1971 Ontario general election

1971 Ontario general election
← 1967 October 21, 1971 1975 →
117 seats in the 29th Legislative Assembly of Ontario
59 seats were needed for a majority
  First party Second party Third party
 
Leader Bill Davis Robert Nixon Stephen Lewis
Party Progressive Conservative Liberal New Democratic
Leader since February 12, 1971 January 6, 1967 October 4, 1970
Leader's seat Peel North Brant Scarborough West
Last election 69 28 20
Seats won 78 20 19
Seat change Increase9 Decrease8 Decrease1
Popular vote 1,465,313 913,742 893,879
Percentage 44.5% 27.8% 27.1%
Swing Increase2.2pp Decrease3.8pp Increase1.2pp
Premier before election

Bill Davis
Progressive Conservative

Premier after election

Bill Davis
Progressive Conservative

The 1971 Ontario general election was held on October 21, 1971, to elect the 117 members of the 29th Legislative Assembly of Ontario (Members of Provincial Parliament, or "MPPs") of the Province of Ontario.[1]

The Ontario Progressive Conservative Party, led by Bill Davis, who had replaced John Robarts as PC leader and premier earlier in the year, won a ninth consecutive term in office, and maintained its majority in the legislature, increasing its caucus in the legislature by eight seats from its result in the previous election.

The Ontario Liberal Party, led by Robert Nixon, lost seven seats, but continued in the role of official opposition.

The social democratic Ontario New Democratic Party, led by Stephen Lewis, lost one seat.

This election marked the first time that the provincial election was held on a Thursday. Subsequently, every provincial election has also been held on a Thursday, with the exception of the 2007 Ontario general election, which was held on a Wednesday.

The electoral franchise was significantly expanded upon the reduction of the voting age from 21 to 18.[2]

Results

Summary

Elections to the 29th Parliament of Ontario (1967)[3]
Political party Party leader MPPs Votes
Candidates 1967 1971 ± # ± % ± (pp)
Progressive Conservative Bill Davis 117 69 78 9Increase 1,465,313 446,558Increase 44.50% 2.40Increase
Liberal[a 1] Robert Nixon 117 28 20 8Decrease 913,742 146,351Increase 27.75% 3.97Decrease
New Democratic Stephen Lewis 117 20 19 1Decrease 893,879 265,482Increase 27.15% 1.18Increase
Independent 23 – – – 16,959 14,577Increase 0.52% 0.42Increase
Communist William Stewart 5 – – – 1,620 558Increase 0.05% 0.03Increase
Social Credit 5 – – – 1,204 702Decrease 0.04% 0.04Decrease
Total 384 117 117 3,292,717 100.00%
Rejected ballots 18,059 1,469Decrease
Voter turnout 3,310,776 871,538Increase 73.52 7.34Increase
Registered electors 4,503,142 817,387Increase
  1. ^ includes Liberal-Labour in 1967 totals
Seats and popular vote by party
Party Seats Votes Change (pp)
█ Progressive Conservative
78 / 117
44.50%
 2.40 2.4
 
█ Liberal
20 / 117
27.75%
 -3.97
 
█ New Democratic
19 / 117
27.15%
 1.18 1.18
 
█ Independent
0 / 122
0.52%
 0.42 0.42
 
█ Other
0 / 122
0.08%
 -0.03
 

Synopsis of results

Results by riding - 1971 Ontario general election[3]
Riding Winning party Turnout
[a 1] 		Votes
Name[a 2] 1967 Party Votes Share Margin
# 		Margin
% 		PC Lib NDP Ind Comm SC Total
 
Algoma PC PC 5,222 42.20% 1,397 11.29% 73.88% 5,222 3,326 3,825 – – – 12,373
Algoma—Manitoulin Lib PC 5,147 40.32% 1,298 10.17% 72.06% 5,147 3,768 3,849 – – – 12,764
Brant Lib Lib 8,846 50.98% 3,699 21.32% 73.31% 5,147 8,846 3,359 – – – 17,352
Brantford NDP PC 16,632 45.04% 4,524 12.25% 80.80% 16,632 8,188 12,108 – – – 36,928
Carleton PC PC 18,538 49.95% 7,622 20.54% 73.78% 18,538 10,916 7,656 – – – 37,110
Carleton East PC PC 13,190 46.56% 4,123 14.56% 65.97% 13,190 9,067 6,069 – – – 28,326
Chatham—Kent PC PC 10,827 48.54% 2,208 9.90% 65.09% 10,827 8,619 2,859 – – – 22,305
Cochrane North PC PC 11,212 64.02% 5,454 31.14% 76.21% 11,212 543 5,758 – – – 17,513
Cochrane South NDP NDP 11,383 48.43% 655 2.79% 74.68% 10,728 1,270 11,383 122 – – 23,503
Dufferin—Simcoe PC PC 12,063 51.97% 4,454 19.19% 68.28% 12,063 7,609 3,540 – – – 23,212
Durham PC PC 10,628 48.22% 3,454 15.67% 76.47% 10,628 4,239 7,174 – – – 22,041
Elgin PC PC 14,742 45.08% 4,325 13.23% 78.98% 14,742 10,417 7,329 215 – – 32,703
Essex—Kent Lib Lib 7,087 40.30% 1,035 5.89% 75.52% 4,446 7,087 6,052 – – – 17,585
Essex South Lib Lib 12,217 51.75% 5,696 24.13% 74.77% 4,872 12,217 6,521 – – – 23,610
Fort William PC PC 13,428 49.05% 3,777 13.80% 75.91% 13,428 4,296 9,651 – – – 27,375
Frontenac—Addington PC PC 7,539 38.05% 1,706 8.61% 71.67% 7,539 5,833 2,081 4,363 – – 19,816
Glengarry PC PC 7,496 55.72% 3,211 23.87% 75.27% 7,496 4,285 1,672 – – – 13,453
Grenville—Dundas PC PC 11,635 63.06% 6,988 37.87% 70.55% 11,635 4,647 1,927 242 – – 18,451
Grey—Bruce Lib Lib 13,657 46.17% 2,638 8.92% 79.70% 11,019 13,657 4,905 – – – 29,581
Grey South PC PC 10,285 54.91% 4,870 26.00% 77.15% 10,285 5,415 3,029 – – – 18,729
Haldimand—Norfolk PC PC 16,197 57.67% 8,981 31.98% 74.48% 16,197 7,216 4,673 – – – 28,086
Halton East PC PC 21,359 55.43% 11,622 30.16% 75.07% 21,359 9,737 7,154 284 – – 38,534
Halton West PC PC 25,136 59.53% 16,353 38.73% 76.20% 25,136 8,783 8,306 – – – 42,225
Hamilton Centre NDP NDP 8,018 38.32% 1,422 6.80% 61.61% 6,596 6,310 8,018 – – – 20,924
Hamilton East NDP NDP 11,073 40.64% 2,846 10.45% 71.11% 8,227 7,947 11,073 – – – 27,247
Hamilton Mountain PC PC 17,979 50.28% 7,254 20.29% 78.13% 17,979 7,053 10,725 – – – 35,757
Hamilton West PC PC 12,807 43.51% 4,565 15.51% 73.86% 12,807 8,150 8,242 – 233 – 29,432
Hastings PC PC 9,195 59.79% 4,636 30.14% 70.12% 9,195 4,559 1,626 – – – 15,380
Huron PC PC 9,793 57.81% 6,155 36.34% 78.11% 9,793 3,638 3,414 94 – – 16,939
Huron—Bruce Lib Lib 12,374 67.60% 8,616 47.07% 79.13% 3,758 12,374 2,172 – – – 18,304
Kenora PC PC 11,226 61.44% 6,331 34.65% 73.05% 11,226 2,150 4,895 – – – 18,271
Kent Lib Lib 8,768 49.83% 1,992 11.32% 80.37% 6,776 8,768 2,051 – – – 17,595
Kingston and the Islands PC PC 12,285 43.92% 187 0.67% 68.30% 12,285 12,098 3,587 – – – 27,970
Kitchener Lib Lib 19,168 42.30% 5,633 12.43% 72.62% 13,535 19,168 12,237 379 – – 45,319
Lambton PC PC 9,983 50.70% 3,697 18.78% 75.69% 9,983 6,286 2,915 507 – – 19,691
Lanark PC PC 10,670 58.97% 5,695 31.47% 69.20% 10,670 4,975 2,450 – – – 18,095
Leeds PC PC 15,477 65.45% 10,754 45.48% 75.26% 15,477 3,447 4,723 – – – 23,647
Lincoln PC PC 19,513 62.54% 13,289 42.59% 72.38% 19,513 6,224 4,556 572 336 – 31,201
London North PC PC 17,266 41.90% 5,426 13.17% 73.09% 17,266 11,198 11,840 902 – – 41,206
London South PC PC 24,064 50.54% 11,363 23.87% 77.88% 24,064 12,701 10,845 – – – 47,610
Middlesex North PC PC 8,633 52.49% 4,155 25.26% 78.65% 8,633 3,337 4,478 – – – 16,448
Middlesex South PC PC 12,253 42.85% 3,053 10.68% 77.14% 12,253 7,140 9,200 – – – 28,593
Muskoka PC PC 7,240 50.01% 3,119 21.54% 73.68% 7,240 3,116 4,121 – – – 14,477
Niagara Falls Lib PC 12,221 42.25% 1,833 6.34% 73.46% 12,221 10,388 6,319 – – – 28,928
Nickel Belt PC NDP 9,003 49.37% 1,964 10.77% 79.34% 7,039 2,195 9,003 – – – 18,237
Nipissing Lib Lib 12,166 41.95% 28 0.10% 74.61% 12,138 12,166 4,698 – – – 29,002
Northumberland PC PC 12,277 54.43% 5,560 24.65% 75.74% 12,277 6,717 3,563 – – – 22,557
Ontario PC PC 10,970 52.26% 5,306 25.28% 76.40% 10,970 5,664 4,356 – – – 20,990
Ontario South PC PC 16,561 51.14% 5,614 17.34% 78.42% 16,561 4,876 10,947 – – – 32,384
Oshawa NDP PC 19,207 46.73% 2,726 6.63% 74.99% 19,207 5,413 16,481 – – – 41,101
Ottawa Centre Lib NDP 8,075 35.46% 182 0.80% 62.36% 7,893 6,804 8,075 – – – 22,772
Ottawa East PC Lib 10,827 52.52% 5,127 24.87% 57.10% 5,700 10,827 3,590 499 – – 20,616
Ottawa South PC PC 22,392 51.67% 11,754 27.12% 72.89% 22,392 10,307 10,638 – – – 43,337
Ottawa West PC PC 18,349 45.54% 6,712 16.66% 74.85% 18,349 10,308 11,637 – – – 40,294
Oxford Lib PC 16,322 46.01% 3,024 8.52% 77.52% 16,322 13,298 5,856 – – – 35,476
Parry Sound PC PC 6,682 37.35% 2,184 12.21% 74.58% 6,682 3,763 2,947 4,498 – – 17,890
Peel North PC PC 29,851 59.48% 18,592 37.04% 73.38% 29,851 9,080 11,259 – – – 50,190
Peel South PC PC 29,569 54.63% 17,282 31.93% 73.61% 29,569 12,287 12,266 – – – 54,122
Perth Lib Lib 16,265 54.31% 6,815 22.76% 74.35% 9,450 16,265 4,231 – – – 29,946
Peterborough NDP PC 18,632 42.69% 590 1.35% 77.67% 18,632 6,970 18,042 – – – 43,644
Port Arthur Lib NDP 11,461 45.06% 1,369 5.38% 75.47% 10,092 3,880 11,461 – – – 25,433
Prescott and Russell PC PC 10,950 51.84% 5,499 26.03% 75.01% 10,950 5,451 4,723 – – – 21,124
Prince Edward—Lennox PC PC 9,995 52.78% 3,404 17.98% 74.09% 9,995 6,591 2,350 – – – 18,936
Quinte PC PC 15,066 57.36% 7,455 28.38% 67.52% 15,066 7,611 3,588 – – – 26,265
Rainy River LL Lib 6,115 50.00% 2,206 18.04% 72.30% 2,207 6,115 3,909 – – – 12,231
Renfrew North PC PC 11,980 51.76% 3,517 15.20% 71.42% 11,980 8,463 2,516 185 – – 23,144
Renfrew South PC PC 9,370 53.87% 3,353 19.28% 79.83% 9,370 6,017 2,008 – – – 17,395
St. Catharines PC PC 16,074 43.92% 5,627 15.37% 68.01% 16,074 10,080 10,447 – – – 36,601
Sandwich—Riverside NDP NDP 17,944 50.24% 8,592 24.05% 74.86% 9,352 8,424 17,944 – – – 35,720
Sarnia Lib Lib 14,422 52.44% 6,884 25.03% 67.23% 7,538 14,422 5,544 – – – 27,504
Sault Ste. Marie PC PC 14,983 43.00% 1,035 2.97% 79.24% 14,983 5,915 13,948 – – – 34,846
Simcoe Centre PC PC 17,067 55.98% 9,192 30.15% 72.30% 17,067 7,875 5,543 – – – 30,485
Simcoe East PC PC 12,109 48.41% 5,468 21.86% 73.33% 12,109 6,264 6,641 – – – 25,014
Stormont PC PC 13,378 58.09% 7,099 30.83% 68.46% 13,378 3,372 6,279 – – – 23,029
Sudbury Lib NDP 11,905 40.92% 2,770 9.52% 70.16% 8,053 9,135 11,905 – – – 29,093
Sudbury East NDP NDP 15,522 53.62% 8,457 29.21% 71.69% 6,363 7,065 15,522 – – – 28,950
Thunder Bay NDP NDP 6,996 55.03% 3,882 30.54% 75.38% 3,114 2,602 6,996 – – – 12,712
Temiskaming NDP PC 9,695 47.22% 2,154 10.49% 74.88% 9,695 3,297 7,541 – – – 20,533
Victoria—Haliburton PC PC 10,368 48.88% 2,119 9.99% 74.78% 10,368 8,249 2,595 – – – 21,212
Waterloo North Lib Lib 15,035 39.41% 2,438 6.39% 72.90% 12,597 15,035 10,162 359 – – 38,153
Waterloo South PC PC 15,165 50.40% 4,543 15.10% 76.08% 15,165 4,302 10,622 – – – 30,089
Welland PC PC 15,044 50.19% 5,157 17.20% 79.87% 15,044 5,046 9,887 – – – 29,977
Welland South Lib Lib 8,845 36.35% 438 1.80% 74.09% 8,407 8,845 7,082 – – – 24,334
Wellington—Dufferin PC PC 8,250 51.11% 3,383 20.96% 71.41% 8,250 4,867 2,559 467 – – 16,143
Wellington South Lib Lib 16,606 45.94% 6,856 18.97% 74.54% 9,750 16,606 9,161 630 – – 36,147
Wentworth NDP NDP 14,128 43.82% 3,937 12.21% 70.84% 10,191 7,920 14,128 – – – 32,239
Wentworth North PC PC 12,489 45.35% 4,279 15.54% 80.74% 12,489 8,210 6,842 – – – 27,541
Windsor—Walkerville Lib Lib 12,986 44.83% 976 3.37% 74.84% 3,974 12,986 12,010 – – – 28,970
Windsor West NDP NDP 13,119 42.98% 3,444 11.28% 72.33% 9,675 7,731 13,119 – – – 30,525
York Centre Lib Lib 14,885 42.28% 212 0.60% 73.79% 14,673 14,885 5,645 – – – 35,203
York North PC PC 15,557 52.39% 7,514 25.30% 73.16% 15,557 6,094 8,043 – – – 29,694
Armourdale PC PC 16,055 49.99% 7,511 23.39% 74.05% 16,055 8,544 7,519 – – – 32,118
Beaches—Woodbine NDP PC 13,768 49.25% 2,630 9.41% 73.73% 13,768 2,819 11,138 88 – 145 27,958
Bellwoods PC PC 7,443 51.71% 3,839 26.67% 69.73% 7,443 3,347 3,604 – – – 14,394
Don Mills PC PC 16,102 50.80% 5,986 18.88% 74.18% 16,102 5,481 10,116 – – – 31,699
Dovercourt Lib PC 6,183 34.60% 39 0.22% 66.65% 6,183 5,116 6,144 – 429 – 17,872
Downsview Lib Lib 17,140 52.25% 6,219 18.96% 68.42% 4,740 17,140 10,921 – – – 32,801
Eglinton PC PC 20,242 57.06% 10,005 28.20% 78.82% 20,242 10,237 4,819 180 – – 35,478
Etobicoke Lib Lib 16,676 39.79% 943 2.25% 75.56% 15,733 16,676 9,072 432 – – 41,913
High Park NDP NDP 16,509 54.58% 7,282 24.07% 74.39% 9,227 4,284 16,509 – – 229 30,249
Humber Lib PC 11,235 41.48% 3,055 11.28% 72.61% 11,235 7,673 8,180 – – – 27,088
Lakeshore NDP NDP 10,867 42.36% 735 2.87% 75.42% 10,132 4,653 10,867 – – – 25,652
Parkdale Lib NDP 5,994 36.37% 436 2.65% 66.60% 4,930 5,558 5,994 – – – 16,482
Riverdale NDP NDP 11,132 49.27% 2,518 11.14% 65.04% 8,614 2,503 11,132 – – 346 22,595
St. Andrew—St. Patrick PC PC 9,588 46.61% 1,137 5.53% 68.33% 9,588 1,860 8,451 275 231 164 20,569
St. David PC PC 13,320 50.07% 5,291 19.89% 70.46% 13,320 4,934 8,029 – – 320 26,603
St. George PC PC 16,916 55.44% 9,492 31.11% 67.58% 16,916 7,424 5,801 374 – – 30,515
Scarborough Centre NDP PC 15,781 48.36% 4,873 14.93% 73.04% 15,781 4,962 10,908 984 – – 32,635
Scarborough East Lib PC 13,206 40.94% 670 2.08% 73.51% 13,206 12,536 6,514 – – – 32,256
Scarborough North PC PC 24,982 56.16% 12,023 27.03% 80.39% 24,982 6,235 12,959 308 – – 44,484
Scarborough West NDP NDP 13,092 38.96% 170 0.51% 73.50% 12,922 7,594 13,092 – – – 33,608
York East PC PC 17,830 50.69% 7,890 22.43% 74.83% 17,830 9,940 7,402 – – – 35,172
York-Forest Hill PC Lib 13,870 41.52% 1,300 3.89% 72.89% 12,570 13,870 6,963 – – – 33,403
York Mills PC PC 41,629 59.12% 23,007 32.68% 73.87% 41,629 18,622 10,159 – – – 70,410
York South NDP NDP 12,915 48.01% 2,877 10.69% 69.53% 10,038 3,949 12,915 – – – 26,902
York West PC PC 26,034 59.41% 13,582 30.99% 77.66% 26,034 12,452 5,335 – – – 43,821
Yorkview NDP NDP 20,660 43.38% 6,630 13.92% 71.37% 12,550 14,030 20,660 – 391 – 47,631
  1. ^ including spoilt ballots
  2. ^ order is as given in EO reports
  = 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
  = other incumbents renominated

Analysis

29th Legislature
Party candidates in 2nd place[3]
Party in 1st place Party in 2nd place Total
PC Lib NDP Ind
Progressive Conservative 40 37 1 78
Liberal 15 5 20
New Democratic 15 4 19
Total 30 44 42 1 117
Candidates ranked 1st to 5th place, by party[3]
Parties 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th
█ Progressive Conservative 78 30 9
█ Liberal 20 44 53
█ New Democratic 19 42 54 2
█ Independent 1 1 20 1
█ Social Credit 4
█ Communist 3 2
Resulting composition of the 28th Legislative Assembly[3]
Source Party
PC Lib NDP Total
Seats retained Incumbents returned 50 17 13 80
Open seats held 15 1 16
Byelection loss reversed 1 1
Seats changing hands Incumbents defeated 10 1 2 13
Open seats gained 2 1 3 6
Incumbent changed allegiance 1 1
Total 78 20 19 117

Seats changing hands

Of the 117 seats, 22 were open because of MPPs who chose not to stand for reelection, and voters in only 19 seats changed allegiance from the previous election in 2018.

Tom Reid (Rainy River) had previously campaigned on the Liberal-Labour ticket, but sat with the Liberal caucus. In 1971, he opted to stand as a Liberal instead.

Elections to the 29th Legislative Assembly of Ontario – seats won/lost by party, 1967-1971
Party 1967 Gain from (loss to) 1971
PC Lib NDP
Progressive Conservative 69 6 (1) 6 (2) 78
Liberal 28 2 (6) (4) 20
New Democratic 20 1 (6) 4 19
Total 117 3 (12) 10 (1) 6 (6) 117

There were 19 seats that changed allegiance in the election:

See also

References

  1. ^ "1971 General Election". Elections Ontario. Retrieved January 3, 2021.
  2. ^ The Age of Majority and Accountability Act, 1971, S.O. 1971, c. 98
  3. ^ a b c d e "1971 general election results". Elections Ontario. Retrieved November 1, 2023.