City Council passes bylaw to alter Burlington’s ward boundaries

Burlington, Ont. — May 22, 2025 — Burlington City Council has passed a bylaw to update the city’s ward structure. Bylaw 30-2025 allows for minor changes to Burlington’s current ward structure and will be in place for the 2026 Municipal Election, subject to any appeals. These changes align with recommendations from the City’s recent Ward Boundary Review and are designed to reflect Burlington’s growing population. 

New ward structure

Burlington will continue to have six wards with one Local Councillor representing each ward, plus one Mayor elected at large. All members of City Council will continue to sit on Halton Regional Council. 

Minor changes to Burlington’s ward boundaries include:

• The community in north Tyandaga will move from Ward 1 to Ward 3
• The Leighland community will move from Ward 2 to Ward 1
• The Palmer community will move from Ward 4 to Ward 3
• The Maple Beach community will move from Ward 1 to Ward 2

What happens next?

Under section 222(4) of the Municipal Act 2001, S.O. c. 25, any person or agency may appeal Bylaw 30-2025 to the Ontario Land Tribunal. A notice of appeal must be filed within 45 days of when the bylaw was approved. The final day to file a notice of appeal for Bylaw 30-2025 is Friday, July 4, 2025. Details about how to file an appeal can be found on the City’s website under Public Notices. 

If no appeals are filed by July 4, 2025, the changes to Burlington’s ward boundaries will be in place for the 2026 Municipal Election. Any appeals must be resolved (or withdrawn) by Dec. 31, 2025, for the new ward boundaries to be in effect for the 2026 Municipal Election. If there are appeals that are not resolved (or withdrawn) by Dec. 31, 2025, Burlington’s new ward structure would not be in effect for the 2026 Municipal Election. 

Burlington is a city where people, nature and business thrive. Sign up to learn more about Burlington at burlington.ca/subscribe and follow @CityBurlington on social media. 

Quote

Blake Hurley, Commissioner, Legal and Legislative Services and City Solicitor

“The new ward boundary structure introduces positive changes that reflect what staff and the consulting team heard from residents throughout the public engagement process. The review has been a thorough one, with staff and the City’s consultant engaging the community, staff, and Council. Council has approved small but important changes to the ward boundaries that are focused on aligning communities of interest while ensuring appropriate representation. The City has grown since the last ward boundary review and is forecast to continue to grow in the coming years. The changes approved by Council address concerns that staff have heard from residents over the years and establish ward boundaries that can accommodate future growth while maintaining relative population parity between the wards.” 

Quick Facts

• The City of Burlington’s Council Composition and Ward Boundary Review began in the summer of 2024 at the direction of City Council. As Burlington’s population grows, the review was done to help ensure voters are represented equally in the decision-making process, no matter where they live in the city. The goal was to establish a ward structure that will accommodate growth and population shifts for at least the next three municipal elections. 

• Two extensive rounds of public engagement took place as part of the Council Composition and Ward Boundary Review, with virtual and in-person engagement opportunities. The feedback and comments collected helped inform the seven preliminary ward options. Through the second phase of engagement, participants preferred boundary options that focused on good population parity.  
• Burlington’s last ward boundary review was completed in 2005, when the city’s population was 139,000. Since this time, the city’s population has grown to approximately 186,948 (2021 Census). Over the next 25 years, the city will continue to grow. Approximately 265,000 people are expected to call Burlington home by 2051. 

Links and Resources 

• View a map of Burlington’s new ward boundaries.
• View Bylaw 30-2025
• Learn more about the Council Composition and Ward Boundary Review at getinvolvedburlington.ca/boundaryreview.

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