1977 Ontario general election
1977 Ontario general election
Seating in chamber after the election
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
A 1976 Act[ 1] made changes to the names of two ridings:
Renaming of ridings
Old
New
Campaign
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
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
7
1,322,723
129,771
39.58%
3.51
Liberal
Stuart Smith
123
35
33
2
1,042,464
83,151
31.19%
2.85
Liberal–Labour
2
1
1
8,242
824
0.25%
0.02
New Democratic
Stephen Lewis
125
38
33
5
940,961
15,943
28.16%
0.78
Libertarian
Paul Mollon
31
–
–
–
9,961
5,524
0.30%
0.17
Communist
William Stewart
33
–
–
–
8,137
983
0.24%
0.04
Independent
25
–
–
–
7,414
3,321
0.22%
0.10
Social Credit
7
–
–
–
1,698
2,448
0.05%
0.08
Democrat
1
–
–
–
233
233
0.01%
New
Total
472
125
125
3,341,833
100.00%
Rejected ballots
19,600
1,663
Voter turnout
3,361,433
50,657
65.60
2.22
Registered electors
5,123,768
620,626
Synopsis of results
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
^ including spoilt ballots
^ order is as given in EO reports
^ 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
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
Eleven seats changed allegiance in this election:
PC to NDP
PC to Liberal
Liberal to PC
NDP to PC
MPPs elected by region and riding
Party designations are as follows:
PC
Liberal
NDP
Liberal-Labour
Northern Ontario
Ottawa Valley
Saint Lawrence Valley
Central Ontario
Georgian Bay
Hamilton/Halton/Niagara
Midwestern Ontario
Southwestern Ontario
Peel/York/Durham
Metropolitan Toronto
See also
References
Further reading