Local Members of Parliament are satisfied that federal riding boundaries in Midwestern Ontario will likely remain the same following a review by the Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission.

Several changes had been proposed in August 2022, including some municipalities joining other ridings, as well as the renaming of the riding of Huron-Bruce to South Huron Shores.

“My personal concern is that rural Ontario doesn’t lose a seat.” said Perth-Wellington MP John Nater. “In past redistributions, there’s been a threat of losing a seat, but this time around, that hasn’t happened. I think that’s important to note: that rural Ontario isn’t losing a seat.”

While Nater’s riding was slated to remain the same even after the first review, there were some major changes proposed for the riding of Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound, which could have lost the Municipality of Grey Highlands to Simcoe-Grey, as well as some alterations near its border with Huron-Bruce.

“I was tracking everything. I attended the open meetings that they had for central and southwestern Ontario” said Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound MP Alex Ruff, who says keeping the ridings as it is makes sense for local voters.

The final piece of the process will see the proposed boundaries come before the PROC Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs, which Nater is a member of, and include a final review of the boundaries, followed by a final report from the commission.