(Posted 9:30 a.m., Sept. 27)
Riding realignment could see Ottawa-Orléans expanded to include Springridge
By Fred Sherwin
Orléans Online

Residents in Springridge and East Village may soon get their wish and be included in the federal and provincial riding of Ottawa-Orleans as part of a broader expansion of ridings in Ontario.

Because of an increase in population the number of ridings in Ontario will increase from 121 to 106. The impact locally will likely mean the eastern boundary of Ottawa-Orléans will be moved from Trim Rd. to an imaginary line running north-south along Cardinal Creek and Frank Kenny Rd. to Wall Rd.

That means residents in Springridge and East Village will be included with the rest of Orléans. That's good news for the residents of Springridge an East Village it's disappointing news for residents in Navan and the rest of rural Cumberland, many of whom were hoping to be included in Ottawa-Orléans as part of the current realignment.

If approved the proposed electoral boundary changes will come into effect for the 2015 federal election and the provincial election thereafter.

The proposed changes were drafted by a non-partisan, provincial commission over the past few months. Hearings are scheduled in the coming months to give residents in the affected communities a chance to give their input om the proposed changes.

According to federal legslation, the federal electoral boundaries are reviewed after each 10 year cencus. The last time the electoral boundaries were adjusted was in 2004.

The provincial commission of the day had recommended that Ottawa-Orléans be expanded to include the entire former municipality of Cumberland in recognition of the newly-amalgamated City of Ottawa. The plans were scrapped following the intervention of residents living in Vars and Sarsfield led by then Glengarry-Prescott-Russell MP Don Boudria who lived in Sarsfield.

Ottawa-Orleans MP Royal Galipeau and Glengarry-Prescott-Russell MP Pierre Lemieux are both in favour of the changes currently being proposed as is Cardinal Creek Community Association president Sean Crossan.

The Ontario Commission will be holding public meetings on the changes being proposed in Eastern Ontario at the Hampton Inn and Conference Centre on Nov. 5 and 6 starting at 10 a.m.

(This story was made possible thanks to their generous support of our local business partners.)

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