2026 Ballot Question
County Council has passed a by-law to add the following question to the 2026 municipal election ballot:
Are you in favour of a third-party review of Council size and related ward boundaries?
Answer options: “Yes” or “No” only
Any person or entity may appeal the wording of the question to the Chief Electoral Officer of Ontario. Appeals must be based on the grounds that the question is not clear, concise, and neutral, or that it cannot be answered with a simple “yes” or “no” (per Section 8.1(2) of the Act).
A notice of appeal setting out the objections and supporting reasons must be filed with the Municipal Clerk within 20 days of the notice of the passing of the by-law. The deadline is Thursday, March 19, 2026.
Ballot question results and outcomes
For the results of the question to be legally binding on the municipality:
- At least 50 per cent of the eligible electors in the municipality vote on the question, and
- More than 50 per cent of the voters are in favour
Should this occur the estimated costs of a third-party review would be between $75,000 and $100,000 depending on the scope of the work. Any changes would be in effect for the 2031 municipal election.
Additional Information
Municipalities are bound by provincial legislation when adding a question to the municipal election ballot. Click here to view the legislation
Key Dates
October 8, 2025: Notice of public meetings in local newspapers and municipal website
October 23, 2025 – November 18, 2025: Public meetings in four locations
February 4, 2026: Notice of intent to pass a by-law to place a question on the municipal election ballot. Click here to view notice
February 24, 2026: Council passes by-law to place question on municipal election ballot
February 25 – March 4, 2026: The Clerk must give Notice of Passing to the public and the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing within 15 days of the by-law being passed
March 19, 2026: Appeal Deadline: Public has exactly 20 days after the Notice of Passing to appeal. Click here to view the notice
October 26, 2026: Municipal election day
History of Council Size / Ward Boundary Review
County Councils over the years have explored the size of Council and the boundaries of the electoral wards.
The 2018 municipal election was the first election conducted using the current electoral ward boundaries.
Visit the County website to learn more about the history of this topic and view materials relevant to each stage of the process.