Seven-ward model proceeding for 2026 following completion of appeal process

The reconfiguration of Haldimand County’s electoral wards—from a 6-ward model to a 7-ward model—will move forward for the 2026 municipal election, following the conclusion of the formal appeal process. 

On August 25, the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) dismissed an appeal against By-law 2588-25, which enacts the new ward configuration, following a video hearing held on July 15, 2025. Read the decision below.

Haldimand County Council approved the shift to a 7-ward model on February 10, 2025, following a presentation by Watson & Associates Economists Ltd., the consultants who led the ward boundary review. As a Council priority for the 2022–2026 term, the review began in 2024 and involved several rounds of public engagement. Its goal was to ensure effective and equitable representation for residents ahead of the 2026 municipal election.

With the appeal process now complete, the County will submit the updated ward configuration to Elections Ontario and begin finalizing the new boundary maps. Additional details will be shared as preparations for the 2026 election get underway. 

For more information, visit the Ward Boundary Review web page at haldimandcounty.ca/wardboundaryreview.  

OLT decision 

“It is common for staff or consultants' recommendations to evolve during committee discussions or public input workshops. Based on the uncontested expert evidence provided by Dr. Robert Williams and Jack Ammendolia, the Tribunal concludes that the recommendation for the Council to consider the option of 7 Wards emerged organically throughout the process. There is no basis for the Tribunal to believe that the Council altered or intervened in a way that would have changed the outcomes of the recommended options. Ultimately, it is the Council's responsibility to make a decision based on the information presented to them, specifically regarding the creation of an additional Ward to addresses, natural boundaries, communities of interest, and population concerns. The Tribunal finds no grounds to overturn the County Council's decision.”