2011 Ontario general election

The 2011 Ontario general election was held on October 6, 2011, to elect members of the 40th Legislative Assembly of Ontario. The Ontario Liberal Party was elected to a minority government, with the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario (PC Party) serving as the Official Opposition and the Ontario New Democratic Party (NDP) serving as the third party. In the final result, Premier McGuinty's party fell one seat short of winning a majority government.

Under amendments passed by the Legislature in December 2005, Ontario elections were now held on fixed dates, namely the first Thursday of October every four years.^[2] The writ of election was issued by Lieutenant Governor David Onley on September 7, 2011.

The election saw a then–record low voter turnout of 48.2%,^[1] only to be surpassed by the 2022 Ontario general election with 43.53%.

Timeline

2007

• October 10, 2007: Elections held for members of the Ontario Legislature in the 39th Legislative Assembly of Ontario.
• November 29, 2007: The 39th Legislative Assembly of Ontario officially opens with the Speech from the Throne.

2008

• February 23, 2008: John Tory's continued leadership of the Progressive Conservative party is endorsed by 66.9% of delegates at a leadership review.
• June 14, 2008: Premier Dalton McGuinty receives the support of 95.4% of delegates from the Ontario Liberal Party's mandatory leadership review.
• June 14, 2008: NDP leader Howard Hampton announces he will be stepping down as party leader at the March 7, 2009 NDP leadership convention.

2009

• January 9, 2009: Progressive Conservative MPP Laurie Scott announces her resignation from the legislature to allow party leader John Tory, who has been without a seat since his defeat in Don Valley West in the 2007 election, to re-enter the legislature.
• March 5, 2009: In the Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock by-election following Scott's resignation, Tory is defeated by Liberal candidate Rick Johnson.
• March 6, 2009: John Tory resigns as Progressive Conservative leader pending the selection of an interim party leader.
• March 7, 2009: Andrea Horwath is elected leader of the Ontario NDP at the party's 2009 leadership convention.
• June 27, 2009: Tim Hudak is elected leader of the Progressive Conservative party at its 2009 leadership election and also becomes the new Leader of the Opposition.
• September 17, 2009: Eric Hoskins is elected as the MPP for the riding of St. Paul's following the resignation of Michael Bryant on June 7, 2009.
• November 4, 2009: Mike Schreiner is affirmed as the new leader of the Green Party of Ontario, receiving 97% approval from the party membership defeating the None of the Above ballot option, in the 2009 leadership election.

2010

• January 29, 2010: Bob Runciman resigns his seat to accept appointment to the Senate of Canada.
• February 1, 2010: Jim Watson resigns his seat to run for Mayor in the 2010 Ottawa municipal election
• February 4, 2010: Glen Murray is elected as the MPP for the riding of Toronto Centre following the resignation of George Smitherman on January 4, 2010.
• March 4, 2010: Bob Chiarelli is elected as the MPP for the riding of Ottawa West—Nepean and Steve Clark is elected as the MPP for the riding of Leeds—Grenville.
• December 16, 2010: Peter Fonseca resigned from cabinet to run for the federal Liberals in the riding of Mississauga East—Cooksville in the 2011 federal election.^[3]

2011

• June 3, 2011: Essex MPP Bruce Crozier dies of an aortic aneurysm.^[4]
• September 7, 2011: Official election call, Premier McGuinty formally asks the Lt. Governor to dissolve the legislature. The campaign will be 29 days long.
• September 21–30, 2011: Advance polling stations open for early voting from 10:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m.^[5]
• September 27, 2011: The televised Leaders debate aired on CBC, CHCH, CTV, Global, TVOntario and Sun News Network, with Liberal leader and Premier Dalton McGuinty, Progressive Conservative leader Tim Hudak and New Democratic Party leader Andrea Horwath.^[6]
• October 6, 2011: Ontario general election from 9:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. EDT (8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. CDT in north-western part of the province).

Party leadership

In March 2009, PC Party leader John Tory stepped down as leader, with Tim Hudak elected to be his successor. Also in March 2009, Andrea Horwath replaced Howard Hampton as leader of the NDP at the leadership election. Thus, both the Progressive Conservatives and the NDP went into the election with a new leader. Green Party of Ontario leader Frank de Jong stepped down in November 2009; their leadership convention confirmed Mike Schreiner as their new leader. Dalton McGuinty won 95 percent support for his leadership at an Ontario Liberal annual general meeting after the 2007 election, and ran again in 2011.

Incumbents not running for reelection

Results

Summary

Regional analysis

Synopsis of results

  = open seat

  = turnout is above provincial average

  = incumbent re-elected

  = incumbency arose from byelection gain

1. "2011 Ontario General Election". elections.on.ca. Elections Ontario. Retrieved June 20, 2023. Error in EO report re Willowdale corrected: "Alexander Brown for Willowdale". willowdalendp.ca. November 7, 2011. Archived from the original on November 7, 2011. Retrieved June 21, 2023.
2. including spoilt ballots
3. minor political parties receiving less than 1% of the popular vote are aggregated under "Other"; independent candidates are aggregated separately

Maps

• 
  Support for Liberal Party candidates by riding
• 
  Support for Conservative Party candidates by riding
• 
  Support for New Democratic Party candidates by riding
• 
  Support for Green Party candidates by riding

Principal races

Significant results among independent and minor party candidates

Those candidates not belonging to a major party, receiving more than 1,000 votes in the election, are listed below:

Seats changing hands

There were 18 seats that changed allegiance from the 2007 election.

Opinion polls

Media endorsements

Liberals

• Barrie Advance ^[25]
• The Globe and Mail ^[26]
• Hamilton Spectator ^[27]
• Ottawa Citizen ^[28]
• Sudbury Star ^[29]
• Toronto Star ^[30]
• Waterloo Region Record ^[31]
• Windsor Star ^[32]

Progressive Conservatives

• Brampton Guardian ^[33]
• Metroland Durham Region Media Group ^[34]
• National Post ^[35]

Did not endorse

• Toronto Sun,^[36] Ottawa Sun ^[37]

References

1. "Statistical Summary" (PDF). [Elections Ontario]. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 25, 2018. Retrieved March 24, 2018.
2. "Election Statute Law Amendment Act, 2005". Service Ontario e-laws. December 15, 2005. Archived from the original on June 13, 2011. Retrieved May 19, 2008.
3. "Robert Benzie and Susan Delacourt. "Ontario cabinet minister to seek federal seat." Toronto Star". Toronto Star. Archived from the original on October 23, 2012. Retrieved September 7, 2017.
4. Benzie, Robert (June 4, 2011). "Retiring Liberal MPP Bruce Crozier dead". The Toronto Star. Toronto. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved June 6, 2011.
5. "Elections Ontario - When to Vote". Wemakevotingeasy.ca. September 30, 2011. Archived from the original on October 6, 2011. Retrieved October 7, 2011.
6. "Ontario leaders' debate set for Sept. 27". CBC.ca. September 2, 2011. Archived from the original on September 3, 2011. Retrieved September 2, 2011.
7. Examiner staff (January 21, 2011). "Aileen Carroll won't seek a second term". The Barrie Examiner. Barrie, ON. Archived from the original on July 22, 2011. Retrieved June 6, 2011.
8. Benzie, Robert (July 5, 2010). "Conservative MPP Bill Murdoch to ride off into the sunset". The Toronto Star. Toronto. Archived from the original on October 24, 2012. Retrieved June 6, 2011.
9. The Canadian Press (February 21, 2011). "MPP Savoline will not seek re-election". The Hamilton Spectator. Hamilton. Archived from the original on July 17, 2011. Retrieved June 6, 2011.
10. Nugget, Carol-Ann (October 14, 2010). "MPP Gerry Martiniuk to retire from provincial politics in 2011". Cambridge Now. Cambridge, ON. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved June 6, 2011.
11. "Veteran Ontario MPP Norm Sterling loses bitter PC nomination battle " Archived March 4, 2016, at the Wayback Machine. Globe and Mail.
12. QMI Agency (November 25, 2010). "Hoy won't seek re-election". London Free Press. London, ON. Archived from the original on March 19, 2012. Retrieved June 6, 2011.
13. Liberal backbencher Tony Ruprecht won’t seek re-election Archived October 24, 2012, at the Wayback Machine "Toronto Star"
14. Liberal MPP Caplan not running again Archived October 24, 2012, at the Wayback Machine "Toronto Star"
15. Chant, Miranda (November 9, 2011). "Elgin-Middlesex-London MPP Calls it Quits". News/Talk 1290 CJBK. London, ON. Archived from the original on July 8, 2011. Retrieved June 6, 2011.
16. Sherwin, Fred (April 13, 2011). "Veteran MPP calls it a day after 41 years in politics". Orléans Online. Ottawa. Archived from the original on September 27, 2011. Retrieved June 6, 2011.
17. Robert, Benzie (July 30, 2011). "Former NDP leader Howard Hampton quits". The Toronto Star. Toronto. Archived from the original on October 24, 2012. Retrieved July 30, 2011.
18. Cramer, Brandi (November 19, 2011). "Smith steps aside: MPP recalls her accomplishments and regrets". North Bay Nugget. North Bay, ON. Archived from the original on July 20, 2011. Retrieved June 6, 2011.
19. "Longtime Pickering politician calls it quits"^{[permanent dead link]}. Pickering News Advertiser.
20. The Canadian Press (March 25, 2011). "Veteran MPP Gerry Phillips the latest Ontario Liberal not seeking re-election". iPolitics.ca. Archived from the original on July 20, 2011. Retrieved June 6, 2011.
21. CTV staff (November 29, 2010). "Liberal MPP Bruce Crozier retires". CTV Ottawa. Ottawa. Archived from the original on October 22, 2012. Retrieved June 6, 2011.
22. Blizzard, Christine (January 13, 2011). "MPP David Ramsay won't run again". The Toronto Sun. Toronto. Archived from the original on September 16, 2011. Retrieved June 6, 2011.
23. Talaga, Tanya (June 3, 2011). "NDP's Peter Kormos to retire". The Toronto Star. Toronto. Archived from the original on October 24, 2012. Retrieved June 3, 2011.
24. Benzie, Robert; Rob Ferguson (June 10, 2011). "Liberals lose a star: Sandra Pupatello won't seek re-election". Toronto Star. Toronto. Archived from the original on October 24, 2012. Retrieved June 10, 2011.
25. "Simcoe County Breaking News - Simcoe County's Online Newspaper". Simcoe.com. Archived from the original on March 15, 2012. Retrieved April 15, 2019.
26. Canada. "Dalton McGuinty's Liberals the best choice for Ontario's challenges". Toronto: The Globe and Mail. Archived from the original on October 23, 2011. Retrieved October 7, 2011.
27. "Liberals, despite faults, are the best option". TheSpec. Archived from the original on October 6, 2011. Retrieved October 7, 2011.
28. Ottawa Citizen October 4, 2011. "Hold your nose and vote Liberal". Ottawacitizen.com. Archived from the original on December 16, 2011. Retrieved October 7, 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
29. "Liberals best fit for Sudbury - Point of View - The Sudbury Star - Ontario, CA". The Sudbury Star. October 3, 2011. Retrieved October 7, 2011.^{[permanent dead link]}
30. "Liberals best choice for Ontario's future". thestar.com. Toronto. September 30, 2011. Archived from the original on January 5, 2012. Retrieved October 7, 2011.
31. "Editorial: Liberals offer voters best hope". TheRecord. September 30, 2011. Archived from the original on November 6, 2011. Retrieved October 7, 2011.
32. The Windsor Star October 1, 2011 (October 1, 2011). "Ontario votes". Windsorstar.com. Archived from the original on December 9, 2011. Retrieved October 7, 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
33. "EDITORIAL: Vote for change". BramptonGuardian Article. September 29, 2011. Archived from the original on April 6, 2012. Retrieved October 7, 2011.
34. "Progressive Conservatives the party to lead Ontario". DurhamRegion Article. September 29, 2011. Archived from the original on October 10, 2011. Retrieved October 7, 2011.
35. "On Thursday, Ontarians should vote Conservative". Nationalpost.com. October 3, 2011. Retrieved October 7, 2011.^{[permanent dead link]}
36. "Ontario deserves better | Editorial | Opinion". Toronto Sun. Archived from the original on October 7, 2011. Retrieved October 7, 2011.
37. "Editorial: None of the above | Editorial | Opinion". Ottawa Sun. October 1, 2011. Archived from the original on November 2, 2011. Retrieved October 7, 2011.

External links

• Elections Ontario
• Elections Ontario, 2011 General Election
• Election Almanac - Ontario Provincial Election 2011
• Detailed interactive map of poll-level results