1958 Toronto municipal election explained

Election Name:1958 Toronto mayoral election
Country:Toronto
Type:Mayoral
Ongoing:no
Party Name:no
Previous Election:1956 Toronto municipal election
Previous Year:1956
Election Date:December 1, 1958
Next Election:1960 Toronto municipal election
Next Year:1960
Candidate1:Nathan Phillips
Popular Vote1:53,776
Percentage1:52.9%
Image1:Mayor Nathan Phillips wearing chain of office (cropped).jpg
Candidate2:Ford Brand
Popular Vote2:30,736
Percentage2:30.3%
Candidate3:Joseph Cornish
Popular Vote3:17,089
Percentage3:16.8%
Image3:Joseph Cornish 1956 (cropped).jpg
Mayor of Toronto
Before Election:Nathan Phillips
After Election:Nathan Phillips

Municipal elections were held in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on December 1, 1958. Four year incumbent mayor Nathan Phillips won reelection against Controller Ford Brand, who was supported by the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation and Toronto Labour Council, and Controller Joseph Cornish.

Toronto mayor

One of the central issues was the proposal to develop the south side of Queen Street across from the new Toronto City Hall.

Results
  • Nathan Phillips - 53,776
  • Ford Brand - 30,736
  • Joseph Cornish - 17,089

    Plebiscite

    A vote was held on extending the municipal franchise to all people who are aged 21 and over who are British subjects and have lived in the city for at least one year. At the time of the plebiscite, the right to vote was restricted to property owners and people living in two or more rooms with an assessed value of $400 or more. A similar plebiscite had been held in 1956 and passed by a margin of 56,000 to 26,000 but when the city asked the provincial government to pass legislation enacting the change, the government instead passed legislation allowing each municipality in the province to hold a referendum and so Toronto was required to put the question on the ballot again.[1]

    Extending the franchise
  • Yes - 59,729
  • No - 22,436

    Source:[2]

    Board of Control

    The two sitting controllers running for reelection to the Board of Control, Jean Newman and William Allen, easily won reelection. Newman topped the polls for the second time and after the election she immediately announced her intention to run for mayor in 1960. The decision of Brand and Cornish to run for mayor opened two vacancies on the board. These were won by conservative east end Alderman Donald Summerville and Co-operative Commonwealth Federation-backed Alderman William Dennison. Only narrowly losing was former Toronto mayor Leslie Saunders. Other notable candidates included former Controller Roy E. Belyea, Alderman Ross Parry, and anti-Blue Laws advocate James Karfilis.

    The most senior two Controllers in terms of votes also sat on Metro Toronto Council.

    Results
  • Jean Newman (incumbent) - 59,243
  • William Allen (incumbent) - 52,462
  • Donald Summerville - 49,476
  • William Dennison - 33,612
  • Leslie Saunders - 33,469
  • Roy E. Belyea - 27,024
  • Ross Parry - 25,195
  • James Karfilis - 10,971
  • Harry Bradley - 10,499
  • Ross Dowson - 4,539
  • George Rolland - 3,834

    City council

    Two aldermen were elected per Ward. The alderman with the most votes was declared Senior Alderman and sat on both Toronto City Council and Metro Council.

    Ward 1 (Riverdale)
  • Ken Waters (incumbent) - 7,675
  • Fred Beavis (incumbent) - 5,540
  • William Lang - 4,321
  • Peter Metheus - 1,159
  • Joe Rosenblatt - 521
    Ward 2 (Regent Park and Rosedale)
  • May Birchard (incumbent) - 3,355
  • Margaret Campbell - 3,295
  • Michael Grayson - 2,624
  • Stanley Price - 2,552
  • Douglas Shaw - 1,138
  • George Taylor - 925
  • Edwards - 881
  • Hugh Dowson - 520
    Ward 3 (West Downtown and Summerhill)
  • William Archer - 3,307
  • Charles Tidy - 2,601
  • John MacVicar (incumbent) - 1,980
  • Gordon Peck - 1,480
  • Richard James - 1,288
  • Ralph Meakes - 576
  • James Sanderson - 308
    Ward 4 (The Annex, Kensington Market and Garment District)
  • Herbert Orliffe (incumbent) - 4,256
  • Francis Chambers (incumbent) - 3,600
  • David Rotenberg - 2,631
  • Mark Frank - 802
  • Albert Finkelstein - 794
  • Dorothy Cureatz - 500
    Ward 5 (Trinity-Bellwoods and Little Italy)
  • Philip Givens (incumbent) - 4,897
  • Harold Menzies (incumbent) - 3,866
  • Louis Lockhart - 2,085
  • Joseph Piccininni - 1,268
  • Peter D'Agostino - 1,086
  • Ben Nobleman - 823
  • Paul Pauk - 792
  • John Anture - 541
  • John Mracek - 488
  • Anthony Fascioni - 478
    Ward 6 (Davenport and Parkdale)
  • May Robinson (incumbent) - 8,492
  • Frank Clifton (incumbent) - 8,035
  • George Jackson - 2,761
  • Pauline Miles - 2,037
  • William Stevens - 2,008
  • Kenneth Sutherland - 1,607
    Ward 7 (Bloor West Village)
  • Mary Temple - 4,339
  • William Davidson (incumbent) - 4,211
  • Thomas Wilson (incumbent) - 3,009
  • John O'Shea - 1,802
  • William Otis - 480
    Ward 8 (The Beaches)
  • A.G. Cranham (incumbent) - 9,216
  • Alex Hodgins - 7,516
  • Chris Stavro - 5,276
  • Stanley Baker - 2,691
  • Edward Cox - 2,367
  • John Square - 1,341
    Ward 9 (North Toronto)
  • Frank Nash (incumbent) - acclaimed
  • Kenneth Ostrander (incumbent) - acclaimedNash chosen Metro Councillor

    Results are taken from the December 2, 1958 Toronto Star and might not exactly match final tallies.

    Suburbs

    East York

    Reeve
  • (incumbent)Jack Raymond Allen - 5,259
  • Harry G. Simpson - 4,655

    Source:

    Etobicoke

    Reeve
  • (incumbent)Henry Oscar Waffle - 10,963
  • Kerr - 9,787

    Source:[3]

    Forest Hill

    Reeve
  • (incumbent)Laurie T. Simonsky (acclaimed)

    Leaside

    Mayor
  • (incumbent)Charles Hiscott - 2,338
  • Page - 1,286

    Source:[3]

    Long Branch

    Reeve
  • (incumbent)Marie Curtis - 1,391
  • Cambers - 525

    Source:[3]

    Mimico

    Mayor
  • (incumbent)William Arthur (Gus) Edwards - 1,654
  • Hugh Griggs - 1,464

    Source:[3]

    New Toronto

    Mayor
  • (incumbent)Donald Russell (acclaimed)

    North York

    Reeve
  • Norman C. Goodhead 18,238
  • James Walker - 14,405

    Source: Toronto Daily Star (1900-1971); Toronto, Ontario [Toronto, Ontario]. 02 Dec 1958: 8.

    Scarborough

    Reeve
  • (incumbent)Albert Campbell - 12,153
  • Augustus Harris - 6,710
  • Taylor - 6,686
  • Broley - 1,581

    Source:[3]

    Swansea

    Reeve
  • (incumbent)Dorothy Hague (acclaimed)

    Weston

    Mayor
  • Jack L. Holley - 1,333
  • Clark - 924

    Source:[3]

    York

    Reeve
  • (incumbent):Chris Tonks - 11,364
  • Charles McMaster - 3,258
  • Betty Shapero - 1,643

    Source:[3]

    References

    Notes and References

    1. "Extend Vote?: Electors Asked Again", The Globe and Mail (1936-2016); Toronto, Ont. [Toronto, Ont]28 Nov 1958: 13.
    2. "Vote on Question", The Globe and Mail (1936-2016); Toronto, Ont. [Toronto, Ont]02 Dec 1958: 4.
    3. "Suburban Election Results", The Globe and Mail (1936-2016); Toronto, Ont. [Toronto, Ont]02 Dec 1958: 8.

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