January 1950 Toronto municipal election

Last updated April 24, 2024

Municipal elections were held in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on January 2, 1950. This was the last time election were held in January, as a ballot measure passed changing the election date to the first Monday in December. This attempt to increase turnout went into effect immediately and an election was held December 4, 1950. The central issue of the campaign was whether to legalize sport on Sundays, with Controller Allan Lamport the main proponent. A referendum was held on the subject, and it passed by a slim margin.

Toronto mayor

Incumbent Hiram E. McCallum easily won reelection against two minor candidates, former police officer Charles Mahoney and Trotskyist Ross Dowson.^[1]

Results: Hiram E. McCallum – 133,320; Charles Mahoney – 19,658; Ross Dowson – 15,600

Board of Control

All sitting members of the Board of Control chose to run for reelection. Alderman Louis Shannon attempted to win a seat, but finished fifth.

Results: John Innes (incumbent) – 96,139; Leslie Saunders (incumbent) – 87,799; David Balfour (incumbent) – 78,090; Allan Lamport (incumbent) – 72,436; Louis Shannon – 72,059; Stewart Smith – 45,251; Harry Bradley- 21,719; Frederick Vacher – 9,850

City council

Ward 1 (Riverdale): John McMechan (incumbent) – 9,328; William Allen – 8,512; Kenneth Waters – 8,060; Roy Cadwell – 3,299; Harry Marley – 2,263

Ward 2 (Cabbagetown and Rosedale): Joseph Cornish – 6,237; Beverley Sparling – 5,642; May Birchard – 5,560; Sylvester Perry – 2,064; William MacKenzie – 1,422; Harold West – 692

Ward 3 (West Downtown and Summerhill): Harold Fishleigh (incumbent) – acclaimed; Howard Phillips (incumbent) – acclaimed

Ward 4 (The Annex, Kensington Market and Garment District): Nathan Phillips (incumbent) – 7,941; Norman Freed (incumbent) – 6,553; Francis Chambers – 6,319; Alfred Whiskin – 649; Francis Love – 648

Ward 5 (Trinity-Bellwoods): Joseph Gould – 10,252; Arthur Frost (incumbent) – 10,110; Charles Sims (incumbent) – 8,462; Pat McKeown – 1,086

Ward 6 (Davenport and Parkdale): George Granell (incumbent) – 15,029; Lester Nelson – 8,299; William Duckworth – 7,971; Robert Colucci – 7,573; Dewar Ferguson – 5,596; Harry Branscombe – 3,720

Ward 7 (West Toronto Junction): William Davidson – 8,727; Alfred Cowling (incumbent) – 8,005; David Sanderson – 5,989

Ward 8 (The Beaches): Ross Lipsett – 13,686; W.H. Collings (incumbent) – 12,174; Roy Mealing (incumbent) – 9,560; Maurice Punshon – 3,646; William Probert – 3,040; John Square – 968

Ward 9 (North Toronto): Frank Nash (incumbent) – 15,677; Roy E. Belyea (incumbent) – 15,486; William Mitchell – 10,542

Results taken from the January 3, 1950 Toronto Star and might not exactly match final tallies.

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References

↑ Appeal to Voters: Rid City Hall of Commies: Mayor The Globe and Mail (1936-); Toronto, Ont. [Toronto, Ont]. 10 Dec 1949: 4.

Election Coverage. Toronto Star. January 3, 1950

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[1] Appeal to Voters: Rid City Hall of Commies: Mayor The Globe and Mail (1936-); Toronto, Ont. [Toronto, Ont]. 10 Dec 1949: 4.

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