# Toronto West (provincial electoral district)

Toronto West, also known as West Toronto, was a provincial riding that was created in Toronto, Ontario when the country of Canada was established in 1867. At the time Toronto was divided into two ridings, West Toronto and East Toronto. In 1886, these ridings were dissolved and a combined riding of the entire city was created which elected three members. In 1894 this riding was split into four parts of which Toronto West was one. It occupied the western part of the old city of Toronto. From 1908 to 1914 it elected two members to the legislature.
In 1914 the Toronto West district was abolished. The districts of Toronto East, Toronto North, Toronto South and Toronto West were replaced by Toronto Northeast, Toronto Northwest, Toronto Southwest and Toronto Southeast, which were constituted as two-member districts. Parkdale and Riverdale were created as single-member constituencies.

## Boundaries

In 1867, when the province of Ontario was established, two ridings were created to represent the city of Toronto. Toronto West was created from the city wards of St. John, St. Andrew, St. Patrick and St. George.
In 1886 the riding was abolished and a single riding called Toronto, representing the entire city was created which elected three members to the legislature.
The riding was re-formed in 1894. In the second incarnation, the boundaries were Lake Ontario to the south between Palmerston Avenue in the east and the city limits in the west. The northern boundary was the city limits which was formed by the Grand Trunk Railway right-of-way.
In 1914, the riding was split between the new ridings - Toronto Southwest, Toronto Northwest and Parkdale.

## Members of Provincial Parliament

| Parliament | Years | Member | Party |
| Riding established in 1867 |||||
| 1st | 1867–1871 | John Wallis | Conservative |
| 2nd | 1871–1875 | Adam Crooks | Liberal |
| 3rd | 1875–1879 | Robert Bell | Conservative |
| 4th | 1879–1883 | Robert Bell | Conservative |
| 5th | 1883–1886 | Henry Clarke | Conservative |
| Riding dissolved into combined Toronto riding in 1886 |||||
| Riding reestablished in 1894 |||||
| 8th | 1894–1898 | Thomas Crawford | Conservative |
| 9th | 1898–1902 | Thomas Crawford | Conservative |
| 10th | 1902–1905 | Thomas Crawford | Conservative |
| 11th | 1905–1908 | Thomas Crawford | Conservative |
| Seat A |||||
| 12th | 1908–1911 | Thomas Crawford | Conservative |
| 13th | 1911–1914 | Thomas Crawford | Conservative |
| Seat B |||||
| 12th | 1908–1911 | William McPherson | Conservative |
| 13th | 1911–1914 | William McPherson | Conservative |
| | | Sourced from the Ontario Legislative Assembly | |
| Merged into Toronto Southwest, Toronto Northwest and Parkdale ridings after 1911 |||||

## Election results
### 1867–1886

vte1867 Ontario general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | John Wallis | 1,439 | 57.26 |
| | Liberal | Adam Crooks | 1,074 | 42.74 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 2,513 | 52.94 |
| Eligible voters | Eligible voters | Eligible voters | 4,747 |
| | Conservative pickup new district. | Conservative pickup new district. | Conservative pickup new district. | Conservative pickup new district. | Conservative pickup new district. | Conservative pickup new district. | Conservative pickup new district. |
| Source: Elections Ontario |||||||
vte1871 Ontario general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Adam Crooks | 1,487 | 53.05 | +10.31 |
| | Conservative | John Wallis | 1,316 | 46.95 | −10.31 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,803 | 51.84 | −1.10 |
| Eligible voters | Eligible voters | Eligible voters | 5,407 |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | Swing | +10.31 |
| Source: Elections Ontario |||||||
vteOntario provincial by-election, January 1872 Ministerial by-election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Adam Crooks | 884 | 97.14 | +44.09 |
| | Independent | Mr. Harman | 26 | 2.86 | |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 910 | 100.0 | −67.53 |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | Swing | +44.09 |
| Source: History of the Electoral Districts, Legislatures and Ministries of the Province of Ontario$^{:482}$ |||||||
vte1875 Ontario general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Robert Bell | 2,145 | 50.71 | |
| | Liberal | W. Thomson | 2,085 | 49.29 | −47.85 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 4,230 | 55.31 |
| Eligible voters | Eligible voters | Eligible voters | 7,648 |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | Swing | +23.93 |
| Source: Elections Ontario |||||||
vte1879 Ontario general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Robert Bell | 2,324 | 50.74 | +0.03 |
| | Liberal | A. Ogden | 2,256 | 49.26 | −0.03 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 4,580 | 45.24 | −10.07 |
| Eligible voters | Eligible voters | Eligible voters | 10,123 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | Swing | +0.03 |
| Source: Elections Ontario |||||||

### 1894-1914

1894 Ontario general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | Vote % |
| Conservative | Thomas Crawford | 4,860 | 63.1 |
| Liberal | Mr. Lindsey | 2,846 | 36.9 |
| | Total | 7,706 | |
1898 Ontario general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | Vote % |
| Conservative | Thomas Crawford | 3,777 | 55.9 |
| Liberal | Mr. Spence | 2,982 | 44.1 |
| | Total | 6,759 | |
1902 Ontario general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | Vote % |
| Conservative | Thomas Crawford | 4,260 | 58.0 |
| Liberal | Mr. Urquhart | 2,732 | 37.2 |
| Socialist | J. Kelly | 270 | 3.7 |
| Socialist-Labour | Mr. Wellwood | 79 | 1.1 |
| | Total | 7,341 | |
1905 Ontario general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | Vote % |
| Conservative | Thomas Crawford | 5,022 | 70.3 |
| Temperance | Dr. Hunter | 1,792 | 25.1 |
| Socialist | Mr. Peel | 208 | 2.9 |
| Independent | Mr. Galbraith | 91 | 1.3 |
| Independent | Mr. Noble | 32 | 0.4 |
| | Total | 7,145 | |

#### Seat A

1908 Ontario general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | Vote % |
| Conservative | Thomas Crawford | 6,251 | 70.9 |
| Liberal | Mr. Miles | 1,908 | 21.6 |
| Socialist | Mr. Thompson | 295 | 3.3 |
| Independent Liberal | Mr. Hunter | 281 | 3.2 |
| Labour | Mr. Noble | 49 | 0.6 |
| Independent | Mr. Briggs | 32 | 0.4 |
| | Total | 8,816 | |
1911 Ontario general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | Vote % |
| Conservative | Thomas Crawford | 5,111 | 76.5 |
| Liberal | Mr. Hunter | 1,362 | 20.4 |
| Labour | Mr. Noble | 212 | 3.2 |
| | Total | 6,685 | |

#### Seat B

1908 Ontario general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | Vote % |
| Conservative | William McPherson | 4,180 | 46.3 |
| Liberal | Mr. Hay | 2,269 | 25.2 |
| Independent Conservative | Mr. Wright | 1,991 | 22.1 |
| Labour | Mr. Gardner | 432 | 4.8 |
| Socialist | Mr. Frost | 149 | 1.7 |
| | Total | 9,021 | |
1911 Ontario general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | Vote % |
| Conservative | William McPherson | 4,837 | 75.0 |
| Liberal | James Watt | 1,613 | 25.0 |
| | Total | 6,450 | |