1951 Ontario general election

1951 Ontario general election
← 1948 November 22, 1951 1955 →
90 seats in the 24th Legislative Assembly of Ontario
46 seats were needed for a majority
  First party Second party
 
Leader Leslie Frost Walter Thomson
Party Progressive Conservative Liberal
Leader since April 27, 1949 November 10, 1950
Leader's seat Victoria Ran in Ontario (Lost)
Last election 53 14
Seats won 79 8
Seat change Increase26 Decrease6
Percentage 48.5% 31.5%
Swing Increase7.0pp Increase1.7pp
  Third party Fourth party
 
Leader Ted Jolliffe Stewart Smith
Party Co-operative Commonwealth Labor-Progressive
Leader since April 3, 1942 1951
Leader's seat York South (lost re-election)
Last election 21 2
Seats won 2 1
Seat change Decrease19 Decrease1
Percentage 19.1% 0.7%
Swing Decrease3.3pp Decrease0.3pp
Premier before election

Leslie Frost
Progressive Conservative

Premier after election

Leslie Frost
Progressive Conservative

The 1951 Ontario general election was held on November 22, 1951, to elect the 90 members of the 24th Legislative Assembly of Ontario (Members of Provincial Parliament, or "MPPs") of the Province of Ontario.[1]

Background

Because of Canada's participation in the Korean War, and because previous legislation governing the participation of active service voters stationed overseas had lapsed,[2] new provision was made to enable the collection of votes of Ontario residents who had returned to active service because of the present conflict.[3] Legislation governing the functioning of elections[4] and the preparation of voters' lists[5] was also revised.

Opinion Polls

Evolution of voting intentions at provincial level
Polling firm Last day
of survey 		Source PCO OLP OCCF Other Undecided ME Sample
Election 1953 November 22, 1951 48.5 31.5 19.1 0.9
Gallup October 1951 [6] 44 40 14 3 22 — —
Gallup August 1951 [6] 47 40 11 1 30 — —
Gallup June 1951 [7] 45 41 13 1 — —
Gallup February 1951 [7] 43 42 14 1 23[6] — —
Gallup July 1950 [6] 44 39 14 3 21 — —
Election 1948 June 7, 1948 41.28 26.52 29.78 2.42

Campaign

The majority of races were three-way contests between the major parties:

Riding contests, by number of candidates (1951)
Candidates PC Lib L-L CCF Lab-Pr I-PC I-Lab Ind S-L Total
2 13 13 26
3 64 62 2 64 192
4 12 12 12 5 2 1 3 1 48
5 1 1 1 1 1 5
Total 90 88 2 77 6 2 1 4 1 271

Outcome

The Ontario Progressive Conservative Party, led by Leslie Frost, won a fourth consecutive term in office, increasing its caucus in the legislature from 53 in the previous election to 79—a solid majority.

The Ontario Liberal Party, led by Walter Thomson, lost six seats, but regained the role of official opposition because of the collapse of the CCF vote. Albert Wren was elected as a Liberal-Labour candidate and sat with the Liberal caucus.

The social democratic Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF), led by Ted Jolliffe, lost all but two of its previous 21 seats with Jolliffe himself being defeated in the riding of York South.

One seat was won by J.B. Salsberg of the Labor-Progressive Party (which was the Communist Party of Ontario). LPP leader A.A. MacLeod lost his downtown Toronto seat of Bellwoods in this election and three other LPP candidates were also defeated.

Results

Elections to the 24th Parliament of Ontario (1951)[1][8]
Political party Party leader MPPs Votes
Candidates 1948 Dissol. 1951 ± # % ± (pp)
Progressive Conservative Leslie Frost 90 53 53 79 26Increase 860,939 48.46 7.18Increase
Liberal Walter Thomson 88 13 13 7 6Decrease 551,753 31.06 1.72Increase
Liberal–Labour 2 1 1 1 7,939 0.45
Co-operative Commonwealth Ted Jolliffe 77 21 21 2 19Decrease 339,362 19.10 7.42Decrease
Labor–Progressive Stewart Smith 6 2 2 1 1Decrease 11,914 0.67 0.33Decrease
Independent 4 1,869 0.11 0.01Increase
Independent Labour 1 1,375 0.08 0.07Increase
Independent PC 2 1,094 0.06 0.13Decrease
Socialist Labour 1 371 0.02 0.03Decrease
Total 271 90 90 90 1,776,616 100.00%
Blank and invalid ballots 23,834
Registered voters / turnout 2,745,709 65.57% 2.09Decrease
Seats and popular vote by party
Party Seats Votes Change (pp)
█ Progressive Conservative
79 / 90
48.46%
 7.18 7.18
 
█ Liberal/Liberal-Labour
8 / 90
31.51%
 1.72 1.72
 
█ Co-operative Commonwealth
2 / 90
19.10%
 -7.42
 
█ Other
1 / 90
0.93%
 -1.48
 

Synopsis of results

Results by riding - 1951 Ontario general election[1][8]
Riding Winning party Turnout
[a 1] 		Votes
Name[a 2] 1948 Party Votes Share Margin
# 		Margin
% 		PC Lib/LL CCF Lab-Pr I-PC I-Lab Ind S-Lab Total
 
Addington PC PC 7,035 56.04% 2,328 18.55% 73.26% 7,035 4,707 811 – – – – – 12,553
Algoma—Manitoulin PC PC 5,718 47.18% 1,138 9.39% 68.95% 5,718 4,580 1,822 – – – – – 12,120
Brant Lib Lib 8,218 47.49% 1,795 10.37% 70.36% 6,423 8,218 2,665 – – – – – 17,306
Brantford Lib Lib 7,289 38.45% 1,249 6.59% 73.74% 5,630 7,289 6,040 – – – – – 18,959
Bruce Lib PC 7,369 48.93% 652 4.33% 77.21% 7,369 6,717 973 – – – – – 15,059
Carleton PC PC 10,863 59.00% 5,398 29.32% 64.28% 10,863 5,465 1,138 – 945 – – – 18,411
Cochrane North PC PC 4,009 40.28% 461 4.63% 66.79% 4,009 3,548 2,395 – – – – – 9,952
Cochrane South CCF CCF 10,233 40.82% 1,606 6.41% 69.52% 8,627 5,391 10,233 820 – – – – 25,071
Dufferin—Simcoe PC PC 7,535 58.33% 2,966 22.96% 62.52% 7,535 4,569 814 – – – – – 12,918
Durham PC PC 7,389 51.79% 2,279 15.97% 76.75% 7,389 5,110 1,769 – – – – – 14,268
Elgin PC PC 10,501 55.08% 3,367 17.66% 69.74% 10,501 7,134 1,430 – – – – – 19,065
Essex North CCF Lib 10,051 39.85% 2,243 8.89% 70.07% 7,808 10,051 7,362 – – – – – 25,221
Essex South PC PC 9,797 64.50% 5,266 34.67% 66.29% 9,797 4,531 861 – – – – – 15,189
Fort William Lib PC 8,057 42.60% 722 3.82% 72.57% 8,057 7,335 3,157 – – – 366 – 18,915
Glengarry PC PC 5,298 55.23% 1,003 10.46% 76.01% 5,298 4,295 – – – – – – 9,593
Grenville—Dundas PC PC 7,797 66.01% 3,783 32.03% 56.63% 7,797 4,014 0 – – – – – 11,811
Grey North PC PC 9,068 58.74% 4,813 31.18% 74.85% 9,068 4,255 2,115 – – – – – 15,438
Grey South Lib Lib 6,256 49.44% 939 7.42% 76.75% 5,317 6,256 1,080 – – – – – 12,653
Haldimand—Norfolk PC PC 11,298 51.58% 2,430 11.09% 69.31% 11,298 8,868 1,739 – – – – – 21,905
Halton PC PC 9,063 51.61% 2,762 15.73% 67.60% 9,063 6,301 2,197 – – – – – 17,561
Hamilton East CCF PC 9,336 44.36% 1,850 8.79% 51.77% 9,336 4,224 7,486 – – – – – 21,046
Hamilton Centre CCF PC 7,753 42.44% 1,577 8.63% 61.16% 7,753 4,341 6,176 – – – – – 18,270
Hamilton—Wentworth PC PC 11,865 55.58% 6,800 31.85% 63.10% 11,865 5,065 4,417 – – – – – 21,347
Hastings East* PC PC 6,294 56.76% 2,198 19.82% 72.42% 6,294 4,096 699 – – – – – 11,089
Hastings West PC PC 10,299 55.37% 3,279 17.63% 70.78% 10,299 7,020 1,283 – – – – – 18,602
Huron PC PC 8,005 54.88% 1,424 9.76% 80.51% 8,005 6,581 – – – – – – 14,586
Huron—Bruce PC PC 7,431 58.48% 2,155 16.96% 76.89% 7,431 5,276 – – – – – – 12,707
Kenora PC LL 4,776 43.58% 133 1.21% 66.00% 4,643 4,776 1,541 – – – – – 10,960
Kent East Lib PC 6,891 56.75% 1,640 13.51% 72.82% 6,891 5,251 0 – – – – – 12,142
Kent West PC PC 12,194 55.26% 3,858 17.48% 68.55% 12,194 8,336 1,536 – – – – – 22,066
Kingston* PC PC 9,924 57.34% 3,518 20.33% 74.21% 9,924 6,406 978 – – – – – 17,308
Lambton East PC PC 6,610 58.35% 1,891 16.69% 67.25% 6,610 4,719 – – – – – – 11,329
Lambton West PC PC 10,814 59.13% 5,983 32.72% 64.16% 10,814 4,831 2,642 – – – – – 18,287
Lanark PC PC 12,071 77.56% 9,109 58.53% 70.02% 12,071 2,962 531 – – – – – 15,564
Leeds PC PC 10,658 61.01% 3,848 22.03% 74.32% 10,658 6,810 – – – – – – 17,468
Lincoln PC PC 15,477 45.61% 5,887 17.35% 65.01% 15,477 9,590 8,032 – – – 834 – 33,933
London Lib PC 13,926 47.38% 3,112 10.59% 61.06% 13,926 10,814 4,655 – – – – – 29,395
Middlesex North PC PC 8,607 49.29% 2,981 17.07% 57.63% 8,607 5,626 3,229 – – – – – 17,462
Middlesex South PC PC 8,461 58.27% 3,324 22.89% 65.08% 8,461 5,137 922 – – – – – 14,520
Muskoka—Ontario PC PC 9,370 54.17% 2,807 16.23% 73.86% 9,370 6,563 1,364 – – – – – 17,297
Niagara Falls Lib Lib 10,209 48.79% 3,263 15.59% 61.57% 6,946 10,209 3,769 – – – – – 20,924
Nipissing PC PC 8,219 46.73% 1,409 8.01% 65.11% 8,219 6,810 2,561 – – – – – 17,590
Northumberland PC PC 10,140 62.43% 4,039 24.87% 78.11% 10,140 6,101 – – – – – – 16,241
Ontario CCF CCF 12,054 40.17% 2,178 7.26% 71.44% 9,876 7,806 12,054 – – – 268 – 30,004
Ottawa East Lib Lib 10,722 50.08% 2,275 10.63% 58.34% 8,447 10,722 2,242 – – – – – 21,411
Ottawa South PC PC 19,908 55.98% 7,464 20.99% 59.72% 19,908 12,444 3,212 – – – – – 35,564
Oxford PC PC 10,026 45.17% 196 0.88% 68.16% 10,026 9,830 2,338 – – – – – 22,194
Parry Sound PC PC 6,348 60.24% 2,158 20.48% 68.87% 6,348 4,190 – – – – – – 10,538
Peel PC PC 12,528 56.61% 6,817 30.80% 66.22% 12,528 5,711 3,893 – – – – – 22,132
Perth PC PC 11,697 50.21% 2,577 11.06% 69.05% 11,697 9,120 2,477 – – – – – 23,294
Peterborough PC PC 14,442 58.48% 6,802 27.54% 67.14% 14,442 7,640 2,614 – – – – – 24,696
Port Arthur CCF PC 7,758 37.38% 1,586 7.64% 63.89% 7,758 5,447 6,172 – – 1,375[a 3] – – 20,752
Prescott PC PC 7,046 57.11% 1,960 15.89% 76.77% 7,046 5,086 56 – 149 – – – 12,337
Prince Edward—Lennox Lib PC 7,565 54.30% 1,197 8.59% 100.23% 7,565 6,368 – – – – – – 13,933
Rainy River LL PC 3,633 44.04% 470 5.70% 72.52% 3,633 3,163 1,454 – – – – – 8,250
Renfrew North PC PC 7,769 57.93% 2,127 15.86% 67.59% 7,769 5,642 – – – – – – 13,411
Renfrew South PC PC 6,875 56.00% 1,937 15.78% 68.97% 6,875 4,938 463 – – – – – 12,276
Russell PC PC 6,946 44.31% 10 0.06% 55.68% 6,946 6,936 1,794 – – – – – 15,676
Sault Ste. Marie CCF PC 7,359 39.42% 1,308 7.01% 71.24% 7,359 6,051 5,257 – – – – – 18,667
Simcoe Centre PC PC 7,721 57.03% 1,903 14.06% 62.02% 7,721 5,818 – – – – – – 13,539
Simcoe East PC PC 8,634 55.91% 3,565 23.08% 72.59% 8,634 5,069 1,741 – – – – – 15,444
Stormont PC Lib 9,383 50.32% 1,680 9.01% 70.95% 7,703 9,383 1,560 – – – – – 18,646
Sudbury PC PC 14,056 44.91% 2,418 7.73% 65.77% 14,056 11,638 5,605 – – – – – 31,299
Temiskaming CCF PC 4,328 39.53% 663 6.05% 73.61% 4,328 2,957 3,665 – – – – – 10,950
Victoria PC PC 12,423 81.02% 9,512 62.03% 69.66% 12,423 2,911 – – – – – – 15,334
Waterloo North Lib PC 9,873 35.22% 161 0.57% 58.54% 9,873 9,712 8,445 – – – – – 28,030
Waterloo South CCF PC 8,239 40.57% 1,249 6.15% 68.30% 8,239 5,078 6,990 – – – – – 20,307
Welland Lib PC 10,390 40.27% 482 1.87% 68.83% 10,390 9,908 4,709 791 – – – – 25,798
Wellington North Lib PC 7,159 49.85% 602 4.19% 75.90% 7,159 6,557 645 – – – – – 14,361
Wellington South PC PC 8,208 43.65% 2,235 11.88% 71.77% 8,208 5,973 4,625 – – – – – 18,806
Wentworth CCF PC 11,004 37.97% 408 1.41% 53.08% 11,004 7,383 10,596 – – – – – 28,983
Windsor—Walkerville PC PC 8,858 48.60% 3,801 20.86% 66.24% 8,858 3,451 5,057 859 – – – – 18,225
Windsor—Sandwich PC PC 11,666 53.32% 6,501 29.71% 63.81% 11,666 5,050 5,165 – – – – – 21,881
York East CCF PC 30,944 47.78% 8,708 13.45% 56.23% 30,944 11,581 22,236 – – – – – 64,761
York North PC PC 19,518 49.00% 8,159 20.48% 59.64% 19,518 11,359 8,955 – – – – – 39,832
York South CCF PC 13,760 39.61% 514 1.48% 58.74% 13,760 6,870 13,246 867 – – – – 34,743
York West CCF PC 24,614 47.62% 7,573 14.65% 65.39% 24,614 10,034 17,041 – – – – – 51,689
Beaches CCF PC 9,904 49.28% 2,679 13.33% 66.15% 9,904 2,970 7,225 – – – – – 20,099
Bellwoods Lab-Pr PC 5,571 33.39% 298 1.79% 64.56% 5,571 5,273 2,483 3,357 – – – – 16,684
Bracondale CCF PC 6,213 42.17% 1,720 11.67% 59.11% 6,213 4,028 4,493 – – – – – 14,734
Dovercourt CCF PC 8,595 38.98% 462 2.10% 59.97% 8,595 5,321 8,133 – – – – – 22,049
Eglinton PC PC 21,876 65.20% 14,783 44.06% 66.98% 21,876 7,093 4,585 – – – – – 33,554
High Park CCF PC 10,360 44.30% 2,399 10.26% 67.71% 10,360 5,065 7,961 – – – – – 23,386
Parkdale CCF PC 10,914 42.58% 2,501 9.76% 61.82% 10,914 6,304 8,413 – – – – – 25,631
Riverdale CCF PC 10,736 45.57% 3,570 15.15% 60.36% 10,736 5,285 7,166 – – – – 371 23,558
St. Andrew Lab-Pr Lab-Pr 5,220 38.85% 1,365 10.16% 56.64% 3,855 2,046 1,915 5,220 – – 401 – 13,437
St. David CCF PC 6,880 40.64% 1,232 7.28% 57.90% 6,880 4,401 5,648 – – – – – 16,929
St. George PC PC 10,333 56.86% 5,904 32.49% 54.42% 10,333 3,410 4,429 – – – – – 18,172
St. Patrick PC PC 7,400 57.97% 4,496 35.22% 53.52% 7,400 2,462 2,904 – – – – – 12,766
Woodbine CCF PC 10,445 43.97% 1,167 4.91% 61.78% 10,445 4,030 9,278 – – – – – 23,753
  1. ^ including spoilt ballots
  2. ^ order is as given in EO reports
  3. ^ Bruce Magnuson, who later became the Labor-Progressive leader in Ontario in 1956
  = open seat
  = turnout is above provincial average
  = winning candidate was in previous Legislature
  = incumbent had switched allegiance
  = other incumbents renominated
  = campaigned as a Liberal-Labour candidate

Analysis

Party candidates in 2nd place
Party in 1st place Party in 2nd place Total
PC Lib LL CCF
Progressive Conservative 57 1 21 79
Liberal 6 1 7
Liberal–Labour 1 1
Co-operative Commonwealth 2 2
Labor–Progressive 1 1
Total 10 57 1 22 90
Candidates ranked 1st to 5th place, by party
Parties 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th Total
█ Progressive Conservative 79 10 1 90
█ Liberal 7 57 24 88
█ Co-operative Commonwealth 2 22 50 3 77
█ Liberal–Labour 1 1 2
█ Labor–Progressive 1 1 4 6
█ Independent PC 1 1 2
█ Independent 3 1 4
█ Independent Labour 1 1
█ Socialist Labour 1 1
Resulting composition of the 24th Legislative Assembly of Ontario
Source Party
PC Lib L-L CCF Lab-Pr Total
Seats retained Incumbents returned 44 5 2 1
Open seats held 7
Seats changing hands Incumbents defeated 26 2
Open seats gained 2 1
Total 79 7 1 2 1 90

Seats that changed hands

Elections to the 24th Parliament of Ontario – seats won/lost by party, 1948–1951
Party 1948 Gain from (loss to) 1951
PC Lib CCF Lbr-P L-L
Progressive Conservative 53 8 (1) 18 1 79
Liberal 13 1 (8) 1 7
Co-operative Commonwealth 21 (18) (1) 2
Labor–Progressive 2 (1) 1
Liberal–Labour 1 1 (1) 1
Total 90 2 (28) 8 (2) 19 – 1 – – – 90

There were 29 seats that changed allegiance in the election.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c "1951 Ontario general election". Elections Ontario. Retrieved September 4, 2023.
  2. ^ The Active Service Election Act, 1945, S.O. 1945 (1st sess.), c. 1
  3. ^ The Active Service Election Act, 1951, S.O. 1951, c. 1
  4. ^ The Election Act, 1951, S.O. 1951, c. 21
  5. ^ The Voters' Lists Act, 1951, S.O. 1951, c. 93
  6. ^ a b c d "Canadian conservatives gaining in popularity". The Calgary Herald. October 27, 1951. p. 11.
  7. ^ a b "Survey indicates CCF slipping in Ontario". The Calgary Herald. June 8, 1951. p. 5.
  8. ^ a b Significant EO data transcription errors corrected, using "Results By Constituencies In Ontario Provincial Elections". Ottawa Citizen. November 23, 1951. p. 3.