Welland (electoral district)

Infobox Canada electoral district
name = Welland
province = Ontario


caption = Welland in relation to southern Ontario ridings
fed-status = active
fed-district-number = 35097
fed-created = 2003
fed-abolished =
fed-election-first = 2004
fed-election-last = 2006
fed-rep = John Maloney
fed-rep-link =
fed-rep-party = Liberal
fed-rep-party-link = Liberal Party of Canada
prov-status = active
prov-created = 2006
prov-abolished =
prov-election-first = 2007
prov-election-last =
prov-rep = Peter Kormos
prov-rep-link =
prov-rep-party = NDP
prov-rep-party-link = Ontario New Democratic Party
demo-census-date = 2006
demo-pop = 112875
demo-electors = 82675
demo-electors-date = 2007
demo-area = 583
demo-cd = Niagara
demo-csd = Welland, Thorold, Port Colborne, Wainfleet, St. Catharines

Welland is a federal and provincial electoral district in Ontario, Canada, represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1867 to 1988, and since 2004. The current representative to Ottawa is Liberal Member of Parliament John Maloney. It first elected a member to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario in the 2007 provincial election. Its population in 2006 was 112,875.

The electoral district was created in 2003: 74.9% of the riding came from Niagara Centre riding, 22.5% from Erie—Lincoln and 2.7% from Niagara Falls riding.

Geography

Welland riding consists of the cities of Welland, Thorold, and Port Colborne, the Township of Wainfleet, and the part of the City of St. Catharines lying south of a line drawn from the western city limit east along St. Paul Street West, northeast along St. Paul Crescent, east and south along Twelve Mile Creek, east along Glendale Avenue, northwest along Merrit Street, and northeast along Glendale Avenue to the eastern city limit. [http://www.elections.ca/scripts/pss/maps/C35097.pdf]

Political geography

The Liberals have their support concentrated in the Sanitorium Hill area of St. Catharines and around Brock University; the western part of Thorold; Welland north of the Welland River and Port Colborne west of the Welland Canal.Fact|date=August 2008 The NDP has its strength concentrated in Welland south of the Welland River; in Port Colborne east of the Welland Canal, the eastern part of Thorold, especially east of the Welland Canal; in St. Catharines in the Pelham Road area (north of Glendalde Avenue) and north of Bradley Street.Fact|date=August 2008 The Conservatives have their support concentrated to the rural parts of the riding, especially in western Wainfleet Township and along the Welland River.Fact|date=August 2008 They also have support in St. Catharines west of Louth Street.

Federal electoral district

Welland riding was originally created in 1867 by the British North America Act. It consisted initially of the Townships of Bertie, Crowland, Humberstone, Stamford, Thorold, and Willoughby, and the Villages of Chippewa, Clifton, Fort Erie, Thorold and Welland.

In 1892, the riding was redefined to exclude reference to the Village of Clifton, and include the villages of Niagara Falls and Port Colborne, and the town of Niagara Falls. In 1903, it was redefined to consist of the county of Welland.

In 1952, it was redefined to consist of the townships of Pelham, Thorold, Crowland, Humberstone and Wainfleet, including the city of Welland and the towns of Port Colborne, Thorold, Fonthill and Humberstone.

In 1966, it was redefined to consist of:
* in the County of Welland, the City of Welland and the Townships of Crowland, Humberstone and Wainfleet; and
* in the County of Haldimand, the Townships of Canborough, Dunn, Moulton and Sherbrooke.

In 1976, it was redefined to consist of the City of Welland, the Town of Thorold, and the part of the City of St. Catharines lying south of the Canadian National Railway.

The electoral district was abolished in 1987 when it was redistributed between Welland—St. Catharines—Thorold, St. Catharines and Erie ridings.

In 2003, a new Welland riding was created from parts of Erie—Lincoln, Niagara Centre, Niagara Falls and St. Catharines ridings.

Members of Parliament

This riding has elected the following Members of Parliament:

Federal election results

2003 - present

1867 - 1987

Provincial election results

Election box begin | title=Ontario general election, 2007
-
Peter Kormos
align="right"|24,908
align="right"|53.9
align="right"
-
John Mastroianni
align="right"|10,579
align="right"|22.9
align="right"
-
Ron Bodner
align="right"|8,719
align="right"|18.9
align="right"
-
Mark Grenier
align="right"|1,973
align="right"|4.3
align="right"|

See also

* List of Canadian federal electoral districts
* Past Canadian electoral districts

External links

* [http://www.parl.gc.ca/information/about/process/house/hfer/hfer.asp?Language=E&Search=Det&Include=Y&rid=793 1867-1987 Riding history from the] Library of Parliament
* [http://www.parl.gc.ca/information/about/process/house/hfer/hfer.asp?Language=E&Search=Det&Include=Y&rid=1348 2003-present Riding history from the] Library of Parliament
* [http://www.elections.ca] Elections Canada Voting Assistance
* [http://www.elections.ca/scripts/pss/maps/C35097.pdf] Welland Riding Map from Elections Canada