Guelph residents seem split 50/50 on whether there should be fewer city councillors.
A city consultant’s report was released Tuesday identifying four options for council make-up and ward boundaries. Two of the options maintain the current number of councillors but tinker with ward boundaries.
The consultant’s report, which started with 13 options, came up with four options following public consultation, which will continue as council moves toward a June decision:
- Two six-ward options with slightly different boundaries with 12 part-time councillors (two per ward).
- Five wards with 10 part-time councillors (two per ward).
- Eight wards with eight full or part-time councillors (one per ward).
The final round of feedback and public consultation will be used to inform the final options presented to council in June. That report will be available on June 10 with a final decision expected from council June 23.
The four ward boundary options can be found here.
Council directed the consultant’s to come up with options based on eight, 10 and 12 councillors, plus exploring full and part-time councillors. Initially there were 13 different options.
The consultant’s report said citizens seem split evenly on whether or not there should be 12 councillors or less.
“Roughly half the respondents (51%) support continuing the current model of a 12-person council with two councillors per ward. Comments in this and earlier rounds of consultation indicate the belief that large councils offer more representation and increased ability to connect to constituents. It was argued to be more democratic,” says the report.
“There is an equal amount of support for reducing the council size. The assumptions from this and earlier consultations are that fewer councillors would cost less and fewer voices around the table makes for more efficient decision making.”
The city said that during the consultation there were 186 people who filled out a city survey on the matter.
Most people (63 per cent) favoured two councillors per ward over one.
Public input can be given at haveyoursay.guelph.ca until April 20. Virtual town halls are planned, including one Wednesday evening starting at 7 p.m. A second will be held April 13.
Links to watch or join the town halls can be found on the city website or the city Facebook page.
“Each of the four options reflects what the community told us during the previous rounds of engagement, but each offers different strengths in the four priorities considered when reviewing ward boundaries, including equal population for better voter parity, projected growth, communities of interest and natural boundaries and geographic features,” said Dylan McMahon, acting city clerk in a news release.
