FAQs
Who are our current Council members and what are the Ward boundaries?
A list of the County of Brant’s current Council members, composed of a mayor and ten elected councilors (two Councillor representing each ward), can be found on our website.
The County is currently divided into five wards. View the Wards map.
What is a Ward Boundary Review?
A ward is a geographical division of a city or town for administrative or political purposes.
A Ward Boundary Review (WBR) is a task conducted on behalf of a municipality to assess whether the present wards constitute an effective and equitable system of representation and, if not, to propose alternatives.
Why is the County of Brant doing this review?
Ward Boundary Reviews are conducted prior to every Municipal and School Board Election cycle as a best practice.
On February 23, 2021, County of Brant Council directed that the ward boundary structure remains in place for the 2022 Municipal and School Board Election and that the next review take place during the 2022-2026 term of Council.
What will be considered in the ward boundary review?
The County of Brant is currently investigating whether to proceed with a full ward boundary review by engaging with the public to determine whether the current five ward system continues to accurately reflect the County of Brant.
Residents will be asked a series of high-level questions in a survey to identify whether there is a public appetite for a change to the boundary structure. The input received will be forwarded to County Council to assist them with deciding whether to proceed with a fulsome ward boundary review or to proceed with the current structure.
Some potential items for consideration could be whether the boundaries between wards need to change, whether additional wards need to be created, or whether the number of wards can be reduced.
What does Council composition mean?
The composition of Council is the number of Councillors representing the citizens of the County of Brant.
Currently, there are five wards in the County of Brant and each ward has two part-time Council representatives. The Mayor represents all wards in a full-time capacity.
Investigating potential changes to Council composition could include adding Councillors, reducing the number of Councillors, or changing the Councillors from part-time to full-time.
What is effective representation?
The idea of "effective representation" is a key part of how we evaluate election systems in Canada. To make sure a municipal council represents the community well, it's important to prioritize equal representation for all voters ("representation by population"). However, we also need to consider other factors like geography, community history, local interests, and minority representation. According to the Supreme Court of Canada, taking all these factors into account is essential for effective representation.
Who is conducting the County of Brant Ward Boundary Review?
The County of Brant Clerk’s Department is exploring the community's level of interest in either fully reviewing different ward boundaries and Council composition within the County or to continue with the existing structure.
Staff will report back to the Policy Development Committee in September 2024 with a summary of the public feedback received.