1977 Ontario general election

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1977 Ontario general election
← 1975 June 9, 1977 1981 →
125 seats in the 31st Legislative Assembly of Ontario
63 seats needed for a majority
  First party Second party
  LIB
Leader Bill Davis Stuart Smith
Party Progressive Conservative Liberal
Leader since February 12, 1971 January 25, 1976
Leader's seat Brampton Hamilton West
Last election 51 35
Seats won 58 33
Seat change Increase7 Decrease2
Popular vote 1,322,723 1,042,474
Percentage 39.58% 31.19%
Swing Increase3.5pp Decrease3.2pp
  Third party Fourth party
 
Leader Stephen Lewis
Party New Democratic Liberal–Labour
Leader since October 4, 1970
Leader's seat Scarborough West
Last election 38 0
Seats won 33 1
Seat change Decrease5 Increase1
Popular vote 940,961 8,242
Percentage 28.16% 0.25%
Swing Decrease0.7pp
Seating in chamber after the election
Premier before election

Bill Davis
Progressive Conservative

Premier after election

Bill Davis
Progressive Conservative

The 1977 Ontario general election was held on June 9, 1977, to elect the 125 members of the 31st Legislative Assembly of Ontario.

The Progressive Conservative Party, led by Premier Bill Davis, was re-elected for an eleventh consecutive term in office, again with a minority in the legislature. The PCs won an additional seven seats, but were not able to win a majority. The Liberal Party, led by Dr. Stuart Smith, lost one seat compared to its result in the previous election, but formed the Official Opposition because the NDP lost more seats. The New Democratic Party, led by Stephen Lewis, lost five seats, losing the status of Official Opposition to the Liberals.

Sheila Copps, future federal cabinet minister and Deputy Prime Minister of Canada, made her political debut in this election, finishing second in the riding of Hamilton Centre. This was the first election in which Jim Bradley, the second-longest serving MPP in Ontario history, was elected.

Renaming of ridings[edit]

A 1976 Act[1] made changes to the names of two ridings:

Renaming of ridings
Old New


Campaign[edit]

Riding contests, by number of candidates (1976)[2]
Candidates PC Lib LL NDP Comm Ltn Ind SC D Total
3 64 62 2 64 192
4 37 37 37 16 10 7 4 148
5 14 14 14 8 13 6 1 70
6 8 8 8 7 7 8 2 48
7 2 2 2 2 1 4 1 14
Total 125 123 2 125 33 31 25 7 1 472

A number of unregistered parties also contested this election. The North American Labour Party, consisting of Lyndon LaRouche supporters, ran three candidates in Toronto and three elsewhere in the province. The Revolutionary Marxist Group and League for Socialist Action fielded one candidate apiece; soon after the election, both groups merged into the Revolutionary Workers League.

Some members of the Social Credit Party also ran in the election, although it is not clear if they were formally endorsed by the party.


Results[edit]

Elections to the 31st Parliament of Ontario (1977)[2]
Political party Party leader MPPs Votes
Candidates 1975 1977 ± # ± % ± (pp)
Progressive Conservative Bill Davis 125 51 58 7Increase 1,322,723 129,771Increase 39.58% 3.51Increase
Liberal Stuart Smith 123 35 33 2Decrease 1,042,464 83,151Decrease 31.19% 2.85Decrease
Liberal–Labour 2 1 1 Steady 8,242 824Decrease 0.25% 0.02Decrease
New Democratic Stephen Lewis 125 38 33 5Decrease 940,961 15,943Decrease 28.16% 0.78Decrease
Libertarian Paul Mollon 31 – – – 9,961 5,524Increase 0.30% 0.17Increase
Communist William Stewart 33 – – – 8,137 983Decrease 0.24% 0.04Decrease
Independent 25 – – – 7,414 3,321Increase 0.22% 0.10Increase
Social Credit 7 – – – 1,698 2,448Decrease 0.05% 0.08Decrease
Democrat 1 – – – 233 233 0.01% New
Total 472 125 125 3,341,833 100.00%
Rejected ballots 19,600 1,663Increase
Voter turnout 3,361,433 50,657Increase 65.60 2.22Decrease
Registered electors 5,123,768 620,626Increase
Seats and popular vote by party
Party Seats Votes Change (pp)
█ Progressive Conservative
58 / 125
39.58%
 3.51 3.51
 
█ Liberal/Liberal-Labour
34 / 125
31.44%
 -2.87
 
█ New Democratic
33 / 125
28.16%
 -0.78
 
█ Independent
0 / 125
0.22%
 0.10 0.1
 
█ Other
0 / 125
0.60%
 0.04 0.04
 

Synopsis of results[edit]

Main article: Results of the 1977 Ontario general election by riding
Results by riding - 1977 Ontario general election[2]
Riding Winning party Turnout
[a 1] 		Votes
Name[a 2] 1975 Party Votes Share Margin
# 		Margin
% 		PC Lib/LL NDP Ind Other Total
 
Algoma NDP NDP 6,917 48.70% 1,166 8.21% 77.64% 5,751 1,534 6,917 – – 14,202
Algoma—Manitoulin PC PC 7,381 56.64% 3,895 29.89% 64.79% 7,381 2,165 3,486 – – 13,032
Brampton PC PC 19,641 51.92% 9,744 25.76% 64.25% 19,641 7,948 9,897 130 216 37,832
Brantford NDP NDP 13,376 46.79% 4,295 15.02% 64.87% 9,081 6,130 13,376 – – 28,587
Brant—Oxford—Norfolk Lib Lib 14,256 57.42% 8,444 34.01% 65.07% 5,812 14,256 4,760 – – 24,828
Brock PC PC 11,944 51.78% 6,034 26.16% 65.73% 11,944 5,910 5,215 – – 23,069
Burlington South PC PC 18,892 51.06% 8,418 22.75% 65.74% 18,892 10,474 7,015 – 615 36,996
Cambridge NDP NDP 11,120 37.31% 554 1.86% 65.02% 10,566 7,870 11,120 – 252 29,808
Carleton PC PC 14,847 46.51% 4,606 14.43% 62.96% 14,847 10,241 6,837 – – 31,925
Carleton East NDP NDP 12,733 34.77% 681 1.86% 65.09% 12,052 11,837 12,733 – – 36,622
Carleton-Grenville PC PC 14,002 59.61% 8,509 36.22% 63.39% 14,002 5,493 3,995 – – 23,490
Chatham—Kent PC PC 10,769 46.48% 4,287 18.50% 59.34% 10,769 5,919 6,482 – – 23,170
Cochrane North PC PC 10,412 61.44% 6,365 37.56% 67.02% 10,412 2,488 4,047 – – 16,947
Cochrane South NDP PC 12,533 51.26% 2,277 9.31% 69.89% 12,533 1,442 10,256 – 219 24,450
Cornwall NDP NDP 9,978 46.08% 486 2.24% 63.95% 9,492 2,089 9,978 94 – 21,653
Dufferin—Simcoe PC PC 15,528 48.81% 6,048 19.01% 65.30% 15,528 9,480 6,369 – 438 31,815
Durham East NDP PC 12,862 41.66% 122 0.40% 65.38% 12,862 5,121 12,740 153 – 30,876
Durham West NDP PC 12,688 41.30% 593 1.93% 65.89% 12,688 5,075 12,095 865 – 30,723
Durham—York PC PC 14,134 51.44% 7,134 25.96% 66.17% 14,134 6,345 7,000 – – 27,479
Elgin PC PC 12,655 47.48% 3,481 13.06% 68.91% 12,655 9,174 4,654 – 172 26,655
Erie Lib Lib 10,008 48.71% 4,175 20.32% 65.53% 5,833 10,008 4,704 – – 20,545
Essex North Lib Lib 9,801 51.19% 4,837 25.26% 56.75% 4,383 9,801 4,964 – – 19,148
Essex South Lib Lib 11,215 45.69% 3,224 13.13% 68.48% 7,991 11,215 5,340 – – 24,546
Fort William NDP PC 12,230 46.28% 2,256 8.54% 66.03% 12,230 4,080 9,974 – 142 26,426
Frontenac—Addington Lib Lib 10,505 44.63% 940 3.99% 67.46% 9,565 10,505 3,157 312 – 23,539
Grey Lib Lib 14,651 55.39% 7,062 26.70% 72.77% 7,589 14,651 4,210 – – 26,450
Grey—Bruce Lib Lib 14,828 55.47% 5,403 20.21% 75.53% 9,425 14,828 2,477 – – 26,730
Haldimand—Norfolk Lib Lib 15,496 49.37% 3,864 12.31% 71.38% 11,632 15,496 4,257 – – 31,385
Halton—Burlington Lib Lib 13,985 46.82% 3,698 12.38% 69.13% 10,287 13,985 5,598 – – 29,870
Hamilton Centre NDP NDP 8,216 37.86% 14 0.06% 58.29% 5,092 8,202 8,216 – 189 21,699
Hamilton East NDP NDP 14,461 47.09% 5,195 16.92% 63.63% 6,605 9,266 14,461 – 376 30,708
Hamilton Mountain PC NDP 12,681 38.26% 373 1.13% 72.12% 12,308 7,910 12,681 – 247 33,146
Hamilton West Lib Lib 12,239 43.05% 3,860 13.58% 69.78% 8,379 12,239 7,668 144 – 28,430
Hastings—Peterborough PC PC 11,442 47.22% 1,858 7.67% 73.02% 11,442 9,584 2,808 247 149 24,230
Huron—Bruce Lib Lib 17,356 65.17% 9,833 36.92% 74.18% 7,523 17,356 1,754 – – 26,633
Huron—Middlesex Lib Lib 12,749 55.35% 3,871 16.81% 76.72% 8,878 12,749 1,405 – – 23,032
Kenora PC PC 10,882 57.14% 5,626 29.54% 67.29% 10,882 2,907 5,256 – – 19,045
Kent—Elgin Lib Lib 10,038 45.72% 641 2.92% 66.86% 9,397 10,038 2,521 – – 21,956
Kingston and the Islands PC PC 12,246 52.32% 5,756 24.59% 61.57% 12,246 6,490 4,510 – 158 23,404
Kitchener Lib Lib 14,425 52.06% 7,515 27.12% 59.47% 6,910 14,425 6,264 – 111 27,710
Kitchener—Wilmot Lib Lib 12,450 51.07% 5,980 24.53% 58.08% 6,470 12,450 5,456 – – 24,376
Lake Nipigon NDP NDP 7,747 67.01% 5,330 46.10% 58.91% 2,417 1,397 7,747 – – 11,561
Lambton PC PC 11,604 52.63% 2,863 12.99% 70.48% 11,604 8,741 1,702 – – 22,047
Lanark PC PC 11,086 55.42% 6,089 30.44% 67.67% 11,086 3,919 4,997 – – 20,002
Leeds PC PC 14,853 67.65% 11,151 50.79% 62.33% 14,853 3,702 3,400 – – 21,955
Lincoln Lib Lib 9,969 44.98% 582 2.63% 70.96% 9,387 9,969 2,806 – – 22,162
London Centre Lib Lib 12,808 45.42% 3,893 13.80% 59.52% 6,279 12,808 8,915 200 – 28,202
London North Lib Lib 15,033 46.99% 4,402 13.76% 66.11% 10,631 15,033 6,130 – 201 31,995
London South Lib PC 16,011 42.39% 2,211 5.85% 63.70% 16,011 13,800 7,964 – – 37,775
Middlesex PC PC 10,427 42.88% 1,538 6.33% 75.29% 10,427 8,889 4,998 – – 24,314
Mississauga East PC PC 11,945 45.25% 3,489 13.22% 60.17% 11,945 8,456 5,994 – – 26,395
Mississauga North PC PC 16,151 46.56% 3,750 10.81% 63.04% 16,151 5,684 12,401 – 451 34,687
Mississauga South PC PC 13,622 47.91% 6,006 21.12% 67.08% 13,622 7,616 7,196 – – 28,434
Muskoka PC PC 8,865 49.23% 2,497 13.87% 73.00% 8,865 2,774 6,368 – – 18,007
Niagara Falls Lib Lib 13,280 43.42% 3,928 12.84% 68.11% 9,352 13,280 7,952 – – 30,584
Nickel Belt NDP NDP 9,410 57.45% 5,487 33.50% 67.45% 3,923 3,046 9,410 – – 16,379
Nipissing Lib Lib 12,898 43.13% 1,666 5.57% 71.28% 11,232 12,898 5,777 – – 29,907
Northumberland PC PC 14,061 48.30% 3,727 12.80% 68.07% 14,061 10,334 4,716 – – 29,111
Oakville PC PC 14,456 50.97% 6,508 22.95% 70.88% 14,456 7,948 5,955 – – 28,359
Oshawa NDP NDP 12,226 53.23% 5,714 24.88% 56.08% 6,512 4,032 12,226 – 199 22,969
Ottawa Centre NDP NDP 10,626 41.56% 2,403 9.40% 56.75% 8,223 6,358 10,626 – 360 25,567
Ottawa East Lib Lib 15,864 67.44% 11,809 50.20% 52.10% 4,055 15,864 3,605 – – 23,524
Ottawa South PC PC 16,662 49.37% 7,903 23.42% 66.95% 16,662 7,754 8,759 574 – 33,749
Ottawa West PC PC 15,729 45.79% 5,823 16.95% 66.08% 15,729 9,906 8,718 – – 34,353
Oxford PC PC 17,758 50.98% 5,101 14.64% 69.24% 17,758 12,657 4,420 – – 34,835
Parry Sound PC PC 9,929 49.66% 2,419 12.10% 70.52% 9,929 7,510 2,553 – – 19,992
Perth Lib Lib 18,201 68.88% 12,145 45.96% 60.70% 6,056 18,201 2,167 – – 26,424
Peterborough NDP PC 16,923 40.66% 2,648 6.36% 70.97% 16,923 10,083 14,275 – 341 41,622
Port Arthur NDP NDP 9,629 40.14% 339 1.41% 61.46% 9,290 4,818 9,629 – 254 23,991
Prescott and Russell PC PC 11,863 48.74% 2,986 12.27% 62.54% 11,863 8,877 3,597 – – 24,337
Prince Edward—Lennox PC PC 11,411 55.22% 5,652 27.35% 68.00% 11,411 5,759 3,494 – – 20,664
Quinte Lib Lib 17,264 56.34% 7,255 23.68% 68.31% 10,009 17,264 3,371 – – 30,644
Rainy River LL LL 5,335 45.90% 2,067 17.79% 63.80% 3,268 5,335[a 3] 3,019 – – 11,622
Renfrew North Lib Lib 9,549 45.80% 2,732 13.10% 73.96% 6,817 9,549 4,483 – – 20,849
Renfrew South PC PC 12,666 46.56% 1,081 3.97% 77.62% 12,666 11,585 2,952 – – 27,203
St. Catharines PC Lib 12,392 38.89% 723 2.27% 60.91% 11,669 12,392 7,556 – 247 31,864
Sarnia Lib Lib 11,500 38.97% 257 0.87% 63.42% 11,243 11,500 6,770 – – 29,513
Sault Ste. Marie PC PC 19,209 55.28% 7,549 21.73% 69.64% 19,209 3,715 11,660 – 162 34,746
Simcoe Centre PC PC 15,876 44.25% 5,434 15.15% 68.40% 15,876 9,556 10,442 – – 35,874
Simcoe East PC PC 13,793 44.74% 3,539 11.48% 69.47% 13,793 6,783 10,254 – – 30,830
Stormont—Dundas—Glengarry PC PC 10,533 49.15% 2,422 11.30% 68.28% 10,533 8,111 2,788 – – 21,432
Sudbury NDP NDP 11,117 41.62% 2,632 9.85% 62.39% 8,485 6,778 11,117 – 330 26,710
Sudbury East NDP NDP 15,991 55.19% 8,990 31.03% 63.84% 7,001 5,984 15,991 – – 28,976
Temiskaming NDP PC 9,578 47.95% 664 3.32% 69.48% 9,578 1,481 8,914 – – 19,973
Victoria—Haliburton Lib Lib 15,218 53.27% 4,679 16.38% 75.15% 10,539 15,218 2,809 – – 28,566
Waterloo North Lib Lib 13,556 49.43% 5,540 20.20% 62.16% 8,016 13,556 5,851 – – 27,423
Welland-Thorold NDP NDP 12,704 46.32% 2,315 8.44% 69.58% 10,389 4,335 12,704 – – 27,428
Wellington—Dufferin—Peel PC PC 14,272 45.83% 4,641 14.90% 67.42% 14,272 9,631 7,235 – – 31,138
Wellington South Lib Lib 16,212 50.52% 8,326 25.95% 67.27% 7,667 16,212 7,886 – 325 32,090
Wentworth NDP NDP 15,332 59.80% 9,826 38.33% 65.29% 5,506 4,800 15,332 – – 25,638
Wentworth North Lib Lib 18,322 53.98% 9,858 29.04% 71.18% 8,464 18,322 7,157 – – 33,943
Windsor—Riverside NDP NDP 12,947 45.59% 2,375 8.36% 60.71% 4,878 10,572 12,947 – – 28,397
Windsor—Sandwich NDP NDP 9,711 51.36% 3,687 19.50% 50.98% 2,838 6,024 9,711 – 334 18,907
Windsor—Walkerville Lib Lib 11,233 53.09% 6,391 30.20% 57.03% 4,842 11,233 4,565 162 357 21,159
York Centre Lib Lib 17,735 45.53% 2,768 7.11% 66.52% 14,967 17,735 6,247 – – 38,949
York North PC PC 15,639 48.05% 5,979 18.37% 64.38% 15,639 7,247 9,660 – – 32,546
Armourdale Lib PC 14,082 42.67% 2,433 7.37% 68.16% 14,082 11,649 6,736 258 280 33,005
Beaches—Woodbine NDP NDP 11,491 46.51% 2,274 9.20% 64.90% 9,217 3,579 11,491 – 420 24,707
Bellwoods NDP NDP 6,177 47.77% 2,845 22.00% 62.80% 2,925 3,332 6,177 151 346 12,931
Don Mills PC PC 17,005 55.20% 8,880 28.82% 61.14% 17,005 4,906 8,125 – 772 30,808
Dovercourt NDP NDP 7,340 48.30% 3,157 20.77% 64.62% 4,183 3,162 7,340 – 513 15,198
Downsview NDP NDP 10,194 45.10% 4,042 17.88% 65.26% 6,152 5,814 10,194 193 251 22,604
Eglinton PC PC 19,213 59.60% 11,742 36.42% 68.38% 19,213 7,471 4,857 315 382 32,238
Etobicoke NDP NDP 11,637 45.99% 4,848 19.16% 64.36% 6,789 6,363 11,637 – 517 25,306
High Park—Swansea NDP NDP 10,409 40.86% 779 3.06% 66.53% 9,630 4,897 10,409 – 537 25,473
Humber PC PC 19,888 50.95% 9,316 23.87% 69.10% 19,888 10,572 7,781 – 793 39,034
Lakeshore NDP NDP 13,252 49.76% 5,295 19.88% 62.39% 7,957 4,781 13,252 – 643 26,633
Oakwood NDP NDP 9,214 43.48% 2,835 13.38% 64.98% 6,379 5,046 9,214 170 382 21,191
Oriole PC PC 14,194 44.32% 4,487 14.01% 64.42% 14,194 9,707 6,737 1,109 282 32,029
Parkdale NDP NDP 7,574 44.12% 2,440 14.21% 61.81% 4,116 5,134 7,574 – 343 17,167
Riverdale NDP NDP 9,639 55.79% 5,350 30.97% 56.51% 4,289 2,821 9,639 117 410 17,276
St. Andrew—St. Patrick PC PC 11,128 49.38% 2,977 13.21% 64.40% 11,128 2,895 8,151 – 360 22,534
St. David PC PC 11,894 44.14% 836 3.10% 69.76% 11,894 3,794 11,058 – 202 26,948
St. George Lib Lib 10,116 36.71% 428 1.55% 60.90% 9,688 10,116 6,287 975 494 27,560
Scarborough Centre PC PC 11,583 44.76% 2,799 10.82% 64.00% 11,583 5,274 8,784 – 238 25,879
Scarborough East PC PC 14,792 50.91% 7,524 25.89% 63.01% 14,792 6,508 7,268 – 489 29,057
Scarborough—Ellesmere NDP NDP 10,625 40.52% 1,551 5.92% 63.77% 9,074 6,320 10,625 – 201 26,220
Scarborough North PC PC 20,988 50.11% 10,685 25.51% 64.21% 20,988 10,303 9,868 – 721 41,880
Scarborough West NDP NDP 13,350 54.03% 6,444 26.08% 63.81% 6,906 3,837 13,350 172 442 24,707
Wilson Heights Lib PC 11,430 41.97% 2,993 10.99% 62.93% 11,430 7,195 8,437 – 174 27,236
York East PC PC 14,131 46.72% 5,797 19.17% 67.55% 14,131 7,126 8,334 – 654 30,245
York Mills PC PC 21,795 58.45% 12,183 32.67% 66.55% 21,795 9,612 5,051 465 368 37,291
York South NDP NDP 14,178 50.56% 6,512 23.22% 65.86% 7,666 5,332 14,178 – 864 28,040
York West PC PC 16,538 46.25% 6,088 17.03% 67.89% 16,538 10,450 8,510 – 260 35,758
Yorkview NDP NDP 13,326 52.49% 6,823 26.87% 58.59% 4,105 6,503 13,326 608 846 25,388
  1. ^ including spoilt ballots
  2. ^ order is as given in EO reports
  3. ^ T. Patrick Reid was the incumbent
  = open seat
  = turnout is above provincial average
  = winning candidate was in previous Legislature
  = not incumbent; was previously elected to the Legislature
  = incumbent had switched allegiance
  = incumbency arose from byelection gain
  = previously incumbent in another riding
  = Liberal-Labour candidate
  = other incumbents renominated
  = multiple candidates


Analysis[edit]

Party candidates in 2nd place[2]
Party in 1st place Party in 2nd place Total
PC Lib NDP
Progressive Conservative 31 27 58
Liberal 30 3 33
Liberal–Labour 1 1
New Democratic 26 7 33
Total 57 38 30 125
Candidates ranked 1st to 5th place, by party[2]
Parties 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th
█ Progressive Conservative 58 57 10
█ Liberal 33 38 52
█ New Democratic 33 30 68
█ Liberal–Labour 1 1
█ Communist 23 8
█ Libertarian 19 9
█ Independent 13 6
█ Social Credit 6 1
█ Democrat 1
Resulting composition of the 28th Legislative Assembly[2]
Source Party
PC Lib LL NDP Total
Seats retained Incumbents returned 45 27 1 31 104
Open seats held 4 4 1 9
Ouster of incumbent changing allegiance 1 1
Seats changing hands Incumbents defeated 7 1 8
Open seats gained 2 1 3
Total 58 33 1 33 125


Seats changing hands[edit]

Eleven seats changed allegiance in this election:

MPPs elected by region and riding[edit]

Party designations are as follows:

  PC
  Liberal
  NDP
  Liberal-Labour


See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ The Representation Amendment Act, 1976, S.O. 1976 (2nd Session), c. 6
  2. ^ a b c d e f "1975 general election results". Elections Ontario. Retrieved November 1, 2023.

Further reading[edit]

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