Even if residents sign a petition asking for ward boundaries here, there is no guarantee change will happen.
An April 24 report by clerk Kathryn Ironmonger said council requested more information on the process of establishing a ward system by public petition.
She said electors may present a petition to council asking for it to pass a bylaw dividing the municipality into wards. Such a petition requires signatures from 500 electors. An elector is a person who appears on the voters list as amended up until the close of the vote on voting day for the last regular election preceding a petition.
Ironmonger said if council did not pass a bylaw in accordance to the petition, the matter could be taken to the Ontario Municipal Board.
The town would then have the opportunity to tell the OMB why there should not be a ward system.
The Municipal Act does not set out the criteria for determining ward boundaries.
Ironmonger said if council wishes to consider if 2014 is the time to establish a ward system, staff would recommend a professional consultant be brought in to conduct a review.
“Regardless, council needs to have some kind of public consultation if council is considering creating a ward system or it is by the petition process. To retain the at-large system, council can choose to take no action.
Mayor Lou Maieron said it seemed to him the individuals who suggested they could bring this about “were somewhat correct.”
Ironmonger said it boils down to if council wishes to entertain the request or if 500 people need to sign a petition.
“Council has the opportunity to hold a public meeting to let the rest of the population understand the process.”
As well, council can refuse to pass a bylaw to create wards, at which time it could present its position.
