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]

1959 Ontario general election

← 1955 June 11, 1959 1963 →

98 seats in the 26th Legislative Assembly of Ontario
50 seats were needed for a majority
  First party Second party Third party
  LIB
Leader Leslie Frost John Wintermeyer Donald C. MacDonald
Party Progressive Conservative Liberal Co-operative Commonwealth
Leader since April 27, 1949 April 20, 1958 November 21, 1953
Leader's seat Victoria Waterloo North York South
Last election 83 11 3
Seats won 71 22 5
Seat change Decrease12 Increase11 Increase2
Percentage 46.3% 36.6% 16.7%
Swing Decrease2.2pp Increase3.3pp Increase0.2pp

Premier before election

Leslie Frost
Progressive Conservative

Premier after election

Leslie Frost
Progressive Conservative

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

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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

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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 
Seats and popular vote by party
Party Seats Votes Change (pp)
 Progressive Conservative
71 / 98
46.15%
-1.91
 
 Liberal
21 / 98
36.26%
3.46 3.46
 
 Co-operative Commonwealth
5 / 98
16.67%
0.13 0.13
 
 Other
1 / 98
0.92%
-1.68
 


Synopsis of results

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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
  1. ^ including spoilt ballots
  2. ^ order is as given in EO reports
  3. ^ 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

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Party candidates in 2nd place[1]
Party in 1st place Party in 2nd place Total
PC Lib CCF
Progressive Conservative 65 6 71
Liberal 21 21
Liberal–Labour 1 1
Co-operative Commonwealth 5 5
Total 27 65 6 98
Candidates ranked 1st to 5th place, by party[1]
Parties 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th
 Progressive Conservative 71 27
 Liberal 21 65 11
 Co-operative Commonwealth 5 6 69
 Liberal–Labour 1
 Labour CCF 1
 Labor–Progressive 8 1
 Social Credit 4 1
 Independent 2
 Independent PC 2
 White Canada 1
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

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Elections to the 26th Parliament of Ontario – seats won/lost by party, 1955–1959
Party 1955 Gain from (loss to) 1959
PC Lib CCF L-L I-PC
Progressive Conservative 83 (11) (2) 1 71
Liberal 10 11 21
Co-operative Commonwealth 3 2 5
Liberal–Labour 1 1
Independent-PC 1 (1)
Total 98 13 (1) (11) (2) 1 98

There were 14 seats that changed allegiance in the election.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g "1959 general election results". Elections Ontario. Retrieved October 10, 2023.