Two ridings in Far North will elect MPPs in June, 2018

THUNDER BAY -- One predominantly-Indigenous riding and one mostly-Francophone riding have officially joined Ontario's electoral map with the passage Tuesday of legislation at Queen's Park.

The act created the riding of Kiiwetinoong north of Kenora and the riding of Mushkegowuk-James Bay north of Timmins.

The same bill adjusted the boundaries of existing ridings to make way for the new ones.

Kiiwetinoong's population is 68 per cent Indigenous.

The population of Mushkegowuk-James Bay is 60 per cent Francophone and 27 per cent Indigenous.

Indigenous leaders have expressed dissatisfaction with the fact both ridings are not predominantly Indigenous.

Mushkegowuk-James Bay has 30,000 residents, while Kiiwetinong has a population of 33,000.

Both are significantly smaller than the average Ontario electoral district's population of 110,000.

The province's next general election is scheduled for June 7, 2018.