York North

For the New Brunswick provincial electoral district, see York North (New Brunswick provincial electoral district)

York North was an electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that was represented in the House of Commons of Canada from Confederation in 1867 until 2004. It is also an electoral district that was represented in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1867 to 2007. The provincial riding was known as York—Mackenzie from 1995 to 1999.

The federal electoral district was eliminated in 2003 when it was redistributed between two new ridings of Newmarket—Aurora and York—Simcoe. Another small section was incorporated into Oak Ridges—Markham. The riding covered the northern suburbs of the city of Toronto often including such towns as Aurora, Vaughan, Newmarket, Richmond Hill and Markham. The borders changed often, however, most notably in 1996 when the riding was so altered that it contained very little of the same territory as before.

In 2007, the Ontario provincial electoral district was eliminated when it was matched to the redistributed ridings of the federal districts. Julia Munro, who held the York North seat, was re-elected in the new riding of York—Simcoe.

Members of Parliament from York North:

• James Pearson Wells - Liberal, (1867–1872)
• Anson Dodge - Conservative, (1872–1874)
• Alfred Dymond - Liberal, (1874–1878)
• F.W. Strange - Liberal-Conservative, (1878–1882)
• William Mulock - Liberal, (1882–1905)
• A.B. Aylesworth - Liberal, (1905–1911)
• John Armstrong - Conservative, (1911–1921)
• William Lyon Mackenzie King - Liberal, (1921–1925)
• Thomas Herbert Lennox - Conservative, (1925–1934)
• William Pate Mulock - Liberal, (1934–1945)
• Jack Smith - Liberal, (1945–1957)
• C.A. Cathers - Progressive Conservative, (1957–1962)
• John Hollings Addison - Liberal, (1962–1968)
• Barney Danson - Liberal, (1968–1979)
• John A. Gamble - Progressive Conservative, (1979–1984)
• Tony Roman - Independent, (1984–1988)
• Maurizio Bevilacqua - Liberal, (1988–1997)
• Karen Kraft Sloan - Liberal, (1997–2004)

Members of Provincial Parliament from York North:

• John McMurrich, Liberal (1867–1871)
• Alfred Boultbee, Conservative (1871–1874)
• Joseph Henry Widdifield, Liberal (1875–1888)
• Elihu James Davis, Liberal (1888–1904)
• Thomas Herbert Lennox, Conservative (1905–1923)
• William Keith, Conservative (1923–1926)
• Peter William Pearson, Liberal (1926–1929)
• Clifford Case, Conservative (1929–1934)
• Morgan Baker, Liberal (1934–1943)
• George Herbert Mitchell, Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (1943–1945)
• Addison Alex MacKenzie, Progressive Conservative (1945–1967)
• William Marshall Chamberlain Hodgson, Progressive Conservative (1967–1985)
• Greg Sorbara, Liberal (1985–1987)
• Charles Beer, Liberal (1987–1995)
• Frank Klees, Progressive Conservative (1995–1999)
• Julia Munro, Progressive Conservative (1999–2007, riding redistributed)

Evolution of the riding

The British North America Act, 1867 designated the electoral districts to be used in elected the members of the House of Commons. By virtue of the size of its population, the County of York was divided into a number of ridings, instead of being allocated one seat in the House of Commons like many other counties. The initial boundaries of the North Riding of York were defined in 1859 to consist of the Township of King, Whitchurch, Georgina, East Gwillimbury and North Gwillimbury, and the villages of Aurora, Newmarket and Holland Landing. Over time, the boundaries were adjusted as the City of Toronto expanded, and as the population of the area grew.

In 1882, the riding was redefined to consist of the townships of King, East Gwillimbury, West Gwillimbury, North Gwillimbury and Georgina, and the villages of Holland Landing, Bradford and Aurora.

In 1903, the north riding was redefined to consist of the townships of Georgina, East Gwillimbury, North Gwillimbury, King, and Whitchurch, the towns of Aurora and Newmarket, and the villages of Holland Landing, Stouffville and Sutton.

In 1924, York North was defined as consisting of all that part of the county of York north of the southerly boundary of the townships of Vaughan and Markham. In 1933, it boundary of the townships of North York and Whitchurch, excluding the village of Stouffville. In 1947, it was redefined to consist of that part of the county of York lying north of the line being the southerly boundary of the township of North York, Yonge Street and the southerly boundary of the township of Markham.

In 1952, it was defined as consisting of that part of the county of York lying north of Highway 7, excluding the town of Woodbridge.

In 1966, it was defined as consisting of a north-central section of the Borough of North York in Metropolitan Toronto, the Town of Richmond Hill, the Township of Markham excluding the Village of Stouffville, and part of the Township of Vaughan.

In 1976, it was redefined to consist of the Towns of Markham, Richmond Hill and Vaughan in the Regional Municipality of York. In 1987, it was redefined to consist of the towns of Aurora, Richmond Hill and Vaughan, and the southern part of the Township of King.

In 1996, it was redefined to consist of the towns of East Gwillimbury, Georgina and Newmarket, the northwest part of the Township of King, and Georgina Island Indian Reserve No. 33.

The electoral district was abolished in 2003 when it was redistributed between the electoral districts of Newmarket—Aurora, Oak Ridges—Markham and York—Simcoe.

Federal election results

North Riding of the county of York

York North

Provincial election results

External links

• Elections Ontario 1999 results and 2003 results