Options to rejig Hamilton's ward boundaries range from using a federal riding template to adding an extra ward on the fast-growing Mountain, a review has found.

The interim findings of the city's ongoing ward boundary review went public Thursday, kick-starting three weeks of public meetings for residents to digest the options.

Council narrowly voted to go ahead with the $270,000 review last spring to see if changes would better reflect a shifting population. Right now, populous Ward 7 has 62,000 residents while rural Ward 14 has closer to 17,000.

The consultant report does not recommend an alternative — but does call it "improbable" that the 15 ward status quo is good enough. The alternatives are grouped into four main categories:

• rearrange wards to fall within federal riding boundaries;

• tweak versions of wards to preserve "pre-amalgamation balance;"

• reshape wards with greater emphasis on population fairness;

• add a 16th ward, likely on the Mountain.

The review doesn't include options like eliminating wards or carving up the map to ensure each ward has parts of the lower city, Mountain and suburbs.

The consultant says it weighed population with other council principles like preserving community identities. It also notes the old city-suburban model was "built on a deliberate balance" at amalgamation and "It is clear that many present-day Hamiltonians place significant importance on this balance."

If council wants to change ward boundaries in time for the 2018 election it will need to do so by early next year. To see the report, visit the city's website hamilton.ca.

INTERACTIVE: Preview some of the proposed changes The icon in the top right allows you to overlay Hamilton with the current ward boundaries as well as some of those that have been proposed. Click anywhere to see the name of the ward.

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The full report can be read here.