1955 Ontario general election
← 1951 June 9, 1955 1959 →
98 seats in the 25th Legislative Assembly of Ontario
50 seats were needed for a majority
  First party Second party
 
Leader Leslie Frost Farquhar Oliver
Party Progressive Conservative Liberal
Leader since April 27, 1949 April 9, 1954
Leader's seat Victoria Grey South
Last election 79 8
Seats won 83 11
Seat change Increase4 Increase3
Percentage 48.5% 33.3%
Swing ±0.0pp Decrease1.8pp
  Third party
 
Leader Donald C. MacDonald
Party Co-operative Commonwealth
Leader since November 21, 1953
Leader's seat York South
Last election 2
Seats won 3
Seat change Increase1
Percentage 16.5%
Swing Decrease2.6pp
Premier before election

Leslie Frost
Progressive Conservative

Premier after election

Leslie Frost
Progressive Conservative

The 1955 Ontario general election was held on June 9, 1955, to elect the 98 members of the 25th 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 fifth consecutive term in office, increasing its caucus in the legislature from 79 in the previous election to 83.

The Ontario Liberal Party, again led by Farquhar Oliver, won three additional seats in the enlarged legislature, increasing its caucus from 8 to 11, and continuing in the role of official opposition. Liberal-Labour MPP Albert Wren was re-elected and continued to sit with the Liberal caucus.

The social democratic Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF), led by Donald C. MacDonald, won one additional seat, for a total of three.

The Labor-Progressive Party (which was the Communist Party) lost its last remaining seat with the defeat of J.B. Salsberg.

James Shannon Dempsey (Renfrew South) had his endorsement as a PC candidate withdrawn because of controversy over a political gift,[2] but he was reelected as an Independent PC.

Pre-election developments

Franchise reform

The Election Act, 1951[3] was significantly amended in 1954,[4] providing for the following changes to the right to vote in Ontario:

  • removal of the disqualification from voting for having been paid to act on behalf of a candidate[5]
  • removal of the disqualification from voting for being an inmate maintained in a home for the aged or a house of industry[6]
  • extension of the franchise to all Indians living in the province, whether enfranchised or not under the Indian Act[7]
  • removal from the voters' list for temporary absence because of being a student, a mariner, or a member of the Canadian, Commonwealth or allied forces[8]

Expansion of Legislative Assembly

For the first time since the 1934 election, the number of seats in the Legislature was adjusted, rising from 90 to 98.[9] The following changes were made:

Campaign

Riding contests, by number of candidates (1955)[10]
Candidates PC Lib LL CCF I-PC Lab-Pr Ind I-Lib SC S-Lab Total
2 17 16 1 34
3 46 44 2 46 1 1 1 141
4 31 31 31 27 4 124
5 3 3 3 3 1 1 1 15
Total 97 94 2 81 1 31 5 1 1 1 314

Results

Elections to the 25th Parliament of Ontario (1955)[10]
Political party Party leader MPPs Votes
Candidates 1951 Dissol. 1955 ± # % ± (pp)
Progressive Conservative Leslie Frost 97 79 83 4Increase 846,592 48.06% 0.40Decrease
Liberal Farquhar Oliver 94 7 10 3Increase 577,774 32.80% 1.74Increase
Co-operative Commonwealth Donald C. MacDonald 81 2 3 1Increase 291,410 16.54% 2.56Decrease
Labor–Progressive Stewart Smith 31 1 – 1Decrease 20,875 1.19% 0.52Increase
Liberal–Labour 2 1 1 Steady 7,305 0.41% 0.04Decrease
Independent PC 1 – – 1 1Increase 7,033 0.40% 0.34Increase
Independent 5 – – – 9,169 0.52% 0.41Increase
Independent Liberal 1 – – – 641 0.04% New
Independent Social Credit 1 – – – 602 0.03% New
Socialist Labour 1 – – – 124 0.01% Decrease
Independent Labour – – – – Did not campaign
Vacant
Total 314 90 90 98 1,761,525 100.00%
Blank and invalid ballots 22,622
Registered voters / turnout 2,905,760 61.40% 4.17Decrease
Seats and popular vote by party
Party Seats Votes Change (pp)
█ Progressive Conservative
83 / 98
48.06%
 -0.40
 
█ Liberal
10 / 98
32.80%
 1.74 1.74
 
█ Co-operative Commonwealth
3 / 98
16.54%
 -2.56
 
█ Other
2 / 98
2.60%
 1.22 1.22
 

Synopsis of results

Results by riding - 1955 Ontario general election[10]
Riding Winning party Turnout
[a 1] 		Votes
Name[a 2] 1951 Party Votes Share Margin
# 		Margin
% 		PC/UPC Lib/LL CCF Lab-Pr Ind Oth Total
 
Algoma—Manitoulin PC PC 5,725 44.37% 900 6.98% 69.54% 5,725 4,825 2,352 – – – 12,902
Brant Lib Lib 8,582 52.06% 3,251 19.72% 60.28% 5,331 8,582 2,571 – – – 16,484
Brantford Lib Lib 7,110 39.55% 372 2.07% 71.81% 6,738 7,110 3,928 200 – – 17,976
Bruce PC Lib 8,609 54.43% 1,918 12.13% 83.40% 6,691 8,609 518 – – – 15,818
Carleton PC PC 5,153 63.65% 2,210 27.30% 55.97% 5,153 2,943 – – – – 8,096
Cochrane North PC PC 5,943 54.02% 3,310 30.09% 64.55% 5,943 2,425 2,633 – – – 11,001
Cochrane South CCF PC 11,904 49.43% 612 2.54% 65.23% 11,904 – 11,292 887 – – 24,083
Dufferin—Simcoe PC PC 7,778 62.09% 3,731 29.78% 57.70% 7,778 4,047 702 – – – 12,527
Durham PC PC 6,939 53.36% 2,327 17.89% 67.15% 6,939 4,612 1,454 – – – 13,005
Elgin PC PC 9,741 60.89% 5,387 33.68% 59.40% 9,741 4,354 1,902 – – – 15,997
Essex North Lib Lib 10,200 38.79% 649 2.47% 66.30% 9,551 10,200 6,546 – – – 26,297
Essex South PC PC 8,080 56.71% 1,912 13.42% 60.45% 8,080 6,168 – – – – 14,248
Fort William PC PC 8,868 46.78% 3,950 20.84% 71.05% 8,868 4,788 4,918 383 – – 18,957
Frontenac—Addington[a 3] PC PC 6,508 62.39% 3,114 29.85% 65.67% 6,508 3,394 529 – – – 10,431
Glengarry PC PC 5,635 61.48% 2,104 22.95% 74.41% 5,635 3,531 – – – – 9,166
Grenville—Dundas PC PC 7,921 63.56% 3,379 27.11% 59.61% 7,921 4,542 – – – – 12,463
Grey North PC PC 8,910 52.74% 1,876 11.10% 81.23% 8,910 7,034 950 – – – 16,894
Grey South Lib Lib 6,800 51.58% 1,621 12.30% 81.48% 5,179 6,800 1,204 – – – 13,183
Haldimand—Norfolk PC PC 12,914 56.73% 4,074 17.90% 71.41% 12,914 8,840 1,011 – – – 22,765
Halton PC PC 8,373 47.31% 2,461 13.90% 54.89% 8,373 5,912 3,414 – – – 17,699
Hamilton Centre PC PC 8,427 44.72% 2,580 13.69% 47.08% 8,427 3,688 5,847 882 – – 18,844
Hamilton East PC PC 7,444 36.13% 854 4.14% 56.90% 7,444 5,898 6,590 674 – – 20,606
Hamilton—Wentworth PC PC 9,769 58.69% 5,713 34.32% 57.75% 9,769 4,056 2,467 354 – – 16,646
Hastings East PC PC 5,999 60.47% 2,481 25.01% 66.70% 5,999 3,518 403 – – – 9,920
Hastings West PC PC 11,017 60.95% 5,219 28.88% 63.67% 11,017 5,798 1,259 – – – 18,074
Huron PC PC 7,890 55.27% 1,505 10.54% 79.31% 7,890 6,385 – – – – 14,275
Huron—Bruce PC PC 7,244 55.67% 1,475 11.33% 81.18% 7,244 5,769 – – – – 13,013
Kenora LL LL 5,266 42.22% 128 1.03% 65.83% 5,138 5,266[a 4] 2,068 – – – 12,472
Kent East PC Lib 6,940 52.76% 725 5.51% 77.99% 6,215 6,940 – – – – 13,155
Kent West PC PC 10,399 54.58% 3,272 17.17% 58.04% 10,399 7,127 1,526 – – – 19,052
Kingston* PC PC 10,614 57.09% 3,364 18.09% 65.38% 10,614 7,250 728 – – – 18,592
Lambton East PC PC 6,855 56.41% 1,557 12.81% 71.53% 6,855 5,298 – – – – 12,153
Lambton West PC PC 10,767 56.45% 4,924 25.82% 59.81% 10,767 5,843 2,462 – – – 19,072
Lanark PC PC 11,206 74.85% 7,441 49.70% 68.90% 11,206 3,765 – – – – 14,971
Leeds PC PC 10,632 63.34% 4,479 26.68% 68.96% 10,632 6,153 – – – – 16,785
Lincoln PC PC 15,903 50.28% 5,204 16.45% 54.94% 15,903 10,699 3,869 519 – 641 31,631
London North New PC 9,022 47.70% 1,648 8.71% 61.21% 9,022 7,374 2,518 – – – 18,914
London South New PC 8,735 45.85% 2,504 13.14% 53.69% 8,735 6,231 3,489 595 – – 19,050
Middlesex North PC PC 5,077 51.38% 563 5.70% 74.36% 5,077 4,514 291 – – – 9,882
Middlesex South PC PC 9,434 56.72% 2,235 13.44% 67.64% 9,434 7,199 – – – – 16,633
Muskoka PC PC 5,256 47.63% 535 4.85% 77.27% 5,256 4,721 1,058 – – – 11,035
Niagara Falls Lib PC 10,354 48.72% 2,078 9.78% 57.67% 10,354 8,276 2,305 316 – – 21,251
Nickel Belt New PC 7,088 37.98% 1,913 10.25% 71.14% 7,088 5,175 2,039 – 4,359 – 18,661
Nipissing PC PC 8,723 51.04% 3,708 21.69% 60.56% 8,723 5,015 2,965 – 389 – 17,092
Northumberland PC PC 10,200 63.20% 4,767 29.54% 75.12% 10,200 5,433 507 – – – 16,140
Ontario CCF PC 7,248 49.97% 1,882 12.97% 69.05% 7,248 5,366 1,892 – – – 14,506
Oshawa New CCF 9,114 41.16% 2,313 10.45% 61.80% 6,801 5,966 9,114 261 – – 22,142
Ottawa East Lib PC 8,688 51.32% 1,102 6.51% 47.03% 8,688 7,586 654 – – – 16,928
Ottawa South PC PC 14,151 53.94% 3,167 12.07% 53.21% 14,151 10,984 826 273 – – 26,234
Ottawa West New PC 8,513 57.90% 3,467 23.58% 56.76% 8,513 5,046 1,144 – – – 14,703
Oxford PC Lib 11,781 48.03% 1,053 4.29% 72.69% 10,728 11,781 2,017 – – – 24,526
Parry Sound PC PC 6,492 59.58% 3,650 33.50% 69.78% 6,492 2,842 1,562 – – – 10,896
Peel PC PC 13,296 50.56% 4,600 17.49% 60.38% 13,296 8,696 4,305 – – – 26,297
Perth PC PC 12,247 53.43% 1,574 6.87% 69.17% 12,247 10,673 – – – – 22,920
Peterborough PC PC 11,561 51.63% 3,652 16.31% 58.97% 11,561 7,909 2,920 – – – 22,390
Port Arthur PC PC 9,517 42.52% 1,776 7.94% 68.38% 9,517 4,347 7,741 775 – – 22,380
Prescott PC PC 6,385 60.26% 2,175 20.53% 65.85% 6,385 4,210 – – – – 10,595
Prince Edward—Lennox PC PC 7,003 60.29% 2,390 20.58% 59.15% 7,003 4,613 – – – – 11,616
Rainy River PC PC 4,977 60.08% 2,938 35.47% 67.86% 4,977 2,039 1,268 – – – 8,284
Renfrew North PC PC 8,215 52.34% 2,147 13.68% 70.34% 8,215 6,068 1,411 – – – 15,694
Renfrew South PC I-PC 7,033 50.72% 708 5.11% 77.83% 7,033[a 5] 6,325 509 – – – 13,867
Russell PC PC 10,392 65.27% 4,862 30.54% 43.05% 10,392 5,530 – – – – 15,922
Stormont Lib Lib 10,577 55.51% 2,702 14.18% 66.60% 7,875 10,577 – – – 602 19,054
Sault Ste. Marie PC PC 7,716 41.77% 1,931 10.45% 63.68% 7,716 4,517 5,785 453 – – 18,471
Simcoe Centre PC PC 8,305 57.39% 2,139 14.78% 62.45% 8,305 6,166 – – – – 14,471
Simcoe East PC PC 8,436 54.69% 2,792 18.10% 66.83% 8,436 5,644 1,346 – – – 15,426
Sudbury PC PC 8,957 39.73% 980 4.35% 71.08% 8,957 7,977 1,657 – 3,954 – 22,545
Temiskaming PC PC 6,322 60.24% 2,150 20.49% 73.63% 6,322 – 4,172 – – – 10,494
Victoria PC PC 10,630 69.61% 7,455 48.82% 68.59% 10,630 3,175 1,465 – – – 15,270
Waterloo North PC Lib 14,436 44.65% 2,160 6.68% 62.50% 12,276 14,436 5,623 – – – 32,335
Waterloo South PC PC 8,290 39.97% 1,755 8.46% 68.98% 8,290 5,915 6,535 – – – 20,740
Welland PC PC 11,815 44.33% 2,409 9.04% 66.90% 11,815 9,406 4,645 787 – – 26,653
Wellington—Dufferin[a 6] PC PC 7,720 53.53% 1,651 11.45% 77.71% 7,720 6,069 634 – – – 14,423
Wellington South PC Lib 9,924 48.38% 1,968 9.59% 76.20% 7,956 9,924 2,634 – – – 20,514
Wentworth PC PC 6,821 40.77% 1,437 8.59% 57.81% 6,821 5,384 4,201 324 – – 16,730
Wentworth East New CCF 6,505 41.44% 1,949 12.42% 51.34% 4,556 4,294 6,505 341 – – 15,696
Windsor—Walkerville PC PC 7,289 47.22% 2,880 18.66% 61.46% 7,289 3,140 4,409 598 – – 15,436
Windsor—Sandwich PC PC 10,186 54.42% 5,911 31.58% 52.50% 10,186 4,275 4,256 – – – 18,717
York Centre New PC 12,731 37.72% 1,105 3.27% 56.94% 12,731 11,626 8,742 656 – – 33,755
York East PC PC 18,931 45.86% 7,563 18.32% 52.69% 18,931 11,368 10,982 – – – 41,281
York—Humber New PC 11,806 44.25% 4,098 15.36% 58.03% 11,806 7,708 6,261 908 – – 26,683
York North PC PC 11,301 48.74% 2,672 11.53% 55.12% 11,301 8,629 3,254 – – – 23,184
York—Scarborough New PC 13,806 42.22% 1,525 4.66% 53.82% 13,806 12,281 6,287 330 – – 32,704
York South PC CCF 13,877 44.03% 1,426 4.52% 50.57% 12,451 4,168 13,877 1,019 – – 31,515
York West PC PC 14,372 45.79% 4,197 13.37% 55.04% 14,372 6,837 10,175 – – – 31,384
Beaches PC PC 7,965 48.12% 1,966 11.88% 58.07% 7,965 2,589 5,999 – – – 16,553
Bellwoods PC PC 5,330 38.43% 233 1.68% 62.97% 5,330 5,097 1,875 1,567 – – 13,869
Bracondale PC PC 4,727 40.40% 1,333 11.39% 55.24% 4,727 2,991 3,394 588 – – 11,700
Dovercourt PC PC 6,288 36.12% 383 2.20% 55.92% 6,288 4,655 5,905 560 – – 17,408
Eglinton PC PC 15,954 55.70% 5,996 20.93% 58.95% 15,954 9,958 2,417 – 315 – 28,644
High Park PC PC 7,723 42.39% 2,054 11.27% 58.74% 7,723 4,392 5,669 435 – – 18,219
Parkdale PC PC 7,503 36.92% 730 3.59% 55.04% 7,503 6,773 5,503 542 – – 20,321
Riverdale PC PC 8,771 47.14% 3,623 19.47% 53.44% 8,771 4,236 5,148 329 – 124 18,608
St. Andrew Lab-Pr PC 5,019 41.50% 743 6.14% 60.93% 5,019 1,228 1,420 4,276 152 – 12,095
St. David PC PC 5,747 37.18% 561 3.63% 59.19% 5,747 4,299 5,186 227 – – 15,459
St. George PC PC 7,593 54.86% 4,119 29.76% 47.64% 7,593 3,474 2,773 – – – 13,840
St. Patrick PC PC 5,165 54.60% 2,754 29.12% 51.56% 5,165 2,411 1,548 335 – – 9,459
Woodbine PC PC 8,755 43.65% 1,305 6.51% 56.18% 8,755 3,372 7,450 481 – – 20,058
  1. ^ including spoilt ballots
  2. ^ order is as given in EO reports
  3. ^ formerly Addington
  4. ^ Albert Wren was already a member of the Legislature
  5. ^ James Shannon Dempsey was a PC MPP in the previous Legislature
  6. ^ formerly Wellington North
  = open seat
  = turnout is above provincial average
  = winning candidate was in previous Legislature
  = previously incumbent in another riding
  = incumbency arose from byelection gain
  = incumbent had switched allegiance
  = other incumbents renominated
  = unendorsed PC candidate
  = Liberal-Labour candidate

Analysis

Party candidates in 2nd place[10]
Party in 1st place Party in 2nd place Total
PC Lib LL CCF LP
Progressive Conservative 63 1 18 1 83
Liberal 10 10
Liberal–Labour 1 1
Co-operative Commonwealth 3 3
Independent PC 1 1
Total 14 64 1 18 1 98
Candidates ranked 1st to 5th place, by party[10]
Parties 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th
█ Progressive Conservative 83 14
█ Liberal 10 64 19 1
█ Co-operative Commonwealth 3 18 58 2
█ Liberal–Labour 1 1
█ Independent PC 1
█ Labor–Progressive 1 1 28 1
█ Independent 2 2 1
█ Social Credit 1
█ Independent Liberal 1
█ Socialist Labour 1
Resulting composition of the 25th Legislative Assembly[10]
Source Party
PC Lib Lib-Lab CCF Ind-PC Total
Seats retained Incumbents returned 65 5 1 71
Open seats held 6 6
Seats changing hands Incumbents defeated 3 5 1 9
Open seats gained 1 1
Byelection gains held 1 1
Incumbent changed allegiance 1 1
New ridings Incumbent returned in new seat 2 1 3
New MPP elected 5 1 6
Total 83 10 1 3 1 98

Reorganization of ridings

The reorganized ridings returned the following MLAs:

1951 1955
Riding Party Riding Party
Carleton █ Progressive Conservative Carleton █ Progressive Conservative
Ottawa West █ Progressive Conservative
London █ Progressive Conservative London North █ Progressive Conservative
London South █ Progressive Conservative
Ontario █ Co-operative Commonwealth Ontario █ Progressive Conservative
Oshawa █ Co-operative Commonwealth
Sudbury █ Progressive Conservative Nickel Belt █ Progressive Conservative
Sudbury █ Progressive Conservative
Wentworth █ Progressive Conservative Wentworth █ Progressive Conservative
Wentworth East █ Co-operative Commonwealth
York East █ Progressive Conservative York East █ Progressive Conservative
York—Scarborough █ Progressive Conservative
York North █ Progressive Conservative York Centre █ Progressive Conservative
York North █ Progressive Conservative
York West █ Progressive Conservative York—Humber █ Progressive Conservative
York West █ Progressive Conservative

See also

References

  1. ^ "1955 General Election". Elections Ontario. Retrieved January 3, 2021.
  2. ^ O'Hearn, Don (May 19, 1955). "Dempsey Case Rocks Legislation". Daily Times-Gazette. Oshawa. p. 6.
  3. ^ The Election Act, 1951, S.O. 1951, c. 21
  4. ^ The Election Amendment Act, 1954, S.O. 1954, c. 25
  5. ^ 1954 Act, s. 2
  6. ^ 1954 Act, s. 3
  7. ^ 1954 Act, ss. 4, 5
  8. ^ 1954 Act, s. 5
  9. ^ The Representation Act, 1954, S.O. 1954, c. 84
  10. ^ a b c d e f "1955 general election results". Elections Ontario. Retrieved October 9, 2023.
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