York-Durham riding will offer a new look for the next Federal Election

DARRYL KNIGHT The Standard

NORTH DURHAM: The next federal election is anticipated, on or around October 20th, 2025, though this date may change if an election is called earlier.

Uxbridge voters will cast their ballots in the newly formed York-Durham Electoral District, replacing the current Pickering-Uxbridge riding, held by Liberal MP Jennifer O’Connell. The new riding of York-Durham includes the Town of Georgina, parts of Whitchurch-Stouffville, the townships of Brock, Scugog, and Uxbridge, and the Indigenous reserves of the Chippewas of Georgina Island First Nation and the Mississaugas of Scugog Island.

Uxbridge’s reorganization combines it with areas from the former Durham, Haliburton-Kawartha-Brock, Oshawa, and Markham-Stouffville ridings. This change follows the implementation of new federal electoral districts across Canada, on April 23rd, 2024. According to Elections Canada, the Constitution mandates a review of federal electoral districts every ten years, after the census, to account for population changes and movements.

The most recent redistribution process began in October of 2021. It involves the chief electoral officer applying a representation formula, to determine the number of MPs each province requires. It also involves independent electoral boundaries commissions, in each province then reviewing and revising the electoral boundaries, if necessary.

In the 2021 federal election, the Durham, Haliburton-Kawartha-Brock, and Oshawa ridings favored the Conservative party, whereas the Pickering-Uxbridge and Markham-Stouffville ridings leaned Liberal. Former Uxbridge municipal councillor Jacob Mantle recently announced his candidacy for the Conservative nomination for the new riding. This shift in boundaries could significantly impact the political landscape in the upcoming election.

For more details on the new and past voting districts, visit the Elections Canada website at elections.ca.