Lambton is one big happy federal riding and that has surprised a few local politicians.

The Electoral Boundaries Commission released its report on the new boundaries for the next federal election and Lambton County – along with three Indigenous communities – will be enveloped in one riding – Sarnia-Lambton Bkjewnong. 

That’s a far cry from what the commission first suggested.

The federal commission looks at the riding boundaries every 10 years and alters them to make sure each member of Parliament represents roughly the same number of people. 

Lambton County is currently represented in two ridings, Sarnia-Lambton and Lambton-Kent-Middlesex.

Under the proposal released in September, Sarnia-Lambton would have grown to include Walpole Island, as well as parts of Wallaceburg and Dresden. It would be called and be called Sarnia-Lambton Bkjewanong. 

The Lambton-Kent-Middlesex riding would be replaced with Elgin Middlesex Thames. It would include Warwick, Brooke-Alvinston and parts of Dawn-Euphemia as well as parts of Chatham-Kent, Elgin and Strathroy.

The proposal put Forest and Lambton Shores in a riding called South Huron Shores meaning Lambton County would have had three MPs.

Sarnia-Lambton MP Marilyn Gladu headed up the Conservative Party’s efforts to make sure the boundaries were fair. She and others in Lambton urged the commission to make Lambton a single riding. It has a population of about 124,000 people; the boundaries commission was shooting for 117,000 people per riding.

So when the new boundaries were released Friday, Gladu was pleasantly surprised to find that the bureaucrats listened.

“This time around, it seemed to me that there was not any partisanship. It was really about keeping communities of interest together, and making sure that we had Indigenous representation,” says Gladu.

“Although it adds about 20,000 people to the riding, I think it makes much more sense.

 “It keeps all three First Nations in one riding with one MP, and I think that’s a good deal. 

“And now we just have to train people to be able to pronounce Sarnia Lambton Bkjewnong.”

And she says having one Lambton MP will mean contacting one MP and one MPPs (the provincial government uses the same boundaries) instead of two at each level. 

“You had to talk to four individuals instead of two to get agreement to do anything. 

“I think making the boundaries consistent with Lambton county will simplify getting multiple levels of government approval.”

Lambton Warden Kevin Marriott is also pleased with the move.

“I can’t believe they actually took our advice,” he says. “The fact that they swung from carving Lambton into four pieces,  and listening to having one riding was what surprised me.”

Al Broad, the mayor of Dawn-Euphemia, agrees. 

“I was surprised common sense actually happened,” says Broad. 

“I’m very much in favour of the new boundary and I’m glad they kept our township as a whole. 

“The Sarnia-Lambton riding makes more sense.

Brooke-Alvinston Mayor David Ferguson, whose municipality is right now in Lambton-Kent-Middlesex, says the new boundaries will be good for the elected officials in the upper tier, too.

“This is a long physical writing for the population base we have it’s far better off to compact it in the county now as one voice will have one MP and I think it’s gonna be good thing.”

The new ridings take effect in the next election. The provincial ridings will change during the next election expected in 2026.