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  • 21 Aug, 2019

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Oak Ridges—Markham (provincial Electoral District)

Oak Ridges—Markham was a provincial electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that was represented in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario between the 2007 provincial election and the 2018 provincial election. Its population in 2006 was 169,645, with 136,755 electors, the highest of any riding in Ontario. It was the fastest growing riding in the province, having experienced a 52.5% increase in population from 2001 to 2006.

The district covered part of the suburbs north of Toronto. It included the town of Whitchurch–Stouffville, most of the township of King (excepting extreme northeast) the northern portions of the town of Richmond Hill (including all of Oak Ridges), and the northern and eastern portions of the city of Markham.

The electoral district was created in 2004 52.5% from Oak Ridges, 30% from Markham, 13% from Vaughan—King—Aurora district and 4.5% from York North riding.

In 2018, the district was dissolved into Markham—Stouffville, King—Vaughan, Markham—Unionville and Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill.

Demographics

Communities in Oak Ridges—Markham are the destination for many immigrants to Canada, composing about 41.6% of the population, or about 70,000 of its residents. For 72,440 residents, neither English nor French, the official languages of Canada, is their mother tongue, though most have knowledge of English (148,975), French (160), or both (12,885). Most immigrants become citizens, as 11,155 immigrants were not Canadian citizens as of the Canada 2006 Census.

The primarily urban district has a low proportion of Aboriginal residents compared to other parts of Canada, with just 625 people identifying themselves of such descent. It is also home to 70,070 residents who identify themselves as visible minorities, more than half of which are Chinese Canadians and about 20% are Black Canadians.

At the 2006 census, the participation rate of residents in the work force was 71.3%, and the electoral district unemployment rate was 5%, below the national average of 6.3%.

The district was the second-largest electoral district in Ontario by population, next to Brampton West which had 170,422 residents at the 2006 census.

Geography

The riding consists of part of the Regional Municipality of York including:

  1. the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville;
  2. the part of the Township of King to the south of Highway No. 9;
  3. the part of the Town of Richmond Hill to the north and east of Gamble Road, Yonge Street, and Elgin Mills Road East; and
  4. the part of the City of Markham to the north and east of 16th Avenue, McCowan Road, Highway No. 7, and 9th Line.

Communities represented

Members of Provincial Parliament

Oak Ridges—Markham
Assembly Years Member Party
Riding created from Markham, Vaughan—King—Aurora and York North
39th  2007–2011     Helena Jaczek Liberal
40th  2011–2014
41st  2014–2018
Riding dissolved into Markham—Stouffville, King—Vaughan,
Markham—Unionville and Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill

Election results

2014 Ontario general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Liberal Helena Jaczek 36,782 45.55 +0.74 $92,420.12
Progressive Conservative Farid Wassef 30,259 37.47 +0.23 $173,298.00
New Democratic Miles Krauter 9,355 11.58 −1.55 $4,568.86
Green Emilia Melara 2,791 3.46 +0.98 $0.00
Libertarian Karl Boelling 1,358 1.68 +0.07 $0.00
Trillium Gennady Vilensky 213 0.26 N/A $0.00
Total valid votes 80,755 100.00  
Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots 1,156 1.43
Turnout 81,911 46.21
Eligible voters 177,255  
Liberal hold Swing +0.26
Source(s)
"Election Night Results – General Election Results by District – 059, Oak Ridges—Markham – Unofficial". Elections Ontario. Retrieved June 14, 2014.
2011 Ontario general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Liberal Helena Jaczek 28,878 44.78 −3.43 $83,066.00
Progressive Conservative Farid Wassef 23,950 37.14 +1.07 $146,606.59
New Democratic Joe Whitfeld 8,548 13.26 +5.33 $11,142.60
Green Trifon Haitas 1,569 2.43 −4.01 $350.00
Libertarian Karl Boelling 1,057 1.64   $213.07
Independent Ruida Lu 484 0.75   $2,766.14
Total valid votes / expense limit 64,486 100.00 +8.85 $180,834,78
Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots 395 0.61 −0.13
Turnout 64,881 42.70 −5.07
Eligible voters 151,959   +21.63
Liberal hold Swing −2.25
2007 Ontario general election
Party Candidate Votes %
Liberal Helena Jaczek 28,564 48.22
Progressive Conservative Phil Bannon 21,367 36.07
New Democratic Janice Hagan 4,698 7.93
Green Attila Nagy 3,815 6.44
Family Coalition Patrick Redmond 455 0.77
Independent Doug Ransom 342 0.58
Total valid votes 59,241 100.0  
Total rejected ballots 444 0.74
Turnout 59,685 47.77
Eligible voters 124,939  
Sources:"Summary of valid votes cast for each candidate – October 10, 2007 General Election" (PDF). Elections Ontario. 2008-08-14. Retrieved 2014-05-23.
"Statistical Summary" (PDF). Elections Ontario. 2008-05-08. Retrieved 2014-05-23.

2007 electoral reform referendum

2007 Ontario electoral reform referendum
Side Votes %
First Past the Post 35,444 61.7
Mixed member proportional 21,975 38.3
Total valid votes 57,419 100.0

References

Sources