1959 Ontario general election
1959 Ontario general election
The 1959 Ontario general election was held on June 11, 1959, to elect the 98 members of the 26th Legislative Assembly of Ontario (Members of Provincial Parliament, or "MPPs") of the Province of Ontario .[ 1]
The Ontario Progressive Conservative Party , led by Leslie Frost , won a sixth consecutive term in office, and maintained its majority in the legislature, although it lost 12 of the 83 seats it had won in the previous election .
The Ontario Liberal Party , led by John Wintermeyer , increased its caucus from 11 to 22 members, and continued in the role of official opposition . Liberal-Labour MPP Albert Wren was re-elected and continued to sit with the Liberal caucus . Wren died in 1961 and was succeeded in a by-election by Robert Gibson .
The social democratic Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF), led by Donald C. MacDonald , won two additional seats, for a total of five.
Campaign
Riding contests, by number of candidates (1959)[ 1]
Candidates
PC
Lib
LL
CCF
Lab-CCF
Lab-Pr
SC
Ind
I-PC
WC
Total
2
17
17
34
3
64
63
1
63
1
192
4
15
15
15
7
4
2
1
1
60
5
2
2
2
2
1
1
10
Total
98
97
1
80
1
9
5
2
2
1
296
Results
Elections to the 26th Parliament of Ontario (1959)[ 1]
Political party
Party leader
MPPs
Votes
Candidates
1955
Dissol.
1959
±
#
%
± (pp)
Progressive Conservative
Leslie Frost
98
83
71
12
868,815
46.15%
1.91
Liberal
John Wintermeyer
97
10
21
11
682,589
36.26%
3.46
Co-operative Commonwealth
Donald C. MacDonald
80
3
5
2
313,834
16.67%
0.13
Liberal–Labour
1
1
1
6,559
0.35%
0.06
Independent-PC
2
1
–
1
2,119
0.11%
0.29
Labor–Progressive
Bruce Magnuson
9
–
–
–
4,304
0.23%
0.96
Social Credit
Edgar Shipley Birrell
5
–
–
–
1,740
0.09%
New
Labour-CCF
1
–
–
–
1,512
0.08%
New
Independent
2
–
–
–
832
0.04%
0.48
White Canada
1
–
–
–
268
0.01%
New
Independent-Liberal
–
–
–
Did not campaign
Independent-Social Credit
–
–
–
Did not campaign
Socialist-Labour
–
–
–
Did not campaign
Vacant
Total
296
98
98
98
1,882,572
100.00%
Blank and invalid ballots
21,272
Registered voters / turnout
3,187,801
59.72%
1.68
Synopsis of results
Results by riding - 1959 Ontario general election[ 1]
Riding
Winning party
Turnout[ a 1]
Votes
Name[ a 2]
1955
Party
Votes
Share
Margin #
Margin %
PC
Lib/LL
CCF
Lab-Pr
SC
Ind
Oth
Total
Algoma—Manitoulin
PC
PC
8,055
41.20%
1,046
5.35%
62.75%
8,055
7,009
4,488
–
–
–
–
19,552
Brant
Lib
Lib
8,512
47.42%
1,166
6.50%
59.81%
7,346
8,512
2,092
–
–
–
–
17,950
Brantford
Lib
Lib
8,011
45.08%
1,460
8.22%
71.17%
6,551
8,011
3,208
–
–
–
–
17,770
Bruce
Lib
Lib
8,940
61.52%
3,348
23.04%
77.24%
5,592
8,940
–
–
–
–
–
14,532
Carleton
PC
PC
6,410
59.85%
2,662
24.86%
49.24%
6,410
3,748
373
–
179
–
–
10,710
Cochrane North
PC
PC
5,596
45.03%
1,319
10.61%
68.18%
5,596
4,277
2,555
–
–
–
–
12,428
Cochrane South
PC
PC
12,247
48.66%
4,659
18.51%
66.66%
12,247
4,750
7,588
585
–
–
–
25,170
Dufferin—Simcoe
PC
PC
8,390
68.90%
4,603
37.80%
52.70%
8,390
3,787
–
–
–
–
–
12,177
Durham
PC
PC
6,946
50.87%
1,974
14.46%
64.13%
6,946
4,972
1,736
–
–
–
–
13,654
Elgin
PC
PC
9,157
51.60%
1,833
10.33%
62.73%
9,157
7,324
963
–
302
–
–
17,746
Essex North
Lib
Lib
12,412
42.00%
3,584
12.13%
66.91%
8,828
12,412
8,313
–
–
–
–
29,553
Essex South
PC
PC
8,356
50.78%
1,001
6.08%
65.35%
8,356
7,355
743
–
–
–
–
16,454
Fort William
PC
Lib
9,255
42.09%
1,336
6.08%
74.77%
7,919
9,255
4,434
–
–
382
–
21,990
Frontenac—Addington
PC
PC
6,834
56.81%
2,238
18.60%
67.37%
6,834
4,596
600
–
–
–
–
12,030
Glengarry
PC
PC
4,575
50.38%
69
0.76%
70.61%
4,575
4,506
–
–
–
–
–
9,081
Grenville—Dundas
PC
PC
8,462
68.78%
4,621
37.56%
56.00%
8,462
3,841
–
–
–
–
–
12,303
Grey North
PC
PC
8,167
55.03%
3,153
21.25%
70.93%
8,167
5,014
1,659
–
–
–
–
14,840
Grey South
Lib
Lib
6,106
52.43%
565
4.85%
75.01%
5,541
6,106
–
–
–
–
–
11,647
Haldimand—Norfolk
PC
PC
13,007
59.37%
4,104
18.73%
64.25%
13,007
8,903
–
–
–
–
–
21,910
Halton
PC
PC
10,385
43.23%
727
3.03%
50.49%
10,385
9,658
3,977
–
–
–
–
24,020
Hamilton Centre
PC
PC
7,287
39.76%
1,314
7.17%
49.97%
7,287
4,602
5,973
467
–
–
–
18,329
Hamilton East
PC
CCF
7,805
41.61%
1,017
5.42%
54.90%
6,788
3,574
7,805
591
–
–
–
18,758
Hamilton—Wentworth
PC
PC
10,453
56.55%
5,958
32.24%
56.98%
10,453
4,495
3,535
–
–
–
–
18,483
Hastings East
PC
PC
6,141
56.95%
1,904
17.66%
65.66%
6,141
4,237
406
–
–
–
–
10,784
Hastings West
PC
PC
10,384
59.06%
4,209
23.94%
58.32%
10,384
6,175
1,023
–
–
–
–
17,582
Huron
PC
PC
7,759
55.84%
1,624
11.69%
76.34%
7,759
6,135
–
–
–
–
–
13,894
Huron—Bruce
PC
PC
6,683
55.42%
1,308
10.85%
76.53%
6,683
5,375
–
–
–
–
–
12,058
Kenora
LL
LL
6,559
44.98%
47
0.32%
69.75%
6,512
6,559[ a 3]
1,512
–
–
–
–
14,583
Kent East
Lib
Lib
7,352
56.14%
1,608
12.28%
77.45%
5,744
7,352
–
–
–
–
–
13,096
Kent West
PC
PC
9,941
51.15%
446
2.29%
55.95%
9,941
9,495
–
–
–
–
–
19,436
Kingston
PC
PC
10,330
56.53%
3,358
18.37%
63.73%
10,330
6,972
973
–
–
–
–
18,275
Lambton East
PC
PC
6,673
53.69%
917
7.38%
70.91%
6,673
5,756
–
–
–
–
–
12,429
Lambton West
PC
PC
10,861
48.54%
2,094
9.36%
62.60%
10,861
8,767
2,746
–
–
–
–
22,374
Lanark
PC
PC
8,843
62.24%
3,479
24.49%
64.26%
8,843
5,364
–
–
–
–
–
14,207
Leeds
PC
PC
11,318
65.35%
6,010
34.70%
67.15%
11,318
5,308
692
–
–
–
–
17,318
Lincoln
PC
PC
18,089
49.57%
5,998
16.44%
56.06%
18,089
12,091
6,314
–
–
–
–
36,494
London North
PC
PC
9,253
54.97%
3,288
19.53%
54.28%
9,253
5,965
1,615
–
–
–
–
16,833
London South
PC
PC
9,888
50.71%
2,840
14.56%
49.95%
9,888
7,048
2,564
–
–
–
–
19,500
Middlesex North
PC
PC
6,452
62.34%
2,907
28.09%
65.99%
6,452
3,545
353
–
–
–
–
10,350
Middlesex South
PC
PC
9,317
55.98%
3,124
18.77%
59.45%
9,317
6,193
1,132
–
–
–
–
16,642
Muskoka
PC
PC
5,995
56.47%
2,166
20.40%
71.63%
5,995
3,829
793
–
–
–
–
10,617
Niagara Falls
PC
Lib
12,403
52.07%
4,345
18.24%
59.22%
8,058
12,403
3,357
–
–
–
–
23,818
Nickel Belt
PC
PC
8,244
36.86%
453
2.03%
71.16%
8,244
7,791
6,333
–
–
–
–
22,368
Nipissing
PC
Lib
10,390
49.91%
1,870
8.98%
62.87%
8,520
10,390
1,908
–
–
–
–
20,818
Northumberland
PC
PC
10,322
58.28%
3,341
18.87%
79.32%
10,322
6,981
407
–
–
–
–
17,710
Ontario
PC
PC
9,018
59.67%
4,822
31.90%
62.69%
9,018
4,196
1,900
–
–
–
–
15,114
Oshawa
CCF
CCF
10,243
41.98%
1,600
6.56%
56.87%
8,643
5,513
10,243
–
–
–
–
24,399
Ottawa East
PC
PC
7,965
49.27%
313
1.94%
50.87%
7,965
7,652
548
–
–
–
–
16,165
Ottawa South
PC
PC
12,989
51.66%
1,870
7.44%
56.34%
12,989
11,119
1,037
–
–
–
–
25,145
Ottawa West
PC
PC
8,505
51.44%
1,444
8.73%
58.29%
8,505
7,061
969
–
–
–
–
16,535
Oxford
Lib
Lib
11,414
47.39%
216
0.90%
68.65%
11,198
11,414
1,475
–
–
–
–
24,087
Parry Sound
PC
PC
6,540
57.81%
3,044
26.91%
71.19%
6,540
3,496
1,277
–
–
–
–
11,313
Peel
PC
PC
13,278
42.98%
1,203
3.89%
59.45%
13,278
12,075
5,537
–
–
–
–
30,890
Perth
PC
PC
11,791
51.70%
2,458
10.78%
68.36%
11,791
9,333
1,681
–
–
–
–
22,805
Peterborough
PC
PC
13,984
58.17%
6,009
25.00%
58.23%
13,984
7,975
1,834
–
246
–
–
24,039
Port Arthur
PC
PC
10,881
40.88%
2,022
7.60%
70.89%
10,881
8,859
6,874
–
–
–
–
26,614
Prescott
PC
PC
6,587
58.76%
1,964
17.52%
69.19%
6,587
4,623
–
–
–
–
–
11,210
Prince Edward—Lennox
PC
PC
7,249
61.75%
2,758
23.49%
58.08%
7,249
4,491
–
–
–
–
–
11,740
Rainy River
PC
PC
4,896
52.57%
2,283
24.51%
72.26%
4,896
1,804
2,613
–
–
–
–
9,313
Renfrew North
PC
PC
8,448
49.55%
1,118
6.56%
68.64%
8,448
7,330
1,270
–
–
–
–
17,048
Renfrew South
I-PC
PC
8,411
56.96%
2,055
13.92%
79.90%
8,411
6,356
–
–
–
–
–
14,767
Russell
PC
PC
13,940
54.18%
3,445
13.39%
52.82%
13,940
10,495
1,294
–
–
–
–
25,729
Stormont
Lib
Lib
12,109
62.63%
4,884
25.26%
62.87%
7,225
12,109
–
–
–
–
–
19,334
Sault Ste. Marie
PC
PC
8,260
40.10%
1,305
6.33%
59.76%
8,260
6,955
5,386
–
–
–
–
20,601
Simcoe Centre
PC
PC
8,625
52.92%
2,240
13.74%
62.63%
8,625
6,385
1,287
–
–
–
–
16,297
Simcoe East
PC
PC
8,631
57.28%
4,220
28.01%
61.88%
8,631
4,411
1,144
–
–
–
882
15,068
Sudbury
PC
Lib
10,904
44.19%
3,143
12.74%
68.56%
7,761
10,904
6,008
–
–
–
–
24,673
Temiskaming
PC
PC
4,327
41.11%
1,117
10.61%
75.88%
4,327
3,210
2,989
–
–
–
–
10,526
Victoria
PC
PC
11,117
73.98%
8,233
54.79%
65.92%
11,117
2,884
1,026
–
–
–
–
15,027
Waterloo North
Lib
Lib
15,767
43.35%
4,168
11.46%
62.66%
11,599
15,767
9,003
–
–
–
–
36,369
Waterloo South
PC
PC
9,075
42.13%
2,425
11.26%
66.43%
9,075
5,816
6,650
–
–
–
–
21,541
Welland
PC
PC
12,915
47.16%
2,729
9.96%
62.44%
12,915
10,186
4,287
–
–
–
–
27,388
Wellington—Dufferin
PC
PC
7,811
61.17%
2,852
22.33%
69.18%
7,811
4,959
–
–
–
–
–
12,770
Wellington South
Lib
Lib
10,427
50.47%
3,467
16.78%
69.71%
6,960
10,427
3,271
–
–
–
–
20,658
Wentworth
PC
Lib
9,318
37.41%
945
3.79%
58.07%
8,373
9,318
7,219
–
–
–
–
24,910
Wentworth East
CCF
CCF
9,366
51.01%
3,812
20.76%
53.28%
5,554
3,440
9,366
–
–
–
–
18,360
Windsor—Walkerville
PC
Lib
6,340
41.40%
1,024
6.69%
63.05%
5,316
6,340
3,659
–
–
–
–
15,315
Windsor—Sandwich
PC
Lib
8,388
38.23%
1,030
4.69%
55.31%
7,358
8,388
6,197
–
–
–
–
21,943
York Centre
PC
Lib
15,857
36.54%
1,991
4.59%
51.21%
13,866
15,857
13,400
–
–
–
268
43,391
York East
PC
PC
21,827
47.33%
7,545
16.36%
50.17%
21,827
14,282
9,122
–
881
–
–
46,112
York—Humber
PC
PC
11,850
44.02%
3,305
12.28%
52.58%
11,850
8,545
6,522
–
–
–
–
26,917
York North
PC
PC
12,981
47.16%
2,999
10.90%
49.89%
12,981
9,982
4,560
–
–
–
–
27,523
York—Scarborough
PC
PC
18,778
37.26%
1,536
3.05%
50.28%
18,778
17,242
14,380
–
–
–
–
50,400
York South
CCF
CCF
14,478
46.89%
5,303
17.17%
50.06%
9,175
5,531
14,478
456
–
–
1,237
30,877
York West
PC
PC
18,355
44.77%
6,191
15.10%
51.63%
18,355
12,164
10,484
–
–
–
–
41,003
Beaches
PC
PC
7,294
45.90%
2,892
18.20%
57.16%
7,294
4,195
4,402
–
–
–
–
15,891
Bellwoods
PC
PC
6,408
54.96%
3,733
32.02%
57.67%
6,408
2,675
1,867
710
–
–
–
11,660
Bracondale
PC
Lib
4,069
36.59%
391
3.52%
56.40%
3,678
4,069
2,925
–
–
450
–
11,122
Dovercourt
PC
Lib
5,336
34.74%
218
1.42%
54.46%
5,118
5,336
4,434
473
–
–
–
15,361
Eglinton
PC
PC
14,805
57.35%
6,950
26.92%
51.93%
14,805
7,855
3,153
–
–
–
–
25,813
High Park
PC
PC
6,414
37.85%
504
2.97%
57.20%
6,414
5,910
4,229
394
–
–
–
16,947
Parkdale
PC
Lib
9,233
47.05%
2,703
13.77%
56.77%
6,530
9,233
3,862
–
–
–
–
19,625
Riverdale
PC
PC
7,814
51.25%
3,911
25.65%
48.09%
7,814
3,530
3,903
–
–
–
–
15,247
St. Andrew
PC
PC
3,787
42.16%
781
8.70%
53.63%
3,787
3,006
1,655
402
132
–
–
8,982
St. David
PC
PC
5,813
43.70%
1,520
11.43%
51.47%
5,813
4,293
2,971
226
–
–
–
13,303
St. George
PC
PC
7,960
54.31%
3,047
20.79%
49.17%
7,960
4,913
1,783
–
–
–
–
14,656
St. Patrick
PC
PC
5,298
59.21%
2,767
30.92%
51.76%
5,298
2,531
1,119
–
–
–
–
8,948
Woodbine
PC
CCF
7,883
41.87%
267
1.42%
57.44%
7,616
3,330
7,883
–
–
–
–
18,829
^ including spoilt ballots
^ order is as given in EO reports
^ Albert Wren was already a member of the Legislature
= open seat
= turnout is above provincial average
= incumbency arose from byelection gain
= other incumbents renominated
= Liberal-Labour candidate
= Labour-CCF candidate
Analysis
Resulting composition of the 26th Legislative Assembly[ 1]
Source
Party
PC
Lib
Lib-Lab
CCF
Total
Seats retained
Incumbents returned
63
10
1
3
77
Open seats held
7
7
Seats changing hands
Incumbents defeated
8
2
10
Open seats gained
3
3
Byelection gains held
1
1
Total
71
21
1
5
98
Seats that changed hands
There were 14 seats that changed allegiance in the election.
PC to Liberal
PC to CCF
Independent-PC to PC
See also
References