Demographic Profile
2006 population: 169,642
2001-2006 population change: +52.5%
Visible Minority: 27.4%
Median Household Income: $79,116
Rented: % 14.3%, versus owned: % 85.7%
University educated: 27.9%
Source: Statistics Canada; The Statistical Guide to the 2007 Ontario Provincial Election

How long has the riding existed? This riding was created in the 2004 redistribution from 37 per cent of the former Oak Ridges, 21 per cent of Markham and parts of the Vaughan-King-Aurora and York North ridings due to rapid growth in the region.

Voting patterns: This large riding, with boundaries crossing into four municipalities, has Liberal roots. In 2004, Liberal Lui Temelkovski defeated Conservative Bob Callow by 11,252 votes and was re-elected in 2006. In 2000 in Oak Ridges, Liberal Bryon Wilfert defeated Callow, who was then running for the Canadian Alliance. In 2000 in Markham, Liberal John McCallum defeated Jim Jones of the Canadian Alliance.

Trivia: The name of the riding indicates its central location on the gravelled moraine that helps feed fresh water into Greater Toronto's drinking taps. It's no surprise that the preservation of the moraine has been a hot provincial election issue.

Issues: The riding is one of the fastest growing in the province and voters are concerned about health care, traffic and environment problems that come with the population growth.