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{{Short description|Provincial political party in Ontario, Canada}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2018}}
{{Infobox political party
| name = Ontario New Democratic Party
| native_name = Nouveau Parti démocratique de l'Ontario
| logo = New Democratic Party of Ontario Logo (2025).svg
| leader = [[Marit Stiles]]
| president = Janelle Brady
| leader2_title = Deputy leader(s)
| leader2_name = [[Doly Begum]]<br />[[Sol Mamakwa]]
| chairman =
| chairperson =
| spokesperson =
| leader1_title = Provincial director
| leader1_name = Kevin Beaulieu
| foundation = {{Start date and age|1961|10|08}}
| dissolution =
| merger =
| split =
| merged =
| predecessor = [[Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (Ontario Section)|Ontario CCF]]
| successor =
| headquarters = 2069 Lakeshore Boulevard West, [[Toronto]], [[Ontario]], Canada
| ideology = [[Social democracy]]
| position = [[Centre-left politics|Centre-left]]
| national = [[New Democratic Party]]
| student_wing =
| youth_wing = [[Ontario New Democratic Youth]]
| membership =
| membership_year =
| colours = {{colour box|{{Canadian party colour|CA|NDP}}|border=silver}} Orange
| logo_size = 225
| colorcode = {{Canadian party colour|ON|NDP}}
| seats1_title = Seats in [[Legislative Assembly of Ontario|legislature]]
| seats1 = {{Composition bar|27|124|hex={{Canadian party colour|ON|NDP}}}}
| website = {{URL|www.ontariondp.ca}}
| country = Canada
| abbreviation = NDP<br>NPD
| state = Ontario
| parties_dab1 = List of political parties in Ontario
| elections_dab1 = List of Ontario general elections
| footnotes =
| leader3_name = [[John Vanthof]]
| leader3_title = House leader
}}
The '''Ontario New Democratic Party''' ('''NDP'''; {{langx|fr|Nouveau Parti démocratique de l'Ontario}}, '''NPD''') is a [[social democracy|social democratic]] [[List of political parties in Ontario|political party in Ontario]], Canada. The party sits on the [[Centre-left politics|centre-left]]<ref>{{bulleted list|{{cite book|author=Nergis Canefe|chapter=Home in Exile: Politics of Refugeehood in the Canadian Muslim Diaspora|editor1=Keith Banting|editor2=John Myles|title=Inequality and the Fading of Redistributive Politics|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kT5FAAAAQBAJ&pg=PA385|year=2013|publisher=UBC Press|isbn=978-0-7748-2601-3|page=385}}|{{cite book|author1=Rodney Haddow|author2=Thomas Richard Klassen|title=Partisanship, Globalization, and Canadian Labour Market Policy: Four Provinces in Comparative Perspective|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9DDIAV6oicQC&pg=PA55|year=2006|publisher=University of Toronto Press|isbn=978-0-8020-9090-4|page=55}}}}</ref> of the [[political spectrum]]. It is Ontario’s provincial section of the federal [[New Democratic Party]]. The party has formed the [[Leader of the Opposition (Ontario)|Official Opposition in Ontario]] since the [[2018 Ontario general election|2018 general election]].
It was formed in October 1961 from the [[Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (Ontario Section)]] (Ontario CCF) and the [[Ontario Federation of Labour]] (OFL).
For many years, the Ontario NDP was the most successful provincial NDP branch outside the national party's western heartland. It had its first breakthrough under its first leader, [[Donald C. MacDonald]] in the [[1967 Ontario general election|1967 provincial election]], when the party elected 20 [[Member of Provincial Parliament (Ontario)|Members of Provincial Parliament]] (MPPs) to the [[Ontario Legislative Assembly]]. After the 1970 leadership convention, [[Stephen Lewis]] became leader, and guided the party to Official Opposition status in 1975, the first time since the Ontario CCF did it twice in the 1940s. After the party's disappointing performance in the [[1977 Ontario general election|1977 provincial election]], that included losing second party status, Lewis stepped down and [[Michael Cassidy (Canadian politician)|Michael Cassidy]] was elected leader in 1978. Cassidy led the party through the [[1981 Ontario general election|1981 election]] and stepped down following the disappointing results.
In 1982, [[Bob Rae]] was elected leader. Under his leadership, in 1985, the party held the balance-of-power with the signing of an accord with the newly elected [[Ontario Liberal Party]] minority government. After the [[1987 Ontario general election]], the NDP became the Official Opposition again. The [[1990 Ontario general election]] surprisingly produced the NDP's breakthrough first government in 1990. The victory produced the first NDP provincial government east of [[Manitoba]].
During this time, Rae’s government brought forward a number of initiatives that were unpopular such as the [[Social Contract (Ontario)|Social Contract]]. The 1996 election saw the NDP reduced from a majority government to 17 seats, the lowest number of seats since the 1963 election. Rae stepped down as leader in February 1996.
[[Howard Hampton]] was elected leader at the 1996 Hamilton convention and led the party through three elections. Hampton's period as leader saw poor election results causing the NDP to lose official party status twice: after the [[1999 Ontario general election|1999]] and [[2003 Ontario general election|2003 election]]s. He was able to regain party status the first time after the governing [[Ontario Progressive Conservative Party|Progressive Conservatives]] revised party status requirements in accordance with that election's reduction in the number of seats in the legislature, and the second time after winning a string of by-elections in the mid-2000s. The party maintained party status after the [[2007 Ontario general election]] and he stepped down as leader in 2009.
[[Andrea Horwath]] was elected leader at the [[2009 Ontario New Democratic Party leadership election|2009 leadership convention]] in Hamilton. Under her leadership in the [[2011 Ontario general election]], the party elected 17 MPPs to the legislature and grew to 21 in the [[2014 Ontario general election]]. Under Horwath, the party achieved its second highest seat count (other than forming government in 1990) when it formed the Official Opposition with 40 MPPs after the [[2018 Ontario general election]]. This dropped to 31 MPPs after the [[2022 Ontario general election]], with Horwath announcing her resignation as leader. [[Marit Stiles]] replaced her after she was acclaimed leader at the [[2023 Ontario New Democratic Party leadership election|2023 leadership election]]. She led the party into the [[2025 Ontario general election]], winning 27 seats and forming the Official Opposition for the third consecutive time, a first in party history. However, the party's vote share slipped below 20%.
== History ==
=== Origins as the Ontario CCF===
{{main|Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (Ontario Section)}}
The NDP's predecessor, the [[Co-operative Commonwealth Federation]] (CCF), was a [[democratic socialism|democratic socialist]] political party, founded in 1932. The Ontario CCF in turn was indirectly the successor to the 1919–23 [[United Farmers of Ontario]]–[[Labour Party of Canada|Labour]] [[coalition government|coalition]] that formed the government in Ontario under [[Ernest C. Drury]].<ref name=UFO>{{cite encyclopedia|last=MacPherson|first=Ian|title=The United Farmers of Ontario|url=http://thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=A1ARTA0008229|encyclopedia=The Canadian Encyclopedia|publisher=The Historica-Dominion Institute|access-date=16 August 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050319115806/http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=A1ARTA0008229|archive-date=19 March 2005|url-status=dead|___location=Toronto|year=2011}}</ref>
As the Ontario [[Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (Ontario Section)]] under [[Ted Jolliffe]] as their first leader,<ref name="Phoenix19420404">{{cite news|title=Leader Elected: E. B. Joliffe is chosen for Ontario C.C.F.|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=bhdlAAAAIBAJ&dq=edward%20jolliffe&pg=4579%2C3294045|access-date=21 August 2011|newspaper=The Saskatoon Star-Phoenix|date=4 April 1942|agency=The Canadian Press|___location=Saskatoon, Saskatchewan}}</ref> the party nearly won the [[1943 Ontario general election|1943 provincial election]], winning 34 seats and forming the official opposition for the first time.<ref name="Citizen19430805">{{cite news|title=Nixon Govt. Defeated George Drew Likely To Be Next Premier|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=GPouAAAAIBAJ&dq=george%20drew&pg=6369%2C905550|access-date=21 August 2011|newspaper=The Evening Citizen|date=5 August 1943|agency=The Canadian Press|___location=Ottawa|page=40}}</ref> Two-years later, they would be reduced to 8 seats. The final glory for the Ontario CCF came in the [[1948 Ontario general election|1948 provincial election]], when party elected 21 MPPs, and again formed the official opposition.<ref name="Phoenix19480608">{{cite news|last=Bloom|first=Chester|title=Ontario Re-elect P.C. Government: Drew's Personal Loss Strengthens Bracken's Tenure|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=25FjAAAAIBAJ&dq=george%20drew%20election%201945&pg=1626%2C802140|access-date=21 August 2011|newspaper=Saskatoon Star-Phoenix|date=8 June 1948|___location=Saskatoon, Saskatchewan|page=1}}</ref> They were even able to defeat Premier [[George A. Drew]] in his own constituency, when the CCF's [[William Horace Temple|Bill Temple]] won in [[High Park (federal electoral district)|High Park]], even though the [[Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario]] won another majority government.<ref name="Phoenix19480608" /> In 1951, the Ontario CCF was reduced to two MPP's in that year's [[1951 Ontario general election|provincial election]]. In the two remaining elections while it existed, the party never had more than five members in the legislature. Jolliffe resigned as leader in 1953.{{citation needed|date=November 2023}}
===End of the CCF/New Party and revival===
[[File:Donald c. macdonald speaking.jpg|thumb|300px|right|[[Donald C. MacDonald]], CCF/NDP Leader from 1953 to 1970. Seen here in February 2007.]] [[Donald C. MacDonald]] became leader in 1953,<ref name=Star19611007>{{cite news|last=McNenly|first=Pat|title=New Party Spurns CCF 'Tory' Setup<!--|access-date=20 August 2011-->|newspaper=Toronto Daily Star|date=7 October 1961|___location=Toronto|pages=1, 14}}</ref> and spent the next fifteen years rebuilding the party, from two seats when he took over the party's helm, to ten times that number when he stepped down in 1970. Delegates from the Ontario CCF, delegates from affiliated union locals, and delegates from New Party Clubs took part in the founding convention of the New Democratic Party of Ontario held in Niagara Falls at the Sheraton Brock hotel from 7–9 October 1961 and elected MacDonald as their leader.<ref name=Star19611007/><ref name=Star1961-09-21>{{cite news|title=New Party Drafts Plan for Ontario<!--|access-date=20 August 2011-->|newspaper=Toronto Star|date=21 September 1961|page=01|___location=Toronto}}</ref> The Ontario CCF Council ceased to exist formally on Sunday, 8 October 1961, when the newly elected NDP executive officially took over.<ref name=Star19611007/>
The Ontario NDP gradually picked up seats through the 1960s. It achieved a breakthrough in the [[1967 Ontario general election|1967 provincial election]], when its popular vote rose from 15% to 26%. The party increased its presence in the legislature from 8 to 20 seats.<ref name="Globe 19671018">{{cite news|last=Brydon|first=Aurthur|title=Articulate NDP candidates win: Opposition surges forward in North but Tory bastion holds in the east|newspaper=The Globe and Mail|date=18 October 1967|___location=Toronto|page=9}}</ref> In that election the party ran on the themes of the cost of living, tax distribution, education costs, Canadian unity, and housing.<ref name="Globe 19671018"/>
===Official Opposition under Stephen Lewis===
[[Stephen Lewis]] took over the party's leadership in 1970, and the NDP's popularity continued to grow. With the [[1975 Ontario general election|1975 provincial election]], the governing Progressive Conservative party was reduced to a [[minority government]] for the first time in thirty years. The charismatic and dynamic Lewis ran a strong election campaign that forced the Tories to promise to implement the NDP's [[rent control]] policies. The NDP overtook the Liberals to become the Official Opposition with 38 seats and 29% of the vote. However, the Tories retained power as a minority government.<ref>Elected: PCs, 51; NDP, 38; Lib, 36: AFTER 30 YEARS, TORY MINORITY Lewis will head official Opposition Williamson, Robert. The Globe and Mail (1936–Current); Toronto, Ont. [Toronto, Ont]19 Sep 1975: C1.</ref>
Hopes were high that the NDP was on the verge of taking power. However, in the [[1977 Ontario general election|1977 provincial election]], the Tories under [[Bill Davis]] again won a minority government. The NDP lost five seats; they also slipped into third place behind the [[Ontario Liberal Party]]. A frustrated Lewis resigned shortly afterwards.
=== Third-party status under Michael Cassidy ===
[[Michael Cassidy (Canadian politician)|Michael Cassidy]] was elected leader, but being the most left-wing of the three leadership candidates, he was not fully trusted by the party establishment. Cassidy's policy advisor in the leadership campaign was [[James Laxer]], a former leader of [[The Waffle]] NDP faction which Lewis had expelled from the party in 1972. Some members of the NDP caucus considered Cassidy's election as a serious mistake, and encouraged him to resign before contesting an election. Cassidy ignored this advice, and remained as leader. The NDP declined further in the [[1981 Ontario general election|1981 provincial election]] and Cassidy stepped down.
The party's fortunes turned around under the leadership of [[Bob Rae]]. The NDP captured two by-elections at the cost of the Liberals. In late 1984, polls showed Rae's NDP ahead of the [[David Peterson]]-led Liberals.
===Opposition then Government under Bob Rae===
{{more citations needed section|date=January 2012}}
The [[1985 Ontario general election|1985 provincial election]] resulted in a minority legislature: the Tories under incumbent [[Premier of Ontario|Premier]] [[Frank Miller (Canadian politician)|Frank Miller]] won 52 seats, the Liberals won 48, and the NDP 25. The New Democrats entered negotiations with both the Tories and the Liberals. The NDP signed a two-year accord with the Liberals, in which the Liberals would form government with the NDP's support in exchange for the implementation of a number of NDP policies. This was not a [[coalition government]] as the NDP declined an offer to sit in Cabinet, preferring to remain in opposition. The governing Tories were defeated by a non-confidence motion and Miller resigned.
When the accord expired in 1987, Premier [[David Peterson]] called an [[1987 Ontario general election|early provincial election]] and the Liberals were re-elected with a large majority. The NDP lost seats but emerged as the largest opposition party, with Bob Rae becoming [[Leader of the Opposition (Ontario)|Leader of the Opposition]].
Shortly before the [[1990 Ontario general election|1990 provincial election]], the governing Liberals held a solid lead in the polls, though their popularity had tailed off from 1987. However, Peterson's government was soon mired in scandals and many regarded the early election call as cynical. Under Rae, the NDP ran a strong campaign, which was also aided by a successful showing for federal [[New Democratic Party]] a couple years earlier. Although the NDP finished only three percentage points ahead of the Liberals, they managed to take many seats in the [[Greater Toronto Area]] away from the Liberals. As a result, the NDP won a large majority government of 74 seats while the Liberals suffered the worst defeat in their history.
Bob Rae became Premier of Ontario during the worst economic downturn since the [[Great Depression]]. In government, the NDP disappointed supporters by abandoning much of its ambitious program, including the promise to institute a [[public auto insurance]] system. As the [[recession]] worsened, the NDP implemented what it called the [[Social Contract (Ontario)|Social Contract]] – this was a package of austerity measures that:
* reopened the [[collective bargaining]] agreements of public sector unions;
* implemented a [[Income policy|wage freeze]] for [[Civil service|public servants]]; and
* imposed [[Social Contract (Ontario)|Rae Days]], which were a schedule of days in which government workers were given days off without pay.
The Social Contract resulted in a major breach in the NDP's alliance with the [[labour movement]] as several trade unions turned against the party. Rae's government passed [[employment equity]] legislation and amended the province's labour law to ban the use of [[Strikebreaker|replacement workers]] during strikes, but this did not win back union support.
At one point, the NDP fell to a low of six percent support in polling. An ominous sign for the party came in the [[1993 Canadian federal election|1993 federal election]]. All 10 of the federal NDP's Ontario MPs lost their seats to [[Liberal Party of Canada]] challengers by large margins. It was obvious by the [[1995 Ontario general election|1995 provincial election]] that Rae's government would not be re-elected. The official opposition Ontario Liberals under [[Lyn McLeod]] were initially the beneficiaries of the NDP's unpopularity, but their poor campaign saw the momentum swing to the resurgent Tories under [[Mike Harris]], who vaulted from third in the legislature to win a large majority. The NDP fell down to 17 seats, third place in the Legislative Assembly. In 1996, Rae stepped down as party leader and resigned his seat in the legislature.
Despite these shortcomings, the Rae years did witness a number of reforms in the field of social welfare being enacted. In 1991, the Rae government increased basic social assistance rates by 7% and shelter rates by 10%. Single parents were uploaded from the municipalities and all lone parents were raised to the same income standard. In 1992 and 1993, the Rae government implemented successive increases to social assistance.<ref>{{Cite web| title=The ‘Last Recession Spook’ | url=http://www.policyalternatives.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/publications/Ontario_Office_Pubs/2008/Last_Recession_Spook.pdf | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100804193511/http://www.policyalternatives.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/publications/Ontario_Office_Pubs/2008/Last_Recession_Spook.pdf | archive-date=2010-08-04}}</ref>
Rae since joined the Liberal Party of Canada and was an unsuccessful [[2006 Liberal Party of Canada leadership election|candidate for party leadership]] in December 2006 and December 2008, but went on to serve as interim leader following Michael Ignatieff's resignation in 2011 until Justin Trudeau was chosen in 2013.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2012/06/13/all_eyes_turn_to_justin_trudeau_as_bob_rae_bows_out_of_liberal_leadership_race.html|title=All eyes turn to Justin Trudeau as Bob Rae bows out of Liberal leadership race {{!}} The Star|work=Toronto Star|access-date=14 May 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/article/trudeau-focuses-on-middle-class-in-first-question-period/|title=Trudeau focuses on middle class in first question period|date=15 April 2013|work=CTVNews|access-date=14 May 2018}}</ref>
===Post-government under Howard Hampton===
{{more citations needed section|date=January 2012}}
[[File:Howard Hampton speech.jpg|thumb|right|275px|Ontario NDP leader [[Howard Hampton]] in February 2007.]]
Rae was succeeded by [[Bud Wildman]] as interim leader in 1996,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.saultstar.com/2009/10/15/wildman-to-be-honoured|title=Wildman to be honoured|last=nurun.com|website=Sault Star|access-date=14 May 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714223415/http://www.saultstar.com/2009/10/15/wildman-to-be-honoured|archive-date=14 July 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> until [[Howard Hampton]] defeated [[Frances Lankin]], a member of Rae's inner circle, for the party leadership that same year.<ref>"Former NDP minister Frances Lankin will make bid for leadership". ''The Spectator''. Hamilton, Ont. 9 February 1996. p. B6.</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/former-ontario-ndp-leader-howard-hampton-wont-seek-re-election/article588817/|title=Former Ontario NDP leader Howard Hampton won't seek re-election|access-date=14 May 2018}}</ref>
Under Hampton, the party largely repudiated Rae's policies and renewed its commitment to a moderate form of socialism. Shortly after the [[1999 Ontario general election|1999 provincial election]], Hampton cited the [[Sweden|Swedish]] model of [[social democracy]] as closely reflecting his own beliefs.
Ontario NDP support fell even further in the [[1999 Ontario general election|1999 provincial election]], leaving the party with just nine seats. However, this was largely due to [[tactical voting]] in which NDP supporters voted Liberal in hopes of removing Harris and the Tories from power. As a result, Hampton was not blamed for this severe defeat and stayed on as leader.
Under the rules of the Legislative Assembly, a party would receive [[official party status]], and the resources and privileges accorded to officially recognized parties, if it had 12 or more seats; thus, it initially appeared the NDP would lose caucus funding and the ability to ask questions in the House. However, the governing Progressive Conservatives changed the rules after the election to lower the threshold for party status from 12 seats to 8. The Progressive Conservatives had reduced the size of the legislature, so provincial ridings now had the same boundaries as the federal ones, and so the official party status threshold was lowered. Some suggested that the Tories helped the NDP so they could continue to [[vote splitting|split the vote]] with the Liberals, although the Progressive Conservatives had stated before the election campaign even began that reducing official party status to eight seats was part of the seat reduction plan from the very beginning.
====2003 election: losing official party status====
In the [[2003 Ontario general election|2003 election]], the party emphasized their "Public Power Campaign", which had two key issues, primarily publicly owned electricity generation and distribution, and publicly run auto insurance.<ref>{{cite news
| last = Campbell
| first = Murray
| title = Sensing rout of PCs, NDP turning sights on Ontario Liberals
| page = A7
| newspaper = The Globe and Mail
| date = 30 September 2003 <!-- | access-date = 12 May 2007-->}}
</ref> As well, the Public Power Campaign also dealt with rolling-back the social program cuts from the Harris government's [[Common Sense Revolution]]. Many media outlets – including ''[[The Globe and Mail]]'' – thought that party leader Howard Hampton performed strongly in the televised leaders' debate.<ref name="leader">{{cite news
| last = Mittelstaedt
| first = Martin
| title = NDP loses its official status despite surge in popular vote
| page = A9
| newspaper = The Globe and Mail
| date = 3 October 2003}}
</ref> Despite Hampton's debate performance and a 2.4% increase in the popular vote, the party lost two seats, once again losing official party status and their previous speaking privileges and funding.<ref name="leader"/> One of the problems that likely affected NDP support was strategic voting, not unlike that of the 1999 election. Dozens of NDP voters voted Liberal in order to ensure that the Tories would be defeated.<ref>{{cite news
| agency = The Canadian Press
| title = Hampton pleads for minority government
| work = The Globe and Mail
| date = 30 September 2003 }}
</ref> This voting practice did do damage to the NDP's electoral fortunes because it was interpreted as a call for blanket support for Liberal candidates over NDP candidates, with no real thought to which candidate had a better chance to defeat a PC in any individual riding.<ref>{{cite news
| last = Urquhart
| first = Ian
| title = Polls show NDP in a tough spot
| department = News
| page = A6
| work = Toronto Star
| date = 17 September 2003
| url = https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/thestar/access/406117941.html?dids=406117941:406117941&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=Sep+17%2C+2003&author=Ian+Urquhart&pub=Toronto+Star&edition=&startpage=A.06&desc=Polls+show+NDP+in+a+tough+spot
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070930210110/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/thestar/access/406117941.html?dids=406117941:406117941&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=Sep+17,+2003&author=Ian+Urquhart&pub=Toronto+Star&edition=&startpage=A.06&desc=Polls+show+NDP+in+a+tough+spot
| url-status = dead
| archive-date = 30 September 2007
| access-date = 12 May 2007}}</ref> Several unions, such as the [[Canadian Auto Workers]] (CAW), promoted strategic voting to their membership and the public, which further added to the party's woes.<ref>{{cite news
| agency = The Canadian Press
| title = CAW head to target Ontario Tories
| work = The Globe and Mail
| date = 19 August 2003
}}</ref> The newly elected Liberal government offered to give the NDP caucus research funding if their members agreed to sit as independents. Hampton refused and disrupted the government Throne Speech in protest.<ref>{{cite news
| last = Urquhart
| first = Ian
| title = Stifling voice of NDP is hardly democratic
| newspaper = The Toronto Star; News
| date = 29 October 2003
| url = https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/thestar/access/432392561.html?dids=432392561:432392561&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=Oct+29%2C+2003&author=Ian+Urquhart&pub=Toronto+Star&edition=&startpage=A.07&desc=Stifling+voice+of+NDP+is+hardly+democratic
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071001061209/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/thestar/access/432392561.html?dids=432392561:432392561&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=Oct+29,+2003&author=Ian+Urquhart&pub=Toronto+Star&edition=&startpage=A.07&desc=Stifling+voice+of+NDP+is+hardly+democratic
| url-status = dead
| archive-date = 1 October 2007
| access-date = 12 May 2007}}</ref>
====By-elections: regaining official party status====
The first by-election in the [[38th Legislative Assembly of Ontario]], was in the riding of [[Hamilton East (provincial electoral district)|Hamilton East]], caused by the untimely death of the riding's MPP, [[Dominic Agostino]], on 24 March 2004. This tragic event, in conjunction with a recent and unpopular tax increase by the Liberals, provided the NDP with an opportunity to regain party status. A by-election was called for 13 May 2004, in which the new Liberal candidate, Agostino's brother Ralph, was challenged by NDP candidate [[Andrea Horwath]], a [[Hamilton, Ontario|Hamilton]] city councillor. The NDP extensively campaigned to win this seat, aided by the city's large base of [[United Steelworkers of America|unionized steelworkers]]. On election night, Horwath took 63.8 per cent of the vote in the seat, bringing the NDP back to eight seats in the legislature and allowing them to regain official party status.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/ndp-takes-hamilton-seat-from-ontario-liberals/article25679344/|title=NDP takes Hamilton seat from Ontario Liberals|access-date=14 May 2018}}</ref>
The Ontario NDP's representation in the legislature was again reduced to seven seats when [[Marilyn Churley]] resigned her seat to run in the [[2006 Canadian federal election|2006 federal election]]. However, the Liberals reversed their position and declared that the NDP would retain party status even if they lost the upcoming [[Toronto—Danforth (provincial electoral district)|Toronto—Danforth]] by-election. Some opposition sources believed the Liberals, mindful of their humiliating defeat to Horwath, had loosened their interpretation of the rules so that whoever ran for the NDP in Toronto—Danforth couldn't use the threat of lost status in a campaign. This issue became moot when, on 30 March 2006, NDP candidate [[Peter Tabuns]] won the by-election in the Toronto—Danforth riding by a [[Toronto—Danforth (provincial electoral district)#Election results|9%]] margin over the Liberals' [[Ben Chin]], alleviating another party status crisis.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/tabuns-wins-tight-race-against-chin-in-danforth/article705939/|title=Tabuns wins tight race against Chin in Danforth|access-date=14 May 2018}}</ref>
The NDP scored a surprise victory over the Liberals in the late summer of that year in the riding of [[Parkdale—High Park (federal electoral district)|Parkdale—High Park]]. Liberal Education Minister [[Gerard Kennedy]] resigned on 5 April 2006 to run for the [[2006 Liberal Party of Canada leadership election|Federal Liberal Party leadership]]. The government took an unusually long time to call the by-election, waiting until 16 August to [[Writ#Dropping the writ|drop the writ]]. It turned into one of the most vicious elections in recent Ontario memory, almost on par with Jolliffe's 1945 [[LeBel Royal Commission|"Gestapo" campaign]]. This time though, the NDP were not making the accusations; NDP candidate [[Cheri DiNovo]]'s credibility was put to the test by what most of the media considered to be unworthy and underhanded personal attacks launched by the Liberals. The tactic backfired; on 14 September 2006, DiNovo defeated Liberal candidate – and incumbent [[Toronto]] city councillor – [[Sylvia Watson]] by taking 41% of the popular vote to Watson's 33%.<ref>{{cite news
| last1 = Howlet
| first1 = Karen
| author2 = Armina Ligaya
| title = NDP thumps Liberals in vicious Ontario by-election
| pages = A1, A13
| work = The Globe and Mail
| date = 15 September 2006
}}</ref>
In the riding of [[York South—Weston (federal electoral district)|York South—Weston]], adjacent to Parkdale—High Park and once the seat of former leaders Bob Rae, [[Donald C. MacDonald]] and Ted Jolliffe, the NDP continued its string of recent by-election successes by taking away another Liberal stronghold. On 8 February 2007, [[Paul Ferreira]] narrowly defeated Liberal candidate [[Laura Albanese]] by [[2007 Ontario provincial by-elections#York South–Weston|358 votes]], or 2%. This victory increased the NDP caucus' seat total to ten, up by three since the October 2003 general election.<ref>{{cite news
| last = Benzie
| first = Robert
| title = NDP formula = a perfect 10: Party welcomes 10th MPP after running on appeal to raise minimum wage
| work = Toronto Star
| date = 20 February 2007
| url = https://www.thestar.com/article/183555
| access-date = 21 February 2007}}</ref>
====2007 Ontario general election====
[[File:OntNDPLogo-EN-3Col.gif|thumb|Party logo (2007–2010)]]
In the [[2007 Ontario general election|2007 provincial election]], the party increased its share of the popular vote by two percent but did not make any gains in the legislature, with the loss of [[Paul Ferreira]] in [[York South—Weston (federal electoral district)|York South—Weston]] being offset by the victory of [[Paul Miller (Canadian politician)|Paul Miller]] in [[Hamilton East—Stoney Creek (federal electoral district)|Hamilton East—Stoney Creek]].{{citation needed|date=January 2012}} [[France Gélinas]] also successfully retained the riding of [[Nickel Belt (provincial electoral district)|Nickel Belt]], following the retirement of [[Shelley Martel]].{{citation needed|date=January 2012}} The other eight NDP ridings were all retained by their incumbent MPPs.{{citation needed|date=January 2012}}
Early polling in September 2006 showed the party with 27% support, its highest recorded level since 1992.<ref>{{cite press release
| title =Provincial Party Support Results June 2006: Ontario
| publisher = Environics Research Group Limited
| date = 9 September 2006
| url = http://erg.environics.net/media_room/default.asp?aID=610
| access-date = 12 May 2007}}</ref> By early 2007 support had fallen to 17% support, further behind the two front-running parties but still slightly ahead of the party's 15% result in the 2003 election.<ref>{{cite press release
| title = Ontario Liberals Lead by Eight Points
| publisher = [[SES Research]]
| date = 4 February 2007
| url = http://www.sesresearch.com/library/polls/POLONT-W07-T214.pdf
| access-date = 12 May 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite press release
| title = Ontario Politics With Just Over 7 Months To "E" Day Liberals(38%) Lead Tories (33%), NDP (17%) And Green (9%)
| publisher = [[Ipso Canada]]
| date = 24 February 2007
| url = http://www.ipsos-na.com/news/pressrelease.cfm?id=3379
| access-date = 12 May 2007
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070927204625/http://www.ipsos-na.com/news/pressrelease.cfm?id=3379
| archive-date = 27 September 2007
| url-status = dead
}}</ref> September 2007 polling had the NDP at 14%,<ref>{{cite press release
| title = Liberals hang on to lead over Tories, poll shows
| agency = [[The Canadian Press]]
| date = 19 September 2007
| url = https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/liberals-hang-on-to-lead-over-tories-poll-shows-1.257068
| archive-url = https://archive.today/20130115150447/http://toronto.ctvnews.ca/liberals-hang-on-to-lead-over-tories-poll-shows-1.257068
| url-status = dead
| archive-date = 15 January 2013
| access-date = 23 September 2007}}</ref> while the 29 September Ipsos poll had them at 17%,<ref name="ipso0929">{{cite press release
| title = Post Debate Tory Tumble Gives McGuinty Liberals Ten Point Lead
| publisher = [[Ipsos-Reid]]/[[CanWest]]/[[National Post]]
| date = 29 September 2007
| url = http://www.ipsos-na.com/news/pressrelease.cfm?id=3656
| access-date = 29 September 2007
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071010002216/http://www.ipsos-na.com/news/pressrelease.cfm?id=3656
| archive-date = 10 October 2007
| url-status = dead
}} These are the findings of an Ipsos Reid poll conducted exclusively for CanWest News Service and Global Television from 25 to 27 September 2007. For the survey, a representative randomly selected sample of 800 adults living in Ontario was interviewed by telephone. With a sample of this size, the results are considered accurate to within ± 3.5 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, of what they would have been had the entire adult population living in Ontario been polled. The margin of error will be larger within regions and for other sub-groupings of the survey population. These data were weighted to ensure that the sample's regional and age/sex composition reflected that of the actual Ontarian population according to Census data.</ref> meaning that NDP's support had been constant for a year within the margin of error. Though the same Ipsos poll suggested that the NDP would elect 12 members to the legislature,<ref name="ipso0929"/> the party would eventually elect only 10.
On 14 June 2008, Hampton announced he would be stepping down as leader at the [[2009 Ontario New Democratic Party leadership election|2009 leadership election]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/ontario/2008/06/13/hampton_to_step_down_as_ndp_leader_sources.html|title=Hampton to step down as NDP leader: Sources {{!}} The Star|work=Toronto Star|access-date=14 May 2018}}</ref>
===Resurgence under Andrea Horwath===
[[File:ONDP English FullColour.svg|thumb|Party logo (until 2025)]]
On 7 November 2008, Andrea Horwath officially launched her campaign to win the party's leadership. Horwath advocated heavy investment in light rail. In party matters, she emphasised a closer relationship to unions and the hiring of regional organisers.<ref>{{cite news | first = Andrew | last = Lehrer | url = http://rabble.ca/news/andrea-horwath-can-fresh-face-change-ondps-fortunes | title = Andrea Horwath: Can a fresh face change the ONDP's fortunes? | newspaper = rabble.ca | date = 26 February 2009 | access-date = 2 January 2012 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110611221407/http://rabble.ca/news/andrea-horwath-can-fresh-face-change-ondps-fortunes | url-status = live | archive-date = 11 June 2011}}</ref> The [[2009 Ontario New Democratic Party leadership election|leadership election]] was held 6–8 March 2009. Horwath led on the first two ballots, and won on the third ballot with 60.4% of the vote.<ref name="Globe 20090307">{{cite news|last=Campbell|first=Murray|title=Horwath elected Ontario NDP Leader|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090307.wNDPconvention0703/BNStory/National/home|newspaper=The Globe and Mail|date=7 March 2009|___location=Toronto|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090309171118/http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090307.wNDPconvention0703/BNStory/National/home|archive-date=9 March 2009|url-status=dead|access-date=2 January 2012}}</ref>
In the lead-up to the 2011 election, Horwath began to campaign on tax incentives for businesses that create jobs in the province, making investments that improve health-care wait times, and cutting the [[Harmonized Sales Tax]] from necessities such as home-heating and gas.<ref>{{cite news | first=Robert| last= Benzie | url=https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/1035074--ontario-ndp-launches-first-pre-election-radio-ad | title=Ontario NDP launches first pre-election radio ad|newspaper=Toronto Star | ___location = Toronto | date= 5 August 2011}}</ref> Instead of providing broad corporate tax cuts, Horwath would have focused on tax cuts for small businesses and companies that make investments in Ontario.<ref>{{cite news | first=Laura|last= Mueller|url=http://www.yourottawaregion.com/news/elections/article/1071653--ndp-government-would-pay-half-of-ottawa-s-transit-operations|title=NDP government would pay half of Ottawa's transit operations|newspaper=Your Ottawa Region | ___location = Ottawa | date = 26 August 2011 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110910113555/http://www.yourottawaregion.com/news/elections/article/1071653--ndp-government-would-pay-half-of-ottawa-s-transit-operations | archive-date = 10 September 2011 | url-status=live| access-date = 2 January 2012}}</ref> Her campaign also criticized the McGuinty government for not soliciting competitive bids for [[green energy]] projects, and pledged to have a public bidding process where preference is given to local providers.<ref>{{cite news | first = Karen | last = Howlett | title = NDP pledges central role for public utility in power deals | newspaper = The Globe and Mail | ___location = Toronto | date= 12 August 2011 | page = A4}}</ref>
Horwath distanced the Ontario NDP from former Premier Bob Rae, then the [[Interim leader (Canada)|interim leader]] of the federal [[Liberal Party of Canada]],<ref>{{cite news|title=Liberals choose Rae as interim leader|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/liberals-choose-rae-as-interim-leader-1.1012598|access-date=25 May 2011|newspaper=CBCNews|___location= Toronto | date = 25 May 2011 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110528033432/http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2011/05/25/pol-liberals-interim-leader.html |url-status=live| archive-date = 28 May 2011}}</ref> by pointing out that he is the exception to the rule of NDP Premiers in other provinces who have been able to balance provincial budgets.<ref>{{cite news| first= B. J. | last= Siekierski | url=https://ipolitics.ca/2011/08/18/ndp-can-so-balance-budgets-ontario-leader-tells-ottawa-crowd/ | title = NDP can so balance budgets, Ontario leader tells Ottawa crowd | newspaper= iPolitics |___location=Toronto|date=18 August 2011 | access-date= 2 January 2012|archive-date=24 April 2012| url-status= live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120424030343/http://www.ipolitics.ca/2011/08/18/ndp-can-so-balance-budgets-ontario-leader-tells-ottawa-crowd/}}</ref> At the official televised leaders' debate, her political rivals criticized the Ontario NDP's handling of the economy in the early 1990s, but Horwath further distanced the party from Rae by pointing out his current allegiance to the federal Liberals as interim leader of the (federal) [[Liberal Party of Canada|Liberal Party]].<ref>{{cite news| url=https://kitchener.ctvnews.ca/horwath-credited-with-running-positive-campaign-1.708620 |title= Horwath credited with running positive campaign|newspaper= CTV News| ___location=Ottawa|date=7 October 2011|access-date=2 January 2012|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120722104813/http://ottawa.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20111007/ndp-horwath-result-111007/20111007/?hub=OttawaHome| url-status=dead |archive-date=22 July 2012}}</ref> Her campaign largely refrained from mudslinging and personal attacks, and she led her party to an increase from 10 seats to 17 seats in the legislature. The Liberals were re-elected with a [[minority government]] giving Horwath's NDP the [[balance of power (parliament)|balance of power]] in the legislature.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thespec.com/news/elections/article/605288--no-orange-crush-but-horwath-leads-party-to-solid-showing | title= No orange crush, but Horwath leads party to solid showing | newspaper= Hamilton Spectator |___location=Hamilton, Ontario| date=7 October 2011|access-date=2 January 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111007215324/http://www.thespec.com/news/elections/article/605288--no-orange-crush-but-horwath-leads-party-to-solid-showing|url-status=live |archive-date=7 October 2011}}</ref>
At an automatic [[leadership review]] held at the party's provincial convention in April 2012, 76.4% of delegates voted in favour of Horwath's continued leadership.<ref>{{cite news|title=Ontario NDP Leader Horwath survives leadership review|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-ndp-leader-horwath-survives-leadership-review-1.1284675|access-date=18 April 2012|publisher=CBC News|date=14 April 2012}}</ref>
In September 2012, NDP candidate [[Catherine Fife]] won a by-election in the riding of [[Kitchener—Waterloo (provincial electoral district)|Kitchener—Waterloo]] after the resignation of former [[Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario|Progressive Conservative]] MPP [[Elizabeth Witmer]]. Fife's victory increased the NDP caucus to a total of 18 seats in the provincial legislature.
Further by-election victories in ridings formerly held by the Liberals included [[Peggy Sattler]] in [[London West (provincial electoral district)|London West]] and [[Percy Hatfield]] in [[Windsor—Tecumseh (provincial electoral district)|Windsor—Tecumseh]] in August 2013, and [[Wayne Gates]] in [[Niagara Falls (provincial electoral district)|Niagara Falls]]. This increased the NDP caucus to 21 members in the Legislative Assembly.
At the [[2018 Ontario general election|2018 provincial election]], the NDP ended 23 years of third party status, winning 40 seats to become the official opposition–the party's best showing since winning government in 1990. Notably, they took all of Old Toronto (i.e., what was the city of Toronto before the 1999 amalgamation of Metro Toronto) and took eight seats in northern Ontario. They also took all but one seat each in Hamilton and Niagara.
At the leadership review held in June 2019 during a policy convention, Horwath received support from 84% of delegates.<ref>{{cite news|title=Andrea Horwath gets 84% support in leadership review|url=https://www.thestar.com/politics/provincial/2019/06/15/andrea-horwath-unveils-green-new-democratic-deal.html|access-date=16 June 2019|publisher=The Toronto Star |date=16 June 2019}}</ref>
Horwath resigned after the party lost seats in the [[2022 Ontario general election]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Powers |first=Lucas |date=3 June 2022 |title=Ontario's Progressive Conservatives sail to 2nd majority, NDP and Liberal leaders say they will resign |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-election-2022-results-ford-horwath-del-duca-1.6473595 |website=[[CBC News]]}}</ref> [[Peter Tabuns]] was chosen [[Interim leader (Canada)|interim leader]] on June 28, 2022.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://nationalpost.com/pmn/news-pmn/canada-news-pmn/cp-newsalert-ontario-ndp-names-peter-tabuns-as-interim-leader#Echobox=1656469932 | title=Ontario NDP names Peter Tabuns, longtime Toronto caucus member, as interim leader | newspaper=National Post | date=29 June 2022 | last1=McKenzie-Sutter | first1=Holly }}</ref>
===Official Opposition under Marit Stiles===
{{further|2023 Ontario New Democratic Party leadership election}}
After the interim leadership of [[Peter Tabuns]], [[Marit Stiles]] was declared Ontario NDP leader by a majority vote at an event in Downtown Toronto on February 4, 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Powers |first=Lucas |date=December 6, 2022 |title=Toronto MPP Marit Stiles set to be next leader of Ontario NDP |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/marit-stiles-ontario-ndp-leadeToronto%20MPP%20Marit%20Stiles%20set%20to%20be%20next%20leader%20of%20Ontario%20NDP-1.6675630 |access-date=December 11, 2022}}</ref>
In October 2023, [[Hamilton Centre (provincial electoral district)|Hamilton Centre]] MPP [[Sarah Jama]] was removed from the NDP caucus for allegedly failing to abide by the terms of an agreement between herself and Stiles. Jama was accused of taking a "number of unilateral actions" without party endorsement, which included making statements regarding the [[2023 Israel-Hamas war]]; being uncooperative with NDP colleagues; and threatening [[Premier of Ontario|Premier]] [[Doug Ford]] with legal action without first consulting her caucus.<ref>{{Cite web |date=October 23, 2023 |title=Ontario Premier Ford's government passes motion to silence Hamilton legislator |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/ontario-premier-fords-government-passes-motion-to-silence-hamilton-legislator/article_1405dec6-a9d0-5942-a855-c88bd1580705.html |author=Allison Jones and Liam Casey |access-date=October 23, 2023 |website=Toronto Star |language=en |archive-date=October 23, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231023191917/https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/ontario-premier-fords-government-passes-motion-to-silence-hamilton-legislator/article_1405dec6-a9d0-5942-a855-c88bd1580705.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="CBC Kicked">{{cite news |last1=Beattie |first1=Samantha |last2=Hristova |first2=Bobby |date=October 23, 2023 |title=Ontario NDP kicks Hamilton MPP Sarah Jama from caucus after controversial Gaza comments |work=CBC News |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/jama-ndp-caucus-1.7005056 |accessdate=November 2, 2023 |archive-date=November 2, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231102044010/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/jama-ndp-caucus-1.7005056 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Whattoknow">{{cite news |last1=DeClerq |first1=Katherine |title=What to know about Sarah Jama's censure and ejection from NDP |url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/toronto/article/what-to-know-about-sarah-jamas-censure-and-ejection-from-ndp/ |date=October 24, 2023 |agency=CTV News Toronto |access-date=November 21, 2023 |archive-date=November 20, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231120030652/https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/what-to-know-about-sarah-jama-s-censure-and-ejection-from-ndp-1.6614761 |url-status=live }}</ref> Stiles had originally defended Jama, and had met privately with Jama beforehand, asking her to remove her statement and apologize. Jama subsequently apologized for her posts but, in defiance of the party's directive, refused to remove the statement, instead pinning it to the top of her feed on X.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/10042820/ontario-ndp-removes-sarah-jama/ |title=Ontario NDP removes Sarah Jama from caucus after Israel-Hamas comments |website=Global News |access-date=November 21, 2023 |archive-date=November 21, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231121020735/https://globalnews.ca/news/10042820/ontario-ndp-removes-sarah-jama/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Removal">{{Cite web |last1=Casaletto |first1=Lucas |last2=Ranger |first2=Michael |date=October 23, 2023 |title=Ontario NDP MPP Sarah Jama removed from caucus |url=https://toronto.citynews.ca/2023/10/23/ontario-ndp-mpp-sarah-jama-removed-from-caucus-statement/ |access-date=October 23, 2023 |website=CityNews |language=en |archive-date=October 23, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231023155224/https://toronto.citynews.ca/2023/10/23/ontario-ndp-mpp-sarah-jama-removed-from-caucus-statement/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="auto3">{{Cite web |url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/toronto/article/what-to-know-about-sarah-jamas-censure-and-ejection-from-ndp/ |title=What to know about Sarah Jama's censure and ejection from NDP |author=Katherine DeClerq |date=October 24, 2023 |website=CTV News |access-date=November 21, 2023 |archive-date=November 20, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231120030652/https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/what-to-know-about-sarah-jama-s-censure-and-ejection-from-ndp-1.6614761 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.tvo.org/article/hamilton-mpp-kicked-out-of-ndp-caucus-censured-by-legislature |title=Hamilton MPP kicked out of NDP caucus, censured by legislature; Sarah Jama was expelled from caucus and effectively silenced in the legislature for comments she made about the Israel-Hamas war |website=TVO Today |access-date=November 21, 2023 |archive-date=November 15, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231115181801/https://www.tvo.org/article/hamilton-mpp-kicked-out-of-ndp-caucus-censured-by-legislature |url-status=live }}</ref> Jama said: "I don't plan on apologizing..."<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.thespec.com/news/hamilton-region/i-don-t-plan-on-apologizing-says-hamilton-centre-s-sarah-jama/article_1eb5ae61-84a6-5cb9-8c5d-11a17f6a24fa.html |title='I don't plan on apologizing,' says Hamilton-Centre's Sarah Jama |author=Grant LaFleche |date=November 7, 2023 |work=The Spectator |access-date=November 21, 2023 |archive-date=November 21, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231121100828/https://www.thespec.com/news/hamilton-region/i-don-t-plan-on-apologizing-says-hamilton-centre-s-sarah-jama/article_1eb5ae61-84a6-5cb9-8c5d-11a17f6a24fa.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The NDP was divided over the issue.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.thestar.com/politics/provincial/mpp-sarah-jama-s-removal-divides-the-ndp/article_a86ae195-2c72-5280-a342-803b7a678575.html |title=MPP Sarah Jama's removal divides the NDP |last1=Rushowy |first1=Kristin |last2=Ferguson |first2=Rob |date=October 25, 2023 |website=Toronto Star |access-date=November 21, 2023 |archive-date=November 21, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231121020735/https://www.thestar.com/politics/provincial/mpp-sarah-jama-s-removal-divides-the-ndp/article_a86ae195-2c72-5280-a342-803b7a678575.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Some in the NDP stated that Jama should have been ejected sooner for refusing to remove her statement; some were critical of the political damage that resulted from the delay in expelling Jama with one MPP having to be convinced not to quit the NDP over the delay; while others criticized Stiles for her decision to remove Jama from caucus including two constituency associations that demanded Stiles resign as leader.<ref>{{Cite web |last=DeClerq |first=Katherine |date=October 26, 2023 |title=Sarah Jama's removal from Ontario NDP prompts calls for leader's resignation and review |url=https://www.cp24.com/news/sarah-jama-s-removal-from-ontario-ndp-prompts-calls-for-leader-s-resignation-and-review-1.6618510 |access-date=November 2, 2023 |website=CP24 |language=en |archive-date=November 1, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231101204751/https://www.cp24.com/news/sarah-jama-s-removal-from-ontario-ndp-prompts-calls-for-leader-s-resignation-and-review-1.6618510 |url-status=live }}</ref>
==Party leaders==
{{See also|Ontario CCF/NDP leadership elections}}
The party was known as the Ontario section of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation until the New Democratic Party's founding convention on 8 October 1961, at which point Donald C. MacDonald ceased to be the CCF leader and became the Ontario NDP leader.
===CCF===
{| class="wikitable"
! #
! Party leader
! Tenure
! style="width: 40%" | Notes
|-
|*
| [[Agnes McPhail]]
| 1932–1934 <small>(party chairman and co-spokesman)</small>
|<small>Concurrently a [[United Farmers of Ontario]] federal [[Member of Parliament (Canada)|MP]]. Served in Ontario legislature as a CCF MPP (1943–1945, 1948–1951).<ref>{{cite book
|title = Ask no quarter; a biography of Agnes Macphail
|last = Stewart
|first = Margaret
|author2 = Shackelton, Doris French
|year = 1959
|pages = [https://archive.org/details/asknoquarter0000unse_t3m1/page/171 171]-178
|publisher = Longmans, Green
|___location = Toronto
|url = https://archive.org/details/asknoquarter0000unse_t3m1
|url-access = registration
}}</ref></small>
|-
|*
| [[Elmore Philpott]]
| 1933–1934 <small>(CCF clubs president and co-spokesman)</small>
|<small>Previously a candidate for the Ontario Liberal Party leadership in 1930. Rejoined the Liberals in 1935. Served as a federal Liberal MP from 1953 to 1957.</small>
|-
| *
| John Mitchell
| 1934–1941 <small>(party president and spokesman)</small>
| <small>Concurrently an alderman on [[Hamilton, Ontario]] city council for part of this time.</small>
|-
|*
| [[Samuel Lawrence (Canadian politician)|Samuel Lawrence]]
| 1934–1937 <small>(leader in the legislature)</small><br />1941–1942 <small>(party president and spokesman)</small>
|<small>First CCFer elected to the Ontario legislature and sole CCF MPP until his defeat in 1937. Later served as Mayor of Hamilton, Ontario (1944–1949).<ref>{{cite news|title=SAM LAWRENCE NAMED BY C.C.F.: Unanimously Selected to Head Ontario Group|work=[[The Globe and Mail]]|date=14 April 1941}}</ref></small>
|-
| 1
| [[Ted Jolliffe|E.B. (Ted) Jolliffe]]
| 1942–1953
| <small>Leader of the Opposition 1943–1945, 1948–1951. First official CCF leader.</small>
|-
| 2
| [[Donald C. MacDonald]]
| 1953–1961
|
|}
===NDP===
{| class="wikitable"
! #
! Party Leader
! Tenure
! style="width: 40%" | Notes
|-
| 1
| [[Donald C. MacDonald]]
| October 8, 1961 – October 4, 1970
|
|-
| 2
| [[Stephen Lewis]]
| October 4, 1970 – February 5, 1978
| <small>Leader of the Opposition 1975–1977. Subsequently served as Canadian Ambassador to the United Nations (1984–1988)</small>
|-
| 3
| [[Michael Cassidy (Canadian politician)|Michael Cassidy]]
| February 5, 1978 – February 7, 1982
|<small> Later a federal NDP MP (1984–1988)</small>
|-
| 4
| [[Bob Rae]]
| February 7, 1982 – June 22, 1996
| <small>Leader of the Opposition 1987–1990, First Ontario NDP Premier 1990–1995. Previously a federal NDP MP (1978–1982). Later joined the federal Liberals and was a federal Liberal MP (2008–2013), Liberal leadership candidate (2006) and interim Liberal leader (2011–2013). Appointed Canadian Ambassador to the United Nations in 2020.</small>
|-
| *
| [[Bud Wildman]]
| February 10 – June 22, 1996 (caucus leader)
| <small>[[Parliamentary leader]] of the NDP caucus in the legislature between Rae's resignation as an MPP and Hampton's election </small>
|-
| 5
| [[Howard Hampton]]
| June 22, 1996 – March 7, 2009
|
|-
| 6
| [[Andrea Horwath]]
| March 7, 2009 – June 28, 2022
| <small>Leader of the Opposition, 2018–2022. Later Mayor of Hamilton (2022–present)</small>
|-
| *
| [[Peter Tabuns]]
| June 28, 2022 – February 4, 2023
| <small>Leader of the Opposition, 2022–2023</small>
|-
| 7
| [[Marit Stiles]]
| February 4, 2023 – present
| <small> Leader of the Opposition, 2023–present</small>
|}
==Electoral performance==
Results include those of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF). The CCF essentially became the New Democratic Party (NDP) on 8 October 1961.
===Legislative Assembly===
{| class=wikitable style="text-align: center;"
|-
! Election
! Leader
! Votes
! %
! Seats
! +/−
! Position
! Status
|-
! [[1934 Ontario general election|1934]]
| rowspan=2|[[John Mitchell (Canadian politician)|John Mitchell]]
|
| 7.0
| {{Composition bar|1|90|hex={{Canadian party colour|AB|CCF}}}}
| {{increase}} 1
| {{increase}} 3rd
| {{no2|Third party}}
|-
! [[1937 Ontario general election|1937]]
|
| 5.6
| {{Composition bar|0|90|hex={{Canadian party colour|AB|CCF}}}}
| {{decrease}} 1
| {{decrease}} none
| {{no|No seats}}
|-
! [[1943 Ontario general election|1943]]
| rowspan=4| [[Ted Jolliffe]]
|
| 31.7
| {{Composition bar|34|90|hex={{Canadian party colour|AB|CCF}}}}
| {{increase}} 34
| {{increase}} 2nd
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[1945 Ontario general election|1945]]
|
| 22.4
| {{Composition bar|8|90|hex={{Canadian party colour|AB|CCF}}}}
| {{decrease}} 26
| {{decrease}} 3rd
| {{no2|Third party}}
|-
! [[1948 Ontario general election|1948]]
|
| 27.0
| {{Composition bar|21|90|hex={{Canadian party colour|AB|CCF}}}}
| {{increase}} 13
| {{increase}} 2nd
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[1951 Ontario general election|1951]]
|
| 19.1
| {{Composition bar|2|90|hex={{Canadian party colour|AB|CCF}}}}
| {{decrease}} 19
| {{decrease}} 3rd
| {{no2|Third party}}
|-
! [[1955 Ontario general election|1955]]
| rowspan=4| [[Donald C. MacDonald]]
|
| 16.5
| {{Composition bar|3|98|hex={{Canadian party colour|AB|CCF}}}}
| {{increase}} 1
| {{steady}} 3rd
| {{no2|Third party}}
|-
! [[1959 Ontario general election|1959]]
|
| 16.7
| {{Composition bar|5|98|hex={{Canadian party colour|AB|CCF}}}}
| {{increase}} 2
| {{steady}} 3rd
| {{no2|Third party}}
|-
! [[1963 Ontario general election|1963]]
|
| 15.5
| {{Composition bar|7|108|hex={{Canadian party colour|ON|NDP}}}}
| {{increase}} 2
| {{steady}} 3rd
| {{no2|Third party}}
|-
! [[1967 Ontario general election|1967]]
|
| 25.9
| {{Composition bar|20|117|hex={{Canadian party colour|ON|NDP}}}}
| {{increase}} 13
| {{steady}} 3rd
| {{no2|Third party}}
|-
! [[1971 Ontario general election|1971]]
| rowspan=3| [[Stephen Lewis]]
|
| 27.1
| {{Composition bar|19|117|hex={{Canadian party colour|ON|NDP}}}}
| {{decrease}} 1
| {{steady}} 3rd
| {{no2|Third party}}
|-
! [[1975 Ontario general election|1975]]
|
| 28.9
| {{Composition bar|38|125|hex={{Canadian party colour|ON|NDP}}}}
| {{increase}} 19
| {{increase}} 2nd
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[1977 Ontario general election|1977]]
| 940,691
| 28.0
| {{Composition bar|33|125|hex={{Canadian party colour|ON|NDP}}}}
| {{decrease}} 5
| {{decrease}} 3rd
| {{no2|Third party}}
|-
! [[1981 Ontario general election|1981]]
| [[Michael Cassidy (Canadian politician)|Michael Cassidy]]
| 672,824
| 21.2
| {{Composition bar|21|125|hex={{Canadian party colour|ON|NDP}}}}
| {{decrease}} 12
| {{steady}} 3rd
| {{no2|Third party}}
|-
! rowspan="2" | [[1985 Ontario general election|1985]]
| rowspan="5" | [[Bob Rae]]
| rowspan="2" | 865,507
| rowspan="2" | 23.8
| rowspan="2" | {{Composition bar|25|125|hex={{Canadian party colour|ON|NDP}}}}
| rowspan="2" | {{increase}} 4
| rowspan="2" | {{steady}} 3rd
| {{no2|Third party {{small|(1985)}}}}
|-
| {{partial2|Confidence and supply<br/>{{small|(1985–1987)}}}}
|-
! [[1987 Ontario general election|1987]]
| 970,813
| 25.7
| {{Composition bar|19|130|hex={{Canadian party colour|ON|NDP}}}}
| {{decrease}} 6
| {{increase}} 2nd
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[1990 Ontario general election|1990]]
| 1,509,506
| 37.6
| {{Composition bar|74|130|hex={{Canadian party colour|ON|NDP}}}}
| {{increase}} 55
| {{increase}} 1st
| {{yes2|Majority}}
|-
! [[1995 Ontario general election|1995]]
| 854,163
| 20.6
| {{Composition bar|17|130|hex={{Canadian party colour|ON|NDP}}}}
| {{decrease}} 58
| {{decrease}} 3rd
| {{no2|Third party}}
|-
! [[1999 Ontario general election|1999]]
| rowspan=3|[[Howard Hampton]]
| 551,009
| 12.6
| {{Composition bar|9|103|hex={{Canadian party colour|ON|NDP}}}}
| {{decrease}} 8
| {{steady}} 3rd
| {{no2|Third party}}
|-
! [[2003 Ontario general election|2003]]
| 660,730
| 14.7
| {{Composition bar|7|103|hex={{Canadian party colour|ON|NDP}}}}
| {{decrease}} 1
| {{steady}} 3rd
| {{no2|No status<sup>§</sup>}}
|-
! [[2007 Ontario general election|2007]]
| 741,043
| 16.8
| {{Composition bar|10|107|hex={{Canadian party colour|ON|NDP}}}}
| {{increase}} 3
| {{steady}} 3rd
| {{no2|Third party}}
|-
! [[2011 Ontario general election|2011]]
| rowspan=4| [[Andrea Horwath]]
| 980,204
| 22.7
| {{Composition bar|17|107|hex={{Canadian party colour|ON|NDP}}}}
| {{increase}} 7
| {{steady}} 3rd
| {{no2|Third party}}
|-
! [[2014 Ontario general election|2014]]
| 1,144,576
| 23.7
| {{Composition bar|21|107|hex={{Canadian party colour|ON|NDP}}}}
| {{increase}} 4
| {{steady}} 3rd
| {{no2|Third party}}
|-
! [[2018 Ontario general election|2018]]
| 1,925,512
| 33.6
| {{Composition bar|40|124|hex={{Canadian party colour|ON|NDP}}}}
| {{increase}} 19
| {{increase}} 2nd
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[2022 Ontario general election|2022]]
| 1,072,769
| 23.7
| {{Composition bar|31|124|hex={{Canadian party colour|ON|NDP}}}}
| {{decrease}} 9
| {{steady}} 2nd
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[2025 Ontario general election|2025]]
| [[Marit Stiles]]
| 931,796
| 18.3
| {{Composition bar|27|124|hex={{Canadian party colour|ON|NDP}}}}
| {{decrease}} 4
| {{steady}} 2nd
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|}
<sup>§</sup>Regained official party status after a 2004 by-election.
==Current Ontario New Democrat MPPs==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Member
!District
!Elected
!class=unsortable|Notes
|-
|{{sortname|Marit|Stiles}}
|[[Davenport (provincial electoral district)|Davenport]]
|2018
|Party leader and Leader of the Opposition, 2023 – present
|-
|{{sortname|Robin|Lennox}}
|[[Hamilton Centre (provincial electoral district)|Hamilton Centre]]
|2025
|-
|[[Sandy Shaw (politician)|Sandy Shaw]]
|[[Hamilton West—Ancaster—Dundas (provincial electoral district)|Hamilton West—Ancaster—Dundas]]
|2018
|-
|{{sortname|Tom|Rakocevic}}
|[[Humber River—Black Creek (provincial electoral district)|Humber River—Black Creek]]
|2018
|-
|{{sortname|Sol|Mamakwa}}
|[[Kiiwetinoong]]
|2018
|Deputy leader, 2022 – present
|-
|{{sortname|Teresa|Armstrong}}
|[[London—Fanshawe (provincial electoral district)|London—Fanshawe]]
|2011
|-
|{{sortname|Terence|Kernaghan}}
|[[London North Centre (provincial electoral district)|London North Centre]]
|2018
|-
|{{sortname|Peggy|Sattler}}
|[[London West (provincial electoral district)|London West]]
|2013
|-
|{{sortname|Guy|Bourgouin}}
|[[Mushkegowuk—James Bay]]
|2018
|-
|{{sortname|Jeff|Burch}}
|[[Niagara Centre (provincial electoral district)|Niagara Centre]]
|2018
|-
|{{sortname|Wayne|Gates}}
|[[Niagara Falls (provincial electoral district)|Niagara Falls]]
|2014
|-
|{{sortname|France|Gélinas}}
|[[Nickel Belt (provincial electoral district)|Nickel Belt]]
|2007
|-
|[[Jennifer French (politician)|Jennifer French]]
|[[Oshawa (provincial electoral district)|Oshawa]]
|2014
|-
|{{sortname|Catherine|McKenney}}
|[[Ottawa Centre (provincial electoral district)|Ottawa Centre]]
|2025
|-
|{{sortname|Chandra|Pasma}}
|[[Ottawa West—Nepean (provincial electoral district)|Ottawa West—Nepean]]
|2022
|-
|{{sortname|Alexa|Gilmour}}
|[[Parkdale—High Park (provincial electoral district)|Parkdale—High Park]]
|2025
|-
|{{sortname|Jennie|Stevens}}
|[[St. Catharines (provincial electoral district)|St. Catharines]]
|2018
|-
|{{sortname|Doly|Begum}}
|[[Scarborough Southwest (provincial electoral district)|Scarborough Southwest]]
|2018
|Deputy leader, 2022 – present
|-
|{{sortname|Chris|Glover}}
|[[Spadina—Fort York (provincial electoral district)|Spadina—Fort York]]
|2018
|-
|{{sortname|Jamie|West}}
|[[Sudbury (provincial electoral district)|Sudbury]]
|2018
|-
|{{sortname|Lise|Vaugeois}}
|[[Thunder Bay—Superior North (provincial electoral district)|Thunder Bay—Superior North]]
|2022
|-
|{{sortname|John|Vanthof}}
|[[Timiskaming—Cochrane (provincial electoral district)|Timiskaming—Cochrane]]
|2011
|-
|{{sortname|Kristyn|Wong-Tam}}
|[[Toronto Centre (provincial electoral district)|Toronto Centre]]
|2022
|-
|{{sortname|Peter|Tabuns}}
|[[Toronto—Danforth (provincial electoral district)|Toronto—Danforth]]
|2006
|-
|[[Jessica Bell (politician)|Jessica Bell]]
|[[University—Rosedale (provincial electoral district)|University—Rosedale]]
|2018
|-
|{{sortname|Catherine|Fife}}
|[[Waterloo (provincial electoral district)|Waterloo]]
|2012
|-
|{{sortname|Lisa|Gretzky}}
|[[Windsor West (provincial electoral district)|Windsor West]]
|2014
|-
|}
== Structure ==
{{more citations needed section|date=January 2012}}
The officers of the Ontario NDP are the leader, the party president, six vice-presidents and the treasurer. Apart from the leader, the party officers are elected at the party's biennial convention. The leader is head of the parliamentary party and leads the party [[caucus]] in the Ontario legislature and is the party's presumed candidate to lead an NDP government should the party be called upon to form a government. The Provincial Director (formerly [[Provincial Secretary]]) is an employee of the party and manages the day to day party organization outside of the legislature. The Provincial Director is hired by the party executive with the ratification of the provincial council.
The party's provincial executive is composed of the party's officers, six men and six women elected on a regional basis, three women and three men elected at large, one woman and one man elected by the Ontario New Democratic Youth, two women representing the Women's Committee, one woman and one man representing the Lesbian, Gay and Trans-identified Committee, one woman and one man representing the party's ethnic committees, one woman and one man representing the Disability Rights Committee and one woman and one man representing the Aboriginal Section.
The highest decision-making body of the party is the provincial convention held once every two years. The convention is made up of delegates elected by riding associations, sections of the party ([[ONDY]], Women's, LGBT, Ethnic, Aboriginal, Disability), affiliates such as labour unions and other bodies.
The Provincial Council is the next highest decision making level and meets between conventions, usually three or four times a year. the Provincial Council is made up of the provincial executive, two representatives of the party's provincial caucus, delegates elected from each [[riding association]], representatives of regional party bodies, representatives of sections of the party and party affiliates.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ontariondp.com/system/files/CONSTITUTIONFINALUPDATED2007.pdf|title=Andrea Horwath and Ontario's New Democrats|website=Ontario NDP|access-date=25 March 2018}}</ref>
== See also ==
* [[List of political parties in Ontario]]
* [[List of articles about Ontario CCF/NDP members]]
* [[Ontario CCF/NDP leadership elections]]
* [[Ontario New Democratic Party candidates in the 1990 Ontario provincial election]]
* [[Ontario New Democratic Party Shadow Cabinet of the 41st Legislative Assembly of Ontario]]
* [[Ontario New Democratic Party Shadow Cabinet of the 40th Legislative Assembly of Ontario]]
* [[Metro New Democratic Party]] – Municipal NDP in Toronto in the 1970s and 1980s
==References==
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}
==Further reading==
*{{cite book
| last = Caplan
| first = Gerald
| author-link = Gerald Caplan
| title = The Dilemma of Canadian Socialism: The CCF in Ontario
| url = https://archive.org/details/dilemmaofcanadia0000capl
| url-access = registration
| publisher = [[McClelland and Stewart]]
| year = 1973
| ___location = [[Toronto]]
|isbn= 0-7710-1896-7}}
*{{cite book
| last = Lewis
| first = David
| author-link = David Lewis (Canadian politician)
| title = The Good Fight: Political Memoirs, 1909–1958
| publisher = [[Macmillan of Canada]]
| year = 1981
| ___location = [[Toronto]]
|isbn= 0-7715-9598-0 }}
*{{cite book
| last = MacDonald
| first = Donald C.
| author-link = Donald C. MacDonald
| title = The Happy Warrior: Political Memoirs, 2nd Ed.
| url = https://archive.org/details/happywarriorpoli00macd
| url-access = limited
| publisher = Dundurn Press
| year = 1998
| ___location = [[Toronto]]
| pages = [https://archive.org/details/happywarriorpoli00macd/page/n324 292]–296
|isbn=1-55002-307-1 }}
* {{cite book
| last = Smith
| first = Cameron
| title = Unfinished Journey: The Lewis Family
| publisher = Summerhill Press
| year = 1989
| ___location = [[Toronto]]
| isbn = 0-929091-04-3
| url-access = registration
| url = https://archive.org/details/unfinishedjourne00smit
}}
==External links==
*
*[https://www.ondpcaucus.com NDP Ontario Caucus - Official site]
*[http://fr.ontariondp.ca/sites/default/files/Changeons-pour-le-mieux.pdf Party program]
{{Ontario New Democratic Party}}
{{NDP}}
{{Ontario provincial political parties}}
{{Ontario politics}}
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:Ontario
[[Category:1961 establishments in Ontario]]
[[Category:Organizations based in Toronto]]
[[Category:Social democratic parties in Canada]]
[[Category:Political parties established in 1961]]
[[Category:Socialism in Ontario]]
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