1981 Ontario general election

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1981 Ontario general election

← 1977 March 19, 1981 1985 →

125 seats in the 32nd 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 58 33
Seats won 70 33
Seat change Increase12 Steady0
Popular vote 1,412,488 1,065,569
Percentage 44.38% 33.48%
Swing Increase4.80pp Increase2.29pp

  Third party Fourth party
 
Leader Michael Cassidy
Party New Democratic Liberal–Labour
Leader since February 5, 1978
Leader's seat Ottawa Centre
Last election 33 1
Seats won 21 1
Seat change Decrease12 Steady 0
Popular vote 672,824 7,111
Percentage 21.14% 0.22%
Swing Decrease7.02pp Decrease0.03

Seating in chamber after the election

Premier before election

Bill Davis
Progressive Conservative

Premier after election

Bill Davis
Progressive Conservative

The 1981 Ontario general election was held on March 19, 1981, to elect members of the 32nd Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, Canada.

The governing Ontario Progressive Conservative Party, led by Bill Davis, was re-elected for a twelfth consecutive term in office. The PCs finally won a majority government after winning only minorities in the 1975 and 1977 elections. The Liberal Party, led by Stuart Smith, was able to maintain its standing in the Legislature, while the New Democratic Party, led by Michael Cassidy, lost a significant number of seats, allowing the Tories to win a majority.

Opinion polls[edit]

During campaign period[edit]

Evolution of voting intentions at provincial level
Polling firm Last day
of survey
Source PCO OLP ONDP Other ME Sample
Election 1981 March 19, 1981 44.38 33.48 21.14
Gallup March 11, 1981 [1] 51 31 18
Gallup February 18, 1981 [2] 53 27 18 1 831
Election called

During the 31st Parliament of Ontario[edit]

Evolution of voting intentions at provincial level
Polling firm Last day
of survey
Source PCO OLP ONDP Other ME Sample
Election 1977 June 9, 1977 39.58 31.19 28.16 1.07

Campaign[edit]

Riding contests, by number of candidates (1981)[3]
Candidates PC Lib LL NDP Ind Comm Ltn SC Un Total
3 82 80 2 82 246
4 31 31 31 10 10 8 3 124
5 8 8 8 7 6 2 1 40
6 2 2 2 4 1 1 12
7 2 2 2 6 1 1 14
Total 125 123 2 125 27 18 12 3 1 436

A number of unregistered parties also fielded candidates in this election.

There were a number of Rhinoceros Party candidates in the Toronto area, and the party may have also fielded candidates elsewhere in the province. The Workers Communist Party (Marxist–Leninist) a single candidate, Judy Darcy. Ronald G. Rodgers, founder of the Détente Party of Canada, contested a Toronto constituency.

Social Credit leader Reg Gervais announced prior to the election that he planned to run in Nickel Belt, but could not follow through and resigned at a meeting of nominated candidates where John Turmel was appointed interim leader of the Ontario Social Credit Party during the campaign, though there has never been independent confirmation of this (nor is it clear if the Ottawa-area candidacies of Turmel and Raymond Turmel and Serge Girard and Dale Alkerton and Andrew Dynowski were approved by the remaining few members of the official Social Credit Party of Ontario).

Results[edit]

Elections to the 32nd Parliament of Ontario (1981)[3]
Political party Party leader MPPs Votes
Candidates 1977 1981 ± # ± % ± (pp)
Progressive Conservative Bill Davis 125 58 70 12Increase 1,412,488 89,765Increase 44.38% 4.80Increase
Liberal Stuart Smith 123 33 33 Steady 1,065,569 23,115Increase 33.48% 2.29Increase
Liberal–Labour 2 1 1 Steady 7,111 1,131Decrease 0.22% 0.03Decrease
New Democratic Michael Cassidy 125 33 21 12Decrease 672,824 268,137Decrease 21.14% 7.02Decrease
Independent 27 10,585 3,171Increase 0.33% 0.11Increase
Libertarian Scott Bell 12 7,087 2,874Decrease 0.22% 0.08Decrease
Communist Mel Doig 18 5,306 2,831Decrease 0.17% 0.07Decrease
Social Credit Reg Gervais 3 1,054 644Decrease 0.03% 0.02Decrease
Unparty 1 460 460Increase 0.01% New
Total 436 125 125 3,182,484 100.00%
Rejected ballots 20,797 1,197Increase
Voter turnout 3,203,281 158,152Decrease 58.04 7.56Decrease
Registered electors 5,519,204 395,436Increase
Seats and popular vote by party
Party Seats Votes Change (pp)
 Progressive Conservative
70 / 125
44.38%
4.80 4.8
 
 Liberal/Liberal-Labour
34 / 125
33.70%
2.26 2.26
 
 New Democratic
21 / 125
21.14%
-7.02
 
 Independent
0 / 125
0.33%
0.11 0.11
 
 Other
0 / 125
0.45%
-0.15
 

Synopsis of results[edit]

Results by riding - 1981 Ontario general election[3]
Riding Winning party Turnout
[a 1]
Votes
Name[a 2] 1977 Party Votes Share Margin
#
Margin
%
PC Lib/LL NDP Ind Other Total
 
Algoma NDP NDP 7,096 52.83% 2,326 17.32% 69.22% 4,770 1,567 7,096 13,433
Algoma—Manitoulin PC PC 7,160 57.36% 4,174 33.44% 50.16% 7,160 2,986 2,336 12,482
Brampton PC PC 24,973 61.23% 15,582 38.20% 50.73% 24,973 9,391 6,034 390 40,788
Brantford NDP PC 12,847 45.35% 3,259 11.50% 59.43% 12,847 5,896 9,588 28,331
Brant—Oxford—Norfolk Lib Lib 13,067 59.40% 7,033 31.97% 55.64% 6,034 13,067 2,899 22,000
Brock PC PC 10,547 48.75% 3,665 16.94% 60.36% 10,547 6,882 4,204 21,633
Burlington South PC PC 19,037 57.81% 10,084 30.62% 55.69% 19,037 8,953 4,942 32,932
Cambridge NDP PC 12,597 42.82% 849 2.89% 59.32% 12,597 4,527 11,748 549 29,421
Carleton PC PC 17,846 55.26% 9,225 28.56% 53.22% 17,846 8,621 5,446 383 32,296
Carleton East NDP PC 15,714 38.03% 1,686 4.08% 59.37% 15,714 14,028 11,579 41,321
Carleton-Grenville PC PC 15,202 65.09% 9,438 40.41% 57.71% 15,202 5,764 2,391 23,357
Chatham—Kent PC PC 9,471 42.20% 2,963 13.20% 54.47% 9,471 6,466 6,508 22,445
Cochrane North PC PC 5,910 36.19% 188 1.15% 62.56% 5,910 5,722 4,426 274 16,332
Cochrane South PC PC 12,540 56.25% 5,565 24.96% 61.65% 12,540 6,975 2,777 22,292
Cornwall NDP NDP 9,484 41.90% 1,667 7.37% 63.65% 7,817 5,333 9,484 22,634
Dufferin—Simcoe PC PC 18,101 62.83% 11,399 39.57% 56.41% 18,101 6,702 4,007 28,810
Durham East PC PC 14,900 48.02% 6,252 20.15% 60.46% 14,900 7,226 8,648 253 31,027
Durham West PC PC 17,029 52.77% 9,583 29.70% 55.46% 17,029 7,446 6,578 1,215 32,268
Durham—York PC PC 14,404 57.51% 8,074 32.23% 56.99% 14,404 6,330 4,314 25,048
Elgin PC PC 13,119 55.41% 5,813 24.55% 58.78% 13,119 7,306 3,250 23,675
Erie Lib Lib 8,796 49.83% 3,525 19.97% 54.59% 5,271 8,796 3,586 17,653
Essex North Lib Lib 9,187 46.14% 3,276 16.45% 54.47% 4,812 9,187 5,911 19,910
Essex South Lib Lib 10,454 52.77% 5,446 27.49% 51.18% 5,008 10,454 4,349 19,811
Fort William PC PC 13,038 54.32% 5,453 22.72% 59.66% 13,038 3,381 7,585 24,004
Frontenac—Addington Lib Lib 10,558 44.21% 340 1.42% 62.89% 10,218 10,558 2,374 409 322 23,881
Grey Lib Lib 13,334 55.47% 4,541 18.89% 64.77% 8,793 13,334 1,629 284 24,040
Grey—Bruce Lib Lib 14,006 60.30% 6,239 26.86% 64.36% 7,767 14,006 1,455 23,228
Haldimand—Norfolk Lib Lib 16,254 56.49% 7,479 25.99% 63.08% 8,775 16,254 3,744 28,773
Halton—Burlington Lib Lib 13,395 44.99% 518 1.74% 56.33% 12,877 13,395 3,500 29,772
Hamilton Centre NDP Lib 9,734 47.02% 2,804 13.54% 55.58% 4,039 9,734 6,930 20,703
Hamilton East NDP NDP 12,773 46.47% 4,408 16.04% 55.02% 6,351 8,365 12,773 27,489
Hamilton Mountain NDP NDP 11,008 35.77% 197 0.64% 67.02% 10,811 8,956 11,008 30,775
Hamilton West Lib Lib 12,106 45.84% 2,318 8.78% 60.46% 9,788 12,106 4,255 260 26,409
Hastings—Peterborough PC PC 11,528 49.61% 2,787 11.99% 66.49% 11,528 8,741 2,968 23,237
Huron—Bruce Lib Lib 12,164 46.64% 224 0.86% 70.22% 11,940 12,164 1,979 26,083
Huron—Middlesex Lib Lib 10,707 52.24% 2,089 10.19% 66.57% 8,618 10,707 1,170 20,495
Kenora PC PC 10,418 60.84% 6,248 36.49% 57.94% 10,418 2,536 4,170 17,124
Kent—Elgin Lib Lib 10,115 47.08% 337 1.57% 64.40% 9,778 10,115 1,591 21,484
Kingston and the Islands PC PC 12,488 50.25% 4,023 16.19% 58.10% 12,488 8,465 3,897 24,850
Kitchener Lib Lib 12,592 50.98% 4,610 18.66% 50.86% 7,982 12,592 4,126 24,700
Kitchener—Wilmot Lib Lib 11,515 48.56% 3,002 12.66% 49.49% 8,513 11,515 3,686 23,714
Lake Nipigon NDP NDP 7,846 68.90% 6,018 52.85% 55.75% 1,828 1,714 7,846 11,388
Lambton PC PC 13,467 63.59% 7,032 33.20% 66.04% 13,467 6,435 1,276 21,178
Lanark PC PC 10,502 61.69% 6,638 38.99% 55.80% 10,502 3,864 2,659 17,025
Leeds PC PC 13,725 64.41% 9,082 42.62% 58.54% 13,725 4,643 2,940 21,308
Lincoln Lib PC 10,044 46.28% 394 1.82% 65.54% 10,044 9,650 2,009 21,703
London Centre Lib Lib 12,315 51.67% 3,986 16.72% 49.65% 8,329 12,315 3,189 23,833
London North Lib Lib 15,444 49.61% 3,619 11.62% 54.17% 11,825 15,444 3,864 31,133
London South PC PC 19,714 54.74% 8,598 23.87% 52.03% 19,714 11,116 5,187 36,017
Middlesex PC PC 11,672 52.84% 3,408 15.43% 66.01% 11,672 8,264 2,155 22,091
Mississauga East PC PC 15,759 55.68% 8,043 28.42% 50.21% 15,759 7,716 4,829 28,304
Mississauga North PC PC 20,331 56.27% 11,201 31.00% 49.45% 20,331 9,130 6,667 36,128
Mississauga South PC PC 14,165 55.63% 6,993 27.46% 55.59% 14,165 7,172 4,126 25,463
Muskoka PC PC 9,029 55.09% 4,881 29.78% 64.43% 9,029 4,148 3,214 16,391
Niagara Falls Lib Lib 12,495 47.23% 3,200 12.10% 56.32% 9,295 12,495 4,665 26,455
Nickel Belt NDP NDP 8,451 54.85% 3,410 22.13% 63.38% 1,915 5,041 8,451 15,407
Nipissing Lib PC 15,795 55.43% 4,871 17.10% 64.11% 15,795 10,924 1,774 28,493
Northumberland PC PC 14,727 51.58% 3,614 12.66% 65.02% 14,727 11,113 2,711 28,551
Oakville PC PC 16,366 62.43% 9,080 34.64% 56.58% 16,366 7,286 2,562 26,214
Oshawa NDP NDP 10,307 48.04% 2,471 11.52% 49.70% 7,836 3,311 10,307 21,454
Ottawa Centre NDP NDP 9,316 36.77% 599 2.36% 54.58% 8,717 6,926 9,316 376 25,335
Ottawa East Lib Lib 14,207 69.22% 9,972 48.59% 49.03% 4,235 14,207 1,905 177 20,524
Ottawa South PC PC 15,218 49.97% 6,386 20.97% 60.22% 15,218 8,832 6,146 259 30,455
Ottawa West PC PC 17,418 59.30% 8,306 28.28% 55.86% 17,418 9,112 2,348 494 29,372
Oxford PC PC 15,948 49.87% 4,082 12.76% 61.57% 15,948 11,866 3,673 493 31,980
Parry Sound PC PC 8,955 46.27% 6 0.03% 66.87% 8,955 8,949 1,448 19,352
Perth Lib Lib 16,283 62.51% 8,400 32.25% 58.88% 7,883 16,283 1,881 26,047
Peterborough PC PC 17,962 45.92% 6,699 17.13% 63.06% 17,962 11,263 8,756 345 787 39,113
Port Arthur NDP NDP 12,258 46.10% 1,414 5.32% 61.22% 10,844 3,247 12,258 140 103 26,592
Prescott and Russell PC Lib 15,123 56.22% 5,172 19.23% 60.83% 9,951 15,123 1,828 26,902
Prince Edward—Lennox PC PC 11,135 57.53% 4,338 22.41% 61.18% 11,135 6,797 1,423 19,355
Quinte Lib Lib 14,861 56.78% 5,344 20.42% 56.08% 9,517 14,861 1,795 26,173
Rainy River LL LL 4,575 40.99% 426 3.82% 61.50% 4,149 4,575[a 3] 2,438 11,162
Renfrew North Lib Lib 9,113 52.57% 1,976 11.40% 58.18% 7,137 9,113 1,086 17,336
Renfrew South PC PC 14,552 55.66% 4,132 15.80% 71.09% 14,552 10,420 1,174 26,146
St. Catharines Lib Lib 16,509 51.85% 6,236 19.58% 57.20% 10,273 16,509 4,927 132 31,841
Sarnia Lib PC 13,871 46.23% 3,029 10.09% 63.27% 13,871 10,842 5,292 30,005
Sault Ste. Marie PC PC 14,712 49.99% 7,157 24.32% 54.29% 14,712 7,555 7,162 29,429
Simcoe Centre PC PC 16,926 49.84% 4,421 13.02% 59.06% 16,926 12,505 4,532 33,963
Simcoe East PC PC 12,487 42.13% 3,402 11.48% 64.39% 12,487 7,320 9,085 749 29,641
Stormont—Dundas—Glengarry PC PC 12,017 55.38% 4,171 19.22% 65.95% 12,017 7,846 1,836 0 21,699
Sudbury NDP PC 12,043 45.95% 3,991 15.23% 62.72% 12,043 5,998 8,052 115 26,208
Sudbury East NDP NDP 13,883 49.21% 4,463 15.82% 58.94% 9,420 4,909 13,883 28,212
Timiskaming PC PC 8,377 44.71% 1,609 8.59% 65.03% 8,377 3,593 6,768 18,738
Victoria—Haliburton Lib Lib 12,807 49.71% 2,298 8.92% 62.92% 10,509 12,807 2,449 25,765
Waterloo North Lib Lib 12,843 49.17% 3,237 12.39% 52.30% 9,606 12,843 3,672 26,121
Welland-Thorold NDP NDP 13,379 49.81% 5,463 20.34% 64.78% 5,564 7,916 13,379 26,859
Wellington—Dufferin—Peel PC PC 16,644 56.55% 8,508 28.91% 58.51% 16,644 8,136 4,650 29,430
Wellington South Lib Lib 16,237 53.57% 8,320 27.45% 56.86% 7,917 16,237 5,934 224 30,312
Wentworth NDP PC 10,024 34.88% 160 0.56% 62.32% 10,024 8,847 9,864 28,735
Wentworth North Lib Lib 16,433 49.13% 4,121 12.32% 63.98% 12,312 16,433 4,702 33,447
Windsor—Riverside NDP NDP 13,626 49.59% 4,524 16.46% 56.31% 4,418 9,102 13,626 333 27,479
Windsor—Sandwich NDP Lib 7,449 40.26% 134 0.72% 48.34% 3,479 7,449 7,315 258 18,501
Windsor—Walkerville Lib Lib 10,553 54.89% 5,565 28.94% 51.29% 3,438 10,553 4,988 248 19,227
York Centre Lib PC 19,094 47.54% 1,722 4.29% 56.81% 19,094 17,372 3,701 40,167
York North PC PC 18,405 55.38% 8,189 24.64% 54.20% 18,405 10,216 4,614 33,235
Armourdale PC PC 15,938 54.63% 6,941 23.79% 60.64% 15,938 8,997 4,240 29,175
Beaches—Woodbine NDP NDP 9,590 43.10% 324 1.46% 59.24% 9,266 3,140 9,590 252 22,248
Bellwoods NDP NDP 5,111 40.99% 365 2.93% 58.75% 2,186 4,746 5,111 180 246 12,469
Don Mills PC PC 17,516 63.99% 12,148 44.38% 52.55% 17,516 5,368 4,487 27,371
Dovercourt NDP NDP 5,491 37.81% 294 2.02% 62.62% 3,416 5,197 5,491 258 162 14,524
Downsview NDP NDP 8,644 39.10% 653 2.95% 58.54% 5,475 7,991 8,644 22,110
Eglinton PC PC 17,386 64.92% 11,780 43.98% 57.86% 17,386 5,606 3,324 466 26,782
Etobicoke NDP NDP 10,373 40.63% 2,349 9.20% 55.31% 8,024 7,132 10,373 25,529
High Park—Swansea NDP PC 11,473 47.01% 2,680 10.98% 64.63% 11,473 3,635 8,793 507 24,408
Humber PC PC 20,844 60.43% 10,780 31.25% 59.93% 20,844 10,064 3,583 34,491
Lakeshore NDP PC 10,607 40.65% 1,232 4.72% 61.06% 10,607 5,738 9,375 376 26,096
Oakwood NDP NDP 8,862 45.17% 2,901 14.79% 56.22% 5,961 4,171 8,862 624 19,618
Oriole PC PC 15,644 49.68% 4,244 13.48% 57.65% 15,644 11,400 4,443 31,487
Parkdale NDP Lib 6,941 42.26% 921 5.61% 58.59% 2,914 6,941 6,020 289 259 16,423
Riverdale NDP NDP 6,770 46.73% 2,682 18.51% 49.62% 4,088 3,237 6,770 233 158 14,486
St. Andrew—St. Patrick PC PC 10,674 49.10% 3,835 17.64% 57.09% 10,674 6,839 3,709 368 148 21,738
St. David PC PC 9,627 39.36% 1,022 4.18% 64.80% 9,627 8,605 5,985 243 24,460
St. George Lib PC 12,390 43.00% 4,251 14.75% 58.69% 12,390 8,139 4,999 2,928 359 28,815
Scarborough Centre PC PC 12,793 55.92% 7,895 34.51% 53.07% 12,793 4,657 4,898 531 22,879
Scarborough East PC PC 16,386 56.03% 9,085 31.06% 55.46% 16,386 7,301 4,826 171 562 29,246
Scarborough—Ellesmere NDP PC 11,608 44.87% 1,888 7.30% 60.27% 11,608 4,545 9,720 25,873
Scarborough North PC PC 29,961 60.98% 17,298 35.20% 53.08% 29,961 12,663 6,512 49,136
Scarborough West NDP NDP 10,019 41.84% 375 1.57% 59.17% 9,644 3,914 10,019 369 23,946
Wilson Heights PC PC 11,722 48.55% 2,925 12.12% 51.83% 11,722 8,797 3,623 24,142
York East PC PC 14,562 57.34% 9,627 37.91% 57.13% 14,562 4,811 4,935 1,088 25,396
York Mills PC PC 20,613 65.59% 14,946 47.56% 53.61% 20,613 5,667 3,858 1,287 31,425
York South NDP NDP 9,518 37.01% 1,419 5.52% 59.75% 7,628 8,099 9,518 472 25,717
York West PC PC 18,501 57.58% 8,273 25.75% 58.22% 18,501 10,228 2,865 538 32,132
Yorkview NDP Lib 10,160 38.62% 1,187 4.51% 55.03% 5,329 10,160 8,973 1,343 503 26,308
  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[3]
Party in 1st place Party in 2nd place Total
PC Lib NDP
Progressive Conservative 55 15 70
Liberal 27 6 33
Liberal–Labour 1 1
New Democratic 13 8 21
Total 41 63 21 125
Candidates ranked 1st to 5th place, by party[3]
Parties 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th
 Progressive Conservative 70 41 14
 Liberal 33 63 27
 New Democratic 21 21 83
 Liberal–Labour 1 1
 Independent 18 3
 Communist 12 6
 Libertarian 10 2
 Social Credit 3
 Unparty 1
Resulting composition of the 28th Legislative Assembly[3]
Source Party
PC Lib LL NDP Total
Seats retained Incumbents returned 47 27 1 21 102
Open seats held 10 1 11
Seats changing hands Incumbents defeated 11 4 15
Open seats gained 2 1 3
Total 70 33 1 21 125

Seats changing hands[edit]

Eighteen seats changed allegiance in this election:

MPPs elected by region and riding[edit]

Party designations are as follows:

  PC
  Liberal
  NDP
  Liberal-Labour


Constituency results[edit]

Algoma:

  • (incumbent) Bud Wildman (NDP) 7096
  • Vyrn Peterson (PC) 4770
  • Dan Koob (L) 1567

Algoma—Manitoulin:

  • (incumbent) John Lane (PC) 7160
  • Ernest Massicotte (L) 2986
  • Peter Boychuk (NDP) 2336

Armourdale:

  • (incumbent) Bruce McCaffrey (PC) 15938
  • Tim Rutledge (L) 8997
  • Bob Hebdon (NDP) 4240

Beaches—Woodbine:

Bellwoods:

  • (incumbent) Ross McClellan (NDP) 5111
  • Walter Bardyn (L) 4746
  • Tina Gabriel (PC) 2186
  • Sylvie Baillargeon (Comm) 246
  • Ronald G. Rodgers (Ind [Détente Party]) 180

Brampton:

Brantford:

Brant—Oxford—Haldimand:

  • (incumbent) Robert Nixon (L) 13067
  • Ian Birnie (PC) 6034
  • W.E. Jefferies (NDP) 2899

Brock:

  • (incumbent) Bob Welch (PC) 10547
  • Bill Andres (L) 6882
  • Heather Lee Kilty (NDP) 4204

Burlington South:

  • (incumbent) George Kerr (PC) 19037
  • Pearl Cameron (L) 8953
  • Michael C. Wright (NDP) 4942

Cambridge:

Carleton:

Carleton East:

Carleton-Grenville:

  • (incumbent) Norm Sterling (PC) 15202
  • Paul Raina (L) 5764
  • Alan White (NDP) 2391

Chatham—Kent:

  • (incumbent) Andy Watson (PC) 9471
  • Ron Franko (NDP) 6508
  • Darcy Want (L) 6466

Cochrane North:

  • René Piché (PC) 5910
  • Jean-Paul Bourgeault (L) 5722
  • Emil Touchette (NDP) 4426
  • Richard Coatsworth (Lbt) 274

Cochrane South:

  • (incumbent) Alan Pope (PC) 12540
  • John Sullivan (L) 6975
  • Cliff Simpson (NDP) 2777

Cornwall:

  • (incumbent) George Samis (NDP) 9484
  • Jim Kirkey (PC) 7817
  • Brian Lynch (L) 5333

Don Mills:

Dovercourt:

  • (incumbent) Tony Lupusella (NDP) 5491
  • Gil Gillespie (L) 5197
  • John Burigana (PC) 3416
  • Vince Corriero (Ind [Independent Liberal]) 258
  • Mel Doig (Comm) 162

Downsview:

Dufferin—Simcoe:

  • (incumbent) George McCague (PC) 18101
  • Larry MacKenzie (L) 6702
  • Ed Robinson (NDP) 4007

Durham East:

  • (incumbent) Sam Cureatz (PC) 14900
  • Bruce McArthur (NDP) 8648
  • Jim Potticary (L) 7226
  • Jeff Hubbell 253

Durham West:

  • (incumbent) George Ashe (PC) 17029
  • Norman Wei (L) 7446
  • Hugh Peacock (NDP) 6578
  • Bill Leslie (Lbt) 1215

Durham—York:

  • Ross Stevenson (PC) 14404
  • Gary Adamson (L) 6330
  • Margaret Wilbur (NDP) 4314

Eglinton:

  • (incumbent) Roy McMurtry (PC) 17386
  • Keith Polson (L) 5606
  • Eileen Elmy (NDP) 3324
  • Angelo R. Cosentini (Lbt) 466

Elgin:

  • (incumbent) Ron McNeil (PC) 13119
  • Maurice Dillon (L) 7306
  • Gord Campbell (NDP) 3250

Erie:

  • (incumbent) Ray Haggerty (L) 8796
  • Cam McKnight (PC) 5271
  • Barrie MacLeod (NDP) 3586

Essex North:

  • (incumbent) Dick Ruston (L) 9187
  • Marcel Lefebvre (NDP) 5911
  • Ron Arkell (PC) 4812

Essex South:

  • (incumbent) Remo Mancini (L) 10454
  • Wayne Patterson (PC) 5008
  • Blake Sanford (NDP) 4349

Etobicoke:

Fort William:

  • (incumbent) Mickey Hennessy (PC) 13038
  • Paul Lannon (NDP) 7585
  • Mike Burns (L) 3381

Frontenac—Addington:

  • (incumbent) J. Earl McEwen (L) 10558
  • Murray Gorham (PC) 10218
  • Vincent Maloney (NDP) 2374
  • Ross Baker 409
  • Sally Hayes (Lbt) 322

Grey:

  • (incumbent) Bob McKessock (L) 13334
  • John Young (PC) 8793
  • Joan Stone (NDP) 1629
  • Eric Biggins (Lbt) 284

Grey—Bruce:

  • (incumbent) Eddie Sargent (L) 14006
  • Bob Rutherford (PC) 7767
  • Frank Butler (NDP) 1455

Haldimand—Norfolk:

  • (incumbent) Gordon Miller (L) 16254
  • Clarence Abbott (PC) 8775
  • Lois Berry (NDP) 3744

Halton—Burlington:

  • (incumbent) Julian Reed (L) 13395
  • Fran Baines (PC) 12877
  • Chris Cutler (NDP) 3500

Hamilton Centre:

Hamilton East:

Hamilton Mountain:

  • (incumbent) Brian Charlton (NDP) 11008
  • Duncan Beattie (PC) 10811
  • Vince Agro (L) 8956

Hamilton West:

  • (incumbent) Stuart Smith (L) 12106
  • Alec Murray (PC) 9788
  • Joy Warner (NDP) 4255
  • Elizabeth Rowley (Comm) 260

Hastings—Peterborough:

High Park—Swansea:

  • Yuri Shymko (PC) 11473
  • (incumbent) Ed Ziemba (NDP) 8793
  • Peter C. Simonelis (L) 3635
  • Bob Cumming (Lbt) 507

Humber:

  • Morley Kells (PC) 20844
  • Jim Mills (L) 10064
  • Jacquie Chic (NDP) 3583

Huron—Bruce:

  • Murray Elston (L) 12164
  • Gary Harron (PC) 11940
  • Tony McQuail (NDP) 1979

Huron—Middlesex:

  • (incumbent) Jack Riddell (L) 10707
  • Jim Britnell (PC) 8618
  • Gwen Pemberton (NDP) 1170

Kenora:

  • (incumbent) Leo Bernier (PC) 10418
  • Colin Wasacase (NDP) 4170
  • Jeff Holmes (Liberal-Labour) 2536

Kent—Elgin:

  • (incumbent) Jim McGuigan (L) 10115
  • Wes Thompson (PC) 9778
  • Ed Cutler (NDP) 1591

Kingston and the Islands:

  • (incumbent) Keith Norton (PC) 12488
  • Carl Ross (L) 8465
  • Ron Murray (NDP) 3897

Kitchener:

  • (incumbent) Jim Breithaupt (L) 12592
  • Morley Rosenberg (PC) 7982
  • Ian MacFarlane (NDP) 4126

Kitchener—Wilmot:

  • (incumbent) John Sweeney (L) 11515
  • Alan Barron (PC) 8513
  • Hemi Mitic (NDP) 3686

Lake Nipigon:

Lambton:

  • (incumbent) Lorne Henderson (PC) 13467
  • Leigh Crozier (L) 6435
  • Ralph Wensley (NDP) 1276

Lanark—Renfrew:

  • (incumbent) Douglas Wiseman (PC) 10502
  • Ray Matthey (L) 3864
  • Cliff Bennett (NDP) 2659

Lakeshore:

  • Al Kolyn (PC) 10607
  • Don Sullivan (NDP) 9375
  • Bill Whelton (L) 5738
  • Gordon Flowers (Comm) 376

Leeds:

Lincoln:

London Centre:

  • (incumbent) David Peterson (L) 12315
  • Russ Monteith (PC) 8329
  • Diane Risler (NDP) 3189

London North:

  • (incumbent) Ron Van Horne (L) 15444
  • Ted Browne (PC) 11825
  • Sam Saumur (NDP) 3864

London South:

  • (incumbent) Gordon Walker (PC) 19714
  • Frank Green (L) 11116
  • Dale Green (NDP) 5187

Middlesex:

  • (incumbent) Robert G. Eaton (PC) 11672
  • Bob Coulthard (L) 8264
  • Larry Green (NDP) 2155

Mississauga East:

  • (incumbent) Bud Gregory (PC) 15759
  • Murray Schelter (L) 7716
  • Doug Bennett (NDP) 4829

Mississauga North:

  • (incumbent) Terry Jones (PC) 20331
  • John Brooks (L) 9130
  • Sylvia Weylie (NDP) 6667

Mississauga South:

  • (incumbent) Douglas Kennedy (PC) 14165
  • Basil Gerol (L) 7172
  • Neil Davis (NDP) 4126

Muskoka:

  • (incumbent) Frank Miller (PC) 9029
  • Ken McClellan (L) 4148
  • Jim Maguire (NDP) 3214

Niagara Falls:

Nickel Belt:

Nipissing:

Northumberland:

Oakville:

Oakwood:

  • (incumbent) Tony Grande (NDP) 8862
  • Harriet Wolman (PC) 5961
  • Jean Gammage (L) 4171
  • Nan McDonald (Comm) 624

Oriole:

Oshawa:

  • (incumbent) Michael Breaugh (NDP) 10307
  • Bob Boychyn (PC) 7836
  • Ivan Wallace (L) 3311

Ottawa Centre:

Ottawa East:

Ottawa South:

  • (incumbent) Claude Bennett (PC) 15218
  • Robert Dyck (L) 8832
  • Chris Chilton (NDP) 6146
  • Ray Turmel (Ind [SCO]) 259

Ottawa West:

  • (incumbent) Reuben Baetz (PC) 17418
  • George Anderson (L) 9112
  • Lofty MacMillan (NDP) 2348
  • Dale E. Alkerton (Ind [SCO]) 494

Oxford:

Parkdale:

  • Tony Ruprecht (L) 6941
  • (incumbent) Jan Dukszta (NDP) 6020
  • Verrol Whitmore (PC) 2914
  • Bill McGinnis (Ind) 289
  • Anna Larsen (Comm) 259

Parry Sound:

  • Ernie Eves (PC) 8955
  • Richard Thomas (L) 8949
  • Arthur Davis (NDP) 1448

Perth:

  • (incumbent) Hugh Edighoffer (L) 16283
  • Colleen Misener (PC) 7883
  • Scott Wilson (NDP) 1881

Peterborough:

Port Arthur:

  • (incumbent) Jim Foulds (NDP) 12258
  • Allan Laakkonen (PC) 10844
  • Kenneth R. Tilson (L) 3247
  • Dennis Deveau (Ind) 140
  • Paul Pugh (Comm) 103

Prescott and Russell:

Prince Edward—Lennox:

  • (incumbent) James Taylor (PC) 11135
  • Dan Brady (L) 6797
  • Bob King (NDP) 1423

Quinte:

  • (incumbent) Hugh O’Neil (L) 14861
  • George Mills (PC) 9517
  • Reg Pearson (NDP) 1795

Rainy River:

Renfrew North:

  • (incumbent) Sean Conway (L) 9113
  • Bryan D. Hocking (PC) 7137
  • Phil Chester (NDP) 1086

Renfrew South:

  • (incumbent) Paul Yakabuski (PC) 14552
  • Dick Trainor (L) 10420
  • Lynne Pattinson (NDP) 1174

Riverdale:

  • (incumbent) Jim Renwick (NDP) 6770
  • Peter Hesky (PC) 4088
  • Ed Schofield (L) 3237
  • Thelma R. Forsyth (Ind) 233
  • Anna Sideris (Comm) 158

St. Andrew—St. Patrick:

  • (incumbent) Larry Grossman (PC) 10674
  • Anne Johnston (L) 6839
  • Stanley E. Kutz (NDP) 3709
  • Judy Darcy (Ind [Workers Communist Party]) 262
  • Jeanne McGuire (Comm) 148
  • Sophia M. Firth (Ind) 106

St. Catharines:

Party Candidate Votes % +/-
Liberal (incumbent) Jim Bradley 16,509 51.85
Progressive Conservative John Larocque 10,273 32.26
New Democratic Don Loucks 4,927 15.47
Communist Norman J. Newell 132 0.41
Total valid votes 31,841 100.00
Rejected, unmarked and declined ballots 181
Turnout 32,022 57.20

St. David:

St. George:

Sarnia:

Sault Ste. Marie:

  • (incumbent) Russ Ramsay (PC) 14712
  • Albert Ferranti (L) 7555
  • Susan Brothers (NDP) 7162

Scarborough Centre:

  • (incumbent) Frank Drea (PC) 12793
  • Paul Rook (NDP) 4898
  • Kurt Christensen (L) 4657
  • D’Arcy Cain (Lbt) 531

Scarborough East:

  • (incumbent) Margaret Birch (PC) 16386
  • Charles Beer (L) 7301
  • Gordon Wilson (NDP) 4826
  • Jim McIntosh (Lbt) 562
  • Jeff Nelles (Ind [Rhinoceros]) 171

Scarborough—Ellesmere:

Scarborough North:

Scarborough West:

  • (incumbent) Richard Johnston (NDP) 10019
  • John Adams (PC) 9644
  • Barbara Fava (L) 3914
  • Kevin James (Ind [Rhinoceros]) 369

Simcoe Centre:

Simcoe East:

  • Al McLean (PC) 12487
  • Fayne Bullen (NDP) 9085
  • Jack Harber (L) 7320
  • Ted Wolda (Ind) 749

Stormont—Dundas and Glengarry:

  • (incumbent) Osie Villeneuve (PC) 12487
  • Gerry Rosenquist (L) 7846
  • Joe O’Neil (NDP) 1836

Sudbury:

  • Jim Gordon (PC) 12043
  • (incumbent) Bud Germa (NDP) 8052
  • Jim Marchbank (L) 5998
  • Richard Orlandini (Comm) 115

Sudbury East:

  • (incumbent) Elie Martel (NDP) 13883
  • George McDonald (PC) 9420
  • Esther Davidson (L) 4909

Timiskaming:

  • (incumbent) Ed Havrot (PC) 8377
  • Bob Bain (NDP) 6768
  • Leo St. Cyr (L) 3593

Victoria—Haliburton:

  • (incumbent) John Eakins (L) 12807
  • Dave Murray (PC) 10509
  • Art Field (NDP) 2449

Waterloo North:

  • (incumbent) Herbert Epp (L) 12843
  • Bob Labbett (PC) 9606
  • Bob Needham (NDP) 3672

Welland—Thorold:

  • (incumbent) Mel Swart (NDP) 13379
  • Al Lacavera (L) 7916
  • Ivy Riddell (PC) 5564

Wellington—Dufferin—Peel:

  • (incumbent) Jack Johnson (PC) 16644
  • Elbert van Donkersgoed (L) 8136
  • Marion Chambers (NDP) 4650

Wellington South:

  • (incumbent) Harry Worton (L) 16237
  • Peter Mercer (PC) 7917
  • Terry Crowley (NDP) 5934
  • Lynne Hulley (Comm) 224

Wentworth:

Wentworth North:

Wilson Heights:

Windsor—Riverside:

  • (incumbent) Dave Cooke (NDP) 13626
  • Gerry Levesque (L) 9102
  • Sandy Thomson (PC) 4418
  • John H. Snyder (Ind) 333

Windsor—Sandwich:

Windsor—Walkerville:

  • (incumbent) Bernard Newman (L) 10553
  • Ray Simpson (NDP) 4988
  • Tom Porter (PC) 3428
  • Gerard O’Neil (Comm) 238

York Centre:

York East:

  • (incumbent) Robert Elgie (PC) 14562
  • Lois Cox (NDP) 4935
  • Don McNeill (L) 4811
  • Ed McDonald (Comm) 628
  • E. Scott Hughes (Unparty) 460

York Mills:

York North:

  • (incumbent) Bill Hodgson (PC) 18405
  • Jim Wilson (L) 10216
  • Keith Munro (NDP) 4614

York South:

  • (incumbent) Donald C. MacDonald (NDP) 9518
  • Les Green (L) 8099
  • Barbara Jafelice (PC) 7628
  • Mike Phillips (Comm) 472

Yorkview:

York West:

  • (incumbent) Nick Leluk (PC) 18501
  • Michael Eagen (L) 10228
  • Pauline Durning (NDP) 2865
  • Don Douloff (Ind [Rhinoceros]) 538

Post-election changes[edit]

Hamilton West: Stuart Smith resigned his legislative seat on January 25, 1982, and a by-election was called for June 17, 1982.

York South: Donald C. MacDonald resigned his legislative seat in 1982, and a by-election was called for November 4, 1982.

Stormont—Dundas and Glengarry: Osie Villeneuve died in 1983, and a by-election has called on December 15, 1983:

Frontenac—Addington: Liberal MPP J. Earl McEwen crossed the floor to join the Progressive Conservatives in 1984.

Hamilton Centre: Sheila Copps resigned her legislative seat in 1984, and a by-election was held on December 13, 1984:

Ottawa Centre: Michael Cassidy resigned his legislative seat in 1984, and a by-election was held on December 13, 1984.

Ottawa East: Albert J. Roy resigned his legislative seat in 1984, and a by-election was held on December 13, 1984:

Prescott and Russell: Don Boudria resigned his legislative seat in 1984, and a by-election was held on December 13, 1984:

Wentworth North: Eric Cunningham resigned his legislative seat in 1984, and a by-election was held on December 13, 1984:

Riverdale: Jim Renwick died in 1984.

Kitchener: Jim Breithaupt resigned in 1984.

Rainy River: T. Patrick Reid resigned in 1984.

Eglinton: Roy McMurtry resigned his seat in 1985 to take a government position in the United Kingdom.

See also[edit]

Further reading[edit]

  • Byers, R. B., ed. (1984). Canadian annual review of politics and public affairs. 1981. Toronto: University of Toronto Press. ISBN 978-1-4426-7195-9.

References[edit]

  1. ^ Oziewicz, Stan (March 16, 1981). "Liberals say voters shifting because of Tory giveaways". The Globe and Mail. p. 32.
  2. ^ Speirs, Rosemary (February 26, 1985). "PC official against release of poll: Tories have a 'solid lead,' but survey called 'one-shot'". The Globe and Mail. p. 4.
  3. ^ a b c d e f "1981 general election results". Elections Ontario. Retrieved November 1, 2023.