1930 Toronto municipal election

Municipal elections were held in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on January 1, 1930. In a close mayoral election Bert Wemp ousted two term incumbent Sam McBride. The main issue of the election was a proposed downtown beautification scheme that would have rebuilt roads in the core. The proposal was rejected in a referendum after voters in the suburbs voted against it. McBride was the plan's leading proponent, and its rejection hurt his reelection bid.

Toronto mayor

McBride had been elected mayor in 1928 and had been in office two years. He was defeated by controller and Toronto Telegram editor Bert Wemp by 4,378 votes. Also running was controller A.E. Hacker, but he finished in distant third.

Results: Bert Wemp - 54,309; Sam McBride - 49,933; Albert E. Hacker - 3,210

Board of Control

Only one member of the Board of Control elected in the last election was running for reelection: W.A. Summerville. Hacker and Wemp had both chosen to run for mayor. Joseph Gibbons had been appointed to the board of Toronto Hydro and was replaced mid-term by Alderman Frank Whetter, but he was defeated when he tried to run for a full term. Elected were two candidates considered representatives of labour: James Simpson and William D. Robbins. The other new Controller was Claude Pearce, who had strong support from Roman Catholic voters.

Results: W.A. Summerville (incumbent) - 47,418; Claude Pearce - 46,692; James Simpson - 44,921; William D. Robbins - 39,023; Benjamin Miller - 37,156; Frank Whetter (incumbent) - 31,772; Brook Sykes - 28,043; Wesley Benson - 25,054; Harry Bradley - 2,617

City council

Ward 1 (Riverdale): Robert Siberry (incumbent) - 8,567; Robert Allen (incumbent) - 7,187; Lorne Trull - 6,382; Frank M. Johnston (incumbent) - 5,047; William Taylor - 3,184; Harry Perkins - 1,837

Ward 2 (Cabbagetown and Rosedale): John R. Beamish (incumbent) - 6,754; John Winnett (incumbent) - 5,972; James Cameron (incumbent) - 5,017; Joseph Miller - 5,386; Robert Yeomans - 4,191; Hugh Sutherland - 3,486; Frank Gallagher - 1,010

Ward 3 (Central Business District): J. George Ramsden - 6,256; Harry W. Hunt (incumbent) - 3,562; Andrew Carrick (incumbent) - 4,286; H.L. Rogers - 4,211; George Yorke - 4,102; Wallace Kennedy - 2,576

Ward 4 (Kensington Market and Garment District): Samuel Factor (incumbent) - 4,022; Nathan Phillips (incumbent) - 3,995; Charles Ward - 3,386; John McMulkin - 3,086; George King - 1,941; Jacob Romer - 1,124

Ward 5 (Trinity-Bellwoods): William James Stewart (incumbent) - 6,060; Fred Hamilton (incumbent) - 5,035; Robert Leslie - 5,013; Louis Fine - 3,825; James Phinnemore - 3,111; Garnet Archibald - 2,765; Mary McNab - 1,161; Max Shur - 317

Ward 6 (Davenport and Parkdale): Joseph Wright (incumbent) - 10,576; D.C. MacGregor - 8,330; John Boland (incumbent) - 7,325; John Laxton (incumbent) - 7,125; S.I. Wright - 5,404; Joseph King - 978; James Gill - 912; Albert Smith - 550

Ward 7 (West Toronto Junction): William J. Wadsworth (incumbent) - 5,701; Alexander Chisholm (incumbent) - 4,576; Samuel Ryding (incumbent) - 4,381; John Whetton - 2,861; George Watson - 830

Ward 8 (East Toronto): Walter Howell (incumbent) - 7,921; Ernest Bray - 7,569; Albert Burnese (incumbent) - 7,123; Robert Baker (incumbent) - 7,037; William Robertston - 2,978

Results taken from the January 2, 1930 Toronto Star and might not exactly match final tallies.

References

Election Coverage. Toronto Star. January 2, 1930