1955 Ontario general election

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 Third party   Leader Leslie Frost Farquhar Oliver Donald C. MacDonald Party Progressive Conservative Liberal Co-operative Commonwealth Leader since April 27, 1949 April 9, 1954 November 21, 1953 Leader's seat Victoria Grey South York South Last election 79 8 2 Seats won 83 11 3 Seat change 4 3 1 Percentage 48.5% 33.3% 16.5% Swing ±0.0pp 1.8pp 2.6pp
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James Shannon Dempsey (Renfrew South) had his endorsement as a PC candidate withdrawn because of controversy over a political gift, ^[2] but he was reelected as an Independent PC.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:

• Addington became Frontenac—Addington
• London was divided into London North and London South
• Muskoka—Ontario was reduced to Muskoka, ceding its part of Ontario County to Ontario
• Nickel Belt was separated from Sudbury
• Oshawa was separated from Ontario
• Ottawa West was carved out from Carleton
• Wellington North became Wellington—Dufferin
• Part of Wentworth became Wentworth East
• York Centre was carved out from York North
• York—Humber was separated from York West
• York—Scarborough was ceded from York East

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

^[10]

Elections to the 25th Parliament of Ontario (1955)

Political party		Party leader	MPPs					Votes
			Candidates	1951	Dissol.	1955	±	#	%	± (pp)
	Progressive Conservative	Leslie Frost	97	79		83	4	846,592	48.06%	0.40
	Liberal	Farquhar Oliver	94	7		10	3	577,774	32.80%	1.74
	Co-operative Commonwealth	Donald C. MacDonald	81	2		3	1	291,410	16.54%	2.56
	Labor–Progressive	Stewart Smith	31	1		–	1	20,875	1.19%	0.52
	Liberal–Labour		2	1		1		7,305	0.41%	0.04
	Independent PC		1	–	–	1	1	7,033	0.40%	0.34
	Independent		5	–	–	–		9,169	0.52%	0.41
	Independent Liberal		1	–	–	–		641	0.04%	New
	Independent Social Credit		1	–	–	–		602	0.03%	New
	Socialist Labour		1	–	–	–		124	0.01%
	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%	4.17

Vote and seat summaries

Ternary plots - shift of electoral support (1951-1955)

• 
  1951
• 
  1955

Electoral districts identified by colours of winning parties

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
█  Co-operative Commonwealth	3 / 98	16.54%	-2.56
█ Other	2 / 98	2.60%	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

• Politics of Ontario
• List of Ontario political parties
• Premier of Ontario
• Leader of the Opposition (Ontario)

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. "1955 general election results". Elections Ontario . Retrieved October 9, 2023.