Municipal officials could take the next step towards a review of council size and ward boundaries in Chatham-Kent.
A report from administration recommends approving a $68,251 contract for Strategy Corp, to be funded through the municipality’s Strategic Development Reserve.
Previous municipal reviews were conducted in 2015, 2011, and 2008, however there has not been a re-adjustment of ward boundaries since amalgamation in 1998.
In February, council approved a motion to bring in a third-party consultant to review and provide options to ensure both rural and urban voices are represented and included in each ward.
Census figures show Chatham-Kent’s population increased roughly 2% between 2011 and 2021. This growth has contributed to a variance in the ward averages, especially within Ward 6 (City of Chatham,) Ward 2 (South Kent,) and Ward 4 (North Kent.)