1952 Toronto municipal election explained

Election Name:1952 Toronto mayoral election
Country:Toronto
Type:Mayoral
Ongoing:no
Party Name:no
Previous Election:1951 Toronto municipal election
Previous Year:1951
Election Date:December 1, 1952
Next Election:1953 Toronto municipal election
Next Year:1953
Candidate1:Allan Lamport
Popular Vote1:81,448
Percentage1:66%
Image1:File:Allan_Austin_Lamport.jpg
Candidate2:Nathan Phillips
Popular Vote2:41,923
Percentage2:33%
Mayor of Toronto
Before Election:Allan Lamport
After Election:Allan Lamport

Municipal elections were held in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on December 1, 1952. Incumbent mayor Allan Lamport easily won against former alderman Nathan Phillips.

There were two referendum questions on the ballot. One called for municipal terms in the city to be extended from one year to two. This measure was rejected, but was later passed in the 1955 election. The second measure was to approve funds for the construction of the Regent Park housing project, which was passed by a slim margin.

The province of Ontario passed legislation on April 7, 1953 federating the City of Toronto and twelve surrounding suburban townships and villages into the municipality of Metropolitan Toronto. A Metropolitan Toronto Council came into being on April 15, 1953 and was made up of the Metro Chairman, Frederick Gardiner, who had been appointed by the province, the Mayor of Toronto, the City of Toronto's two most senior Controllers, nine senior aldermen from each of the City of Toronto (the top finisher in each ward), and the twelve suburban mayors and reeves.[1]

Toronto mayor

Lamport and Phillips had contested the mayoralty a year earlier in 1951. Phillips' vote increased substantially in the rematch, but Lamport was still easily reelected.

Results:
  • Allan Lamport - 81,448
  • Nathan Phillips - 41,923

    Board of Control

    All four incumbents were reelected to the Board of Control despite several high-profile candidates running as well. Two sitting aldermen, Joseph Cornish and John McMechan, ran for spots, but finished fifth and sixth. In seventh was former Controller and Communist Stewart Smith.

    Results
  • Leslie Saunders (incumbent) - 71,597
  • Louis Shannon (incumbent) - 61,154
  • David Balfour (incumbent) - 58,898
  • Ford Brand (incumbent) - 58,648
  • Joseph Cornish - 41,086
  • John McMechan - 30,219
  • Stewart Smith - 19,061
  • Harry Bradley - 17,480
  • Frederick Vacher - 7,065
  • Mahoney - 7,046

    City council

    Ward 1 (Riverdale)
  • William Allen (incumbent) - 9,886
  • Ken Waters - 8,583
  • Spence - 2,368
  • Morrison - 1,961
    Ward 2 (Cabbagetown and Rosedale)
  • William Dennison - 4,090
  • Edgar Roxborough - 3,657
  • C.M. Edwards - 2,436
  • Irene Nash - 1,086
  • Wilson - 1,085
  • Ross - 843
  • Taylor - 773
  • Burke - 611
  • Hill - 490
    Ward 3 (West Downtown and Summerhill)
  • John McVicar (incumbent) - 4,826
  • Howard Phillips (incumbent) - 4,154
  • Richard Newson - 1,238
    Ward 4 (The Annex, Kensington Market and Garment District)
  • Allan Grossman (incumbent) - 6,143
  • Francis Chambers (incumbent) - 5,920
  • Norman Freed - 3,156
  • Henderson - 1,053
    Ward 5 (Trinity-Bellwoods and Little Italy)
  • Joseph Gould - 6,490
  • Philip Givens (incumbent) - 6,294
  • Harold Menzies - 4,851
  • Charles Sims - 3,692
  • Lockhart - 1,372
    Ward 6 (Davenport and Parkdale)
  • May Robinson (incumbent) - 10,291
  • Frank Clifton - 7,177
  • Lester Nelson - 6,350
  • Colucci - 4,065
  • Hector MacArthur - 2,174
  • Genovese - 1,747
  • Patrick McKeown - 1,112
    Ward 7 (West Toronto Junction)
  • William Davidson (incumbent) - 6,017
  • John Kucherepa (incumbent) - 4,441
  • John Duncan - 4,260
  • Selkirk - 2,919
    Ward 8 (The Beaches)
  • Ross Lipsett (incumbent) - 11,898
  • Alex Hodgins (incumbent) - 10,913
  • McNulty - 4,671
  • William Probert - 3,603
  • John Square - 893
    Ward 9 (North Toronto)
  • Roy E. Belyea (incumbent) - 14,007
  • Leonard Reilly (incumbent) - 10,241
  • David Burt - 9,807

    Results are taken from the December 3, 1953 Toronto Star and might not exactly match final tallies.

    Outside Toronto

    East York

    (Election held on December 14)

    Reeve
  • Harry G. Simpson - acclaimed
    Deputy Reeve
  • Marie Taylor - 3,994
  • Norman Cheeseman - 3,635Source:[2]

    Etobicoke

    (Election held on December 6)

    Reeve
  • Beverley Lewis (acclaimed)
    Deputy Reeve
  • Edward A. Horton - 7,297
  • William V. Muir - 2,765Source:

    Forest Hill

    Reeve
  • Charles O. Bick - acclaimed
    Deputy Reeve
  • Lawrence Simonsky - acclaimed

    Source: "Start Municipal Election Battles in Three Suburbs Today; Forest Hill Reeve Retires", Baker, Alden. The Globe and Mail (1936-2016); Toronto, Ont. [Toronto, Ont]17 Nov 1952: 9

    Leaside

    (Election held on December 14)

    Mayor
  • Howard T. Burrell - 2,340
  • Robert Clark - 1,098
    Reeve
  • David Brown (acclaimed)
    Deputy Reeve
  • Royce Frith - 1,839
  • Ernest Frey - 1,779Source:[2]

    Long Branch

    (Election held on December 6)

    Reeve
  • Marie Curtis - 1,318
  • Thomas Carter (incumbent) - 1,168

    Source:[3]

    Mimico

    Mayor

    Source:[3]

    New Toronto

    Mayor
  • E.W. Grant (acclaimed)Source:[3]

    North York

    (Election held on December 1)

    Reeve
  • Fred McMahon - 6,382
  • Nelson A. Boylen (incumbent) - 4,771
  • H.C. Gay - 4,256
  • Peter N. Byberg - 2,629 Source: "Lawyer Provides Upset: 3-Time North York Reeve Beaten", The Globe and Mail (1936-2016); Toronto, Ont. [Toronto, Ont]02 Dec 1952: C5. and "McMahon defeats Boylen in N. York", Toronto Daily Star (1900-1971); Toronto, Ontario [Toronto, Ontario]02 Dec 1952: 22.

    Scarborough

    (Election held on December 6)

    Reeve
  • Oliver E. Crockford - 8,428
  • James Vander Meulen - 3,803Source:[4]

    Swansea

    Reeve
  • Dorothy Hague - acclaimedSource: "Seven Municipalities Within Greater Toronto Going to Polls Today", Baker, Alden. The Globe and Mail (1936-2016); Toronto, Ont. [Toronto, Ont]06 Dec 1952: 4.

    Weston

    Mayor
  • Richard C. Seagrave (acclaimed)
    Reeve
  • J.F. Petrie (acclaimed)
    Deputy Reeve
  • Ernest Lunnon (acclaimed)

    Source: "Top Weston Officials Receive Acclamation", The Globe and Mail (1936-2016); Toronto, Ont. [Toronto, Ont]20 Nov 1952: 5.

    York Township

    (Election held on December 8)

    Reeve
  • Frederick W. Hall - 10,288
  • Charles McMaster - 5,178Source:[3]

    References

    Notes and References

    1. "Inaugural Meeting April 15 Large Sums To Be Needed For Services", The Globe and Mail (1936-2016); Toronto, Ont. [Toronto, Ont]08 Apr 1953: 1
    2. "Suburban Elections", The Globe and Mail (1936-2016); Toronto, Ont. [Toronto, Ont]15 Dec 1952: 8.
    3. "Suburban Elections: York Township", The Globe and Mail (1936-2016); Toronto, Ont. [Toronto, Ont]08 Dec 1952: 4
    4. "Crockford Returned As Scarboro Reeve", The Globe and Mail (1936-2016); Toronto, Ont. [Toronto, Ont]09 Dec 1952: 1.

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