and the demand for casework by constituents: it is understood that rapidly growing municipalities may face a greater burden that low growth or established wards.
• The policy of the municipality towards casework:  Some municipalities tolerate “in the weeds” engagement in problem solving by councillors. Other have protocols which transfer constituency work from the councillor to staff as quickly and smoothly as possible.
• Style of each Councillor: No matter what structure is chosen, it is important to remember that political representation is an art, not a science.  How each approaches the task to serving on Council is a deeply personal matter.

Other than the head of council (i.e., the Mayor), who must be elected at large, the Municipal Act authorizes Municipalities to decide for themselves how Council members are elected: at large or by wards or through any combination of at-large and wards. Like with the size of council, there are no further legislated requirements or recommendations on how council members are elected.

The options for how councillor can be elected are described in the chart below:

However, there are a number of potential advantages and disadvantages to both at-large and by ward election systems that have been broadly described in research on the subject. Some of these “pro” and “cons” are listed below, but it is important to remember that the benefits associated with a given electoral system in one municipality may not apply in the same way in a different municipality.

Municipalities might also consider how other similar municipalities elect councillors as a reference point when determining how their own councillors might be elected. In the 2021 Cencus, Chatham-Kent’s reported population was 103,988. This chart (right) shows how councillors are elected for 26 lower-tier, single-tier, or separated Municipalities in Ontario with Populations between 70,000-220,000.

The chart illustrates that the majority of assessed municipalities (20/26) – including Chatham-Kent itself - elect its councillors by ward. 

We were asked to consider the costs associated with running a campaign by ward or at large with consideration of both:

• The overall expenditure on elections
• Accessibility of the electoral process to individuals who want to be involved.

The chart below summarizes the campaign expenses for all candidates who ran successfully for office in the 2022 election.

The costs of running a winning election by ward ranged from a low of $400 to a high of $9,771, both in ward 6. The costs of running at-large ranged for both successful and unsuccessful candidates from $808 to $9,545.  

It is well understood that campaign spending does not necessarily equate to electoral success.   The perceived need to spend can be a barrier to entering a race, however.  This could have the effect of favouring incumbents with accumulated name recognition.

The Municipal Act authorizes a municipality to “divide or redivide the municipality into wards.” Like many other characteristics of council’s structure, there are no prescribed rules about how this must be done.

This means that a Municipality can choose to:

• assign any number of councillors per ward.
• assign a different number of councillors to different wards.

This is illustrated in Chatham-Kent’s current ward structure that elects 2-6 councillors from 6 wards across the Municipality.

Decisions about number of wards and councillors per ward are important in their own right, but they are also enablers of addressing other priorities. Key drivers of these decisions often tend to be informed by two key factors:

• Preferences about Council size, and
• The demographic and geographic realities that go into ward design.

In the end though, these decisions should be based on ensuring the system of elections provides “Effective Representation”.