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Supreme Court of Canada upholds Ontario law reducing the size of Toronto city council during the 2018 municipal election

Date Closed

October 1, 2021

Lead Office

Toronto

In Toronto (City) v. Ontario (Attorney General), 2021 SCC 34, The Supreme Court of Canada upheld the constitutionality of provincial legislation that had changed the number of electoral wards in Toronto's municipal government shortly before the 2018 municipal election campaign.

On October 1, 2021, in a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court of Canada held that the law, known as the Better Local Government Act, 2018, did not limit the freedom of expression of candidates and voters, and that the law could not be struck down on the basis of "unwritten constitutional principles".

The Canadian Constitution Foundation, a non-profit with the mission of defending the constitutional rights and freedoms of Canadians, acted as intervener in this appeal. 

McCarthy Tétrault LLP represented the Canadian Constitution Foundation with a team led by Adam Goldenberg that included Jacob Klugsberg, and Hanna Singer.

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