Bill 18 2003

An Act to amend
the Representation Act, 1996
to prohibit the reduction of
electoral districts in
Northern Ontario

Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, enacts as follows:

1. Section 1 of the Representation Act, 1996 is amended by adding the following definition:

"Northern Ontario" means The District Municipality of Muskoka and the Territorial Districts of Algoma, Cochrane, Kenora, Manitoulin, Nipissing, Parry Sound, Rainy River, Sudbury, Timiskaming and Thunder Bay. ("Nord de l'Ontario")

2. Section 2 of the Act is amended by adding the following subsections:

Exception, Northern Ontario

(1.1) Despite subsection (1), the number of provincial electoral districts in Northern Ontario shall not be reduced to fewer than the number of provincial electoral districts that existed in Northern Ontario on June 3, 1999.

Same

(1.2) If a federal readjustment that occurs after June 3, 1999 reduces the number of electoral districts in Northern Ontario, the provincial electoral districts in Northern Ontario shall be deemed to remain as they existed before the federal readjustment.

3. Section 3 of the Act is amended by striking out "in accordance with subsection 2 (1)" and substituting "in accordance with section 2".

Commencement

4. This Act comes into force on the day it receives Royal Assent.

Short title

5. The short title of this Act is the Representation Amendment Act (Northern Ontario), 2003.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The Bill amends the Representation Act, 1996 by prohibiting the reduction of the number of electoral districts in Northern Ontario below the number of districts that existed on June 3, 1999.