Durham (formerly known as Clarington—Scugog—Uxbridge) was a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that was represented in the House of Commons of Canada from 1904 to 1968 and from 1988 to 2025.
Its first iteration was created in 1903 from Durham East and Durham West ridings. It consisted of the county of Durham. The electoral district was abolished in 1966 when it was merged into the Northumberland—Durham riding. It was recreated in 1987 from parts of the Durham—Northumberland and Ontario ridings.
The second incarnation of the riding initially consisted of the Town of Newcastle, the townships of Scugog and Uxbridge, Scugog Indian Reserve No. 34, the part of the City of Oshawa lying north of Rossland Road, the allowance for road in front of lots 1, 2, 3 and 4, Concession 3 and part of the Town of Whitby lying north of Taunton Road.
In 1996, it was redefined to consist of the Township of Scugog, Scugog Indian Reserve No. 34, the Town of Clarington and part of the City of Oshawa lying north of a line drawn from west to east along Taunton Road, south along Ritson Road North, east along Rossland Road East, south along Harmony Road North and east along King Street East.
The electoral district was abolished in 2003 when it was redistributed between Clarington—Scugog—Uxbridge, Oshawa and Whitby—Oshawa ridings. Clarington—Scugog—Uxbridge was defined to consist of the townships of Uxbridge and Scugog, the Municipality of Clarington and the Scugog Island reserve. In 2004, Clarington—Scugog—Uxbridge was renamed to its current name of Durham. Following the Canadian federal electoral redistribution of 2012, the riding lost territory to Pickering—Uxbridge and Northumberland—Peterborough South and gained territory from Oshawa and Whitby—Oshawa.
Following the report from the 2022 electoral redistribution, the riding will be redistributed into Bowmanville—Oshawa North (Clarington and Oshawa portions) and York—Durham (Scugog portion).
On August 24, 2020, then-Durham MP Erin O'Toole won the Conservative Party leadership election and was named Leader of the Official Opposition. In February 2022, following his party's defeat in the 2021 election, he was ousted as Conservative leader. He resigned his seat in the legislature in August 2023, triggering the 2024 Durham by-election, won by fellow Conservative Jamil Jivani.
Demographics
According to the 2021 Canadian census
Languages: 81.8% English, 1.6% Tamil, 1.4% French, 1.4% Urdu Religions: 52.1% Christian (21.7% Catholic, 7.0% United Church, 4.5% Anglican, 1.9% Pentecostal, 1.4% Baptist, 1.3% Christian Orthodox, 1.2% Presbyterian, 13.1% Other), 5.3% Muslim, 4.1% Hindu, 36.8% None Median income: $45,600 (2020)
Average income: $57,600 (2020)
+ Panethnic groups in Durham (2011−2021)Panethnic group202120162011 European 107,515 109,155 103,860 South Asian 14,105 5,055 1,640 African 10,405 5,165 2,830 Indigenous 3,420 3,045 2,135 East Asian 3,385 2,090 1,070 Southeast Asian 3,025 1,795 1,160 Middle Eastern 2,875 980 450 Latin American 1,330 820 565 Other/multiracial 3,125 1,425 660 Total responses 149,195 129,520 114,360 Total population 150,235 130,872 115,395
Geography The riding is a mix of suburban, exurban areas. It contains all of Scugog, and the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation, plus Oshawa north of Taunton Road and the western half of the Municipality of Clarington, which is home to over half the riding's population. Bowmanville is the riding's largest community. Most of the riding has supported the Conservatives in the 2019 and 2021 elections, with the strongest support coming from the riding's rural areas, especially in rural Scugog Township. The Liberals have been able to win much of the Oshawa part of the riding, outside of the city's rural northern section. The NDP have seen their strongest support in Oshawa and in Bowmanville.
Members of Parliament
This riding has elected the following members of Parliament:
Current member of Parliament This seat is held by Conservative Jamil Jivani since a 2024 by-election to succeed former Opposition leader Erin O'Toole.
Election results
Durham, 2004–present
2011 federal election redistributed results Party Vote % Conservative 27,900 55.17 New Democratic 12,011 23.75 Liberal 7,857 15.54 Green 2,307 4.56 Others 499 0.99
Clarington—Scugog—Uxbridge, 2003–2004
2000 federal election redistributed resultsElection Prediction Project Party Vote % Liberal 17,901 44.15 Canadian Alliance 12,557 30.97 Progressive Conservative 7,676 18.93 New Democratic 2,085 4.08 Others 915 1.79
Durham, 1987–2003
Durham, 1904–1968
See also List of Canadian electoral districts Historical federal electoral districts of Canada
References
Notes
External links Canada Votes 2006 - Result for Durham from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation Riding history 1904-1968 from the Library of Parliament Library of Parliament Riding history 2004-208 from the Library of Parliament 2011 Results from Elections Canada Campaign expense data from Elections Canada