York Centre

York Centre in relation to the other Toronto ridings

York Centre Electoral district
MP	Ken Dryden (2004-)
Party	Liberal (1962-)
MPP	Monte Kwinter (1999-)
Party	Liberal (1999-)
Province	Ontario
Census division(s)	Toronto
Census subdivision(s)	Toronto
Federal district created	1952

York Centre is a federal and provincial electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1904 to 1917 and since 1953, and in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario since 1999.

York Centre contains two municipal wards of the city of Toronto. It had a population in 2001 of 107,055 people.

It is one of the safest Liberal seats in Canada. The Liberals have only lost two elections since the riding was recreated in 1953, and usually win by enormous majorities.

York Centre consists of the part of the City of Toronto bounded on the north by the northern city limit, and on the east, south and west by a line drawn from the city limit south along Yonge Street, west along the hydroelectric transmission line north of Finch Avenue West, south along Bathurst Street, southeast along the Don River West Branch, southwest and west along Highway 401, north along Jane Street, east along Sheppard Avenue West, northwest along Black Creek, east along Grandravine Drive, and north along Keele Street to the city limit.

Federal electoral district

York Centre was originally created in 1903 from parts of York East and York West ridings.

It was created when the county of York (excluding the city of Toronto) was divided into three ridings: York Centre, York North and York South.

The centre riding consisted of the townships of Etobicoke, Markham, Scarborough and Vaughan, and the villages of Markham, Richmond Hill, Weston and Woodbridge.

The electoral district was abolished in 1914 when it was redistributed between York East, York South and York West.

A new York Centre riding was created in 1952 from parts of Eglinton—Lawrence, Willowdale, York North] and York West ridings.

The new riding considted initially of the part of the township of North York west of Yonge Street, the part of the township of Vaughan south of Highway Number 7, and the town of Woodbridge.

In 1966, it was redefined to consist of the part of Metropolitan Toronto bounded on the north by the northern limit, and on the west, south and east by a line drawn from that borough limit south along Highway 400, east along Sheppard Avenue West, south along Jane Street, southeast along Exbury Road, east along Calvington Drive, south along Keele Street, east along Highway 401, south along the Canadian National Railway line, east along Lawrence Avenue West, north along the Spadina Expressway, northeast along Highway 401, north along Bathurst Street, east along Sheppard Avenue West, south along Easton Street, east along Cameron Avenue, and north along Yonge Street to the Metro Toronto limit.

In 1976, it was redefined to consist of the part of the Borough of North York bounded on the north by the borough limit, and on the west, south and east by a line drawn from the borough limit south along Highway 400, east along Sheppard Avenue West, south along Keele Street, east along Highway 401, north along Bathurst Street, and northwest along the West Branch of the Don River to the borough limit.

In 1987, it was redefined to consist of the part of the City of North York bounded on the north by the city limit, and on the east, south and west by a line drawn from the city limit southeast along the Don River West Branch, west along Highway 401, north along Jane Street, east along Grandravine Drive, and north along Black Creek to the northern city limit.

In 1996, it was redefined to consist of the part of the City of North York bounded on the north by the city limit, and on the east, south and west by a line drawn from the city limit south along Dufferin Street, west along Sheppard Avenue West, north along Keele Street, west along Grandravine Drive, south along Jane Street, east along Highway 401, northwest along the Don River West Branch, north along Bathurst Street, east along Drewry Avenue, north along Chelmsford Avenue, west along Greenwin Village Road, and north along Village Gate to the city limit.

In 2003, it was given its current boundaries as described above.

Members of Parliament

This riding has elected the following Members of Parliament:

Ken Dryden, Liberal Party of Canada (2004-present)
Art Eggleton, Liberal Party of Canada (1993-2004)
Bob Kaplan, Liberal Party of Canada (1974-1993)
James E. Walker, Liberal Party of Canada (1962-1974)
Fred C. Stinson, Progressive Conservative Party of Canada (1957-1962)
Al Hollingworth Liberal Party of Canada (1953-1957)

Provincial electoral district

The provincial electoral district was created in 1999 when provincial ridings were defined to have the same borders as federal ridings.

Before 1999, the name York Centre was assigned to a completely different riding located in York Region north of Toronto with none of the same territory as the current York Centre. In 1999, much of the old York Centre was absorbed by the new riding of Vaughan—King—Aurora. The former riding was Wilson Heights.