Etobicoke North

This west Toronto riding has an immigrant population of 60 per cent. About 25 per cent list their ethnic origin as Indian, mainly Punjabi, and only 41 per cent say that English is their mother tongue.

The riding is bordered by Steeles Avenue West in the north, Dixon Road and Highway 401 to the south, Highway 427 to the west and the Humber River to the east.

This lower-middle to middle-class riding is a mix of residential and light industry. The 2006 census lists manufacturing as the largest employer, followed by the service sector. The north campus of Humber College and the Woodbine Racetrack are here. The average family income is $71,205 and the unemployment rate is 8.4 per cent. About 40 per cent of households are renters.

Etobicoke North was created in the 1976 redistribution of portions of York West and Etobicoke. In 1996, a portion of York West was added. In 2004, a southeast chunk of Etobicoke North that extended south of Dixon Road was moved into Etobicoke Centre.

Population: 108,501 (2006 census; a decrease of 3.5% since 2001)

Political History

Liberal Roy Cullen has held the riding since a 1996 byelection. In 2006, Cullen earned 61 per cent of the vote when he went up against Conservative Amanjit Singh Khroad.

In the previous election, Cullen received similar results, winning 63 per cent of the vote.

Roy McLaren was Liberal MP for four terms. He was minister of national revenue and minister of international trade. McLaren was named ambassador to Britain when he resigned in 1996.

In the 1984 election, Progressive Conservative Bob Pennock defeated McLaren, but he held the seat for only one term.

• 1979, 1980 - LIB
• 1984 - PC
• Since 1988 - LIB