Located west of Toronto, the largely rural electoral district's largest centre is the town of Orangeville, Ontario.

The riding consisted of the entire County of Dufferin; that part of the County of Grey contained in the townships of Egremont and Proton and the Village of Dundalk; that part of the County of Wellington contained in the townships of Erin and West Luther, the Town of Mount Forest and the villages of Arthur and Erin and that part of the Regional Municipality of Peel contained in the Town of Caledon.

The riding's first vote was the 1997 federal election in which Liberal Murray Calder became its Member of Parliament.

The federal electoral district was abolished in 2003 when it was redistributed between Dufferin—Caledon, Grey—Bruce—Owen Sound, Perth Wellington and Wellington—Halton Hills ridings.

The riding has elected the following members of Parliament: