The 1953 British Columbia general election was the 24th general election in the Province of

British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, for ...

, Canada. It was held to elect members of the

Legislative Assembly of British Columbia The Legislative Assembly of British Columbia is the deliberative assembly of the Parliament of British Columbia, in the province of British Columbia, Canada. The Legislative Assembly meets in Victoria. Members are elected from provincial ...

. The election was called on April 10, 1953, and held on June 9, 1953. The new legislature met for the first time on September 15, 1953. The

minority government A minority government, minority cabinet, minority administration, or a minority parliament is a government and cabinet formed in a parliamentary system when a political party or coalition of parties does not have a majority of overall seats in t ...

formed in 1952 by the conservative Social Credit party of Premier W.A.C. Bennett lasted only nine months before new elections were called. Social Credit was re-elected with a

majority A majority, also called a simple majority or absolute majority to distinguish it from related terms, is more than half of the total.Dictionary definitions of ''majority'' aMerriam-Webster social democratic Social democracy is a political, social, and economic philosophy within socialism that supports political and economic democracy. As a policy regime, it is described by academics as advocating economic and social interventions to promote so ...

Co-operative Commonwealth Federation The Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF; french: Fédération du Commonwealth Coopératif, FCC); from 1955 the Social Democratic Party of Canada (''french: Parti social démocratique du Canada''), was a federal democratic socialistThe follo ...

formed the

official opposition Parliamentary opposition is a form of political opposition to a designated government, particularly in a Westminster-based parliamentary system. This article uses the term ''government'' as it is used in Parliamentary systems, i.e. meaning ''t ...

with the only significant opposition caucus (14 seats). The

British Columbia Liberal Party The British Columbia Liberal Party, often shortened to the BC Liberals, is a centre-right provincial political party in British Columbia, Canada. The party currently forms the Official Opposition. Subsequent to the 2020 British Columbia genera ...

lost two of its six seats despite maintaining its 23% share of the popular vote. The Progressive Conservative Party lost three of its four seats in the legislature, as its share of the popular vote fell from almost 17% to under 6%. One seat was won by a Labour candidate.

Results

Notes: * Party did not nominate candidates in the previous election. x - less than 0.005% of the popular vote.

Results by riding

, - , , , align="center", William Ralph Talbot Chetwynd
, align="center" ,

Cariboo The Cariboo is an intermontane region of British Columbia, Canada, centered on a plateau stretching from Fraser Canyon to the Cariboo Mountains. The name is a reference to the caribou that were once abundant in the region. The Cariboo was t ...

Social Credit , , , , , align="center" , Alberni

CCF CCF can refer to: Computing * Confidential Consortium Framework, a free and open source blockchain infrastructure framework developed by Microsoft * Customer Care Framework, a Microsoft product Finance * Credit conversion factor converts the am ...

, align="center", Stanley John Squire
, , , - , , , align="center", William Kenneth Kiernan
, align="center" , Chilliwack
Social Credit , , , , , align="center" ,

Atlin Atlin may either be: *Atlin Lake, one of British Columbia's largest lakes *Atlin, British Columbia, a town in the far northwest of British Columbia, named for the lake, centre of a Klondike-era gold rush *Atlin District, the name for the region inc ...

, align="center", Frank Calder
, , , - , , , align="center",

Richard Orr Newton Richard Orr Newton (May 14, 1905 – February 14, 1963) was an educator, general store and restaurant owner, and political figure in British Columbia. He represented Columbia (electoral district), Columbia in the Legislative Assembly of Briti ...

, align="center" ,

Columbia Columbia may refer to: * Columbia (personification), the historical female national personification of the United States, and a poetic name for America Places North America Natural features * Columbia Plateau, a geologic and geographic region i ...

Social Credit , , , , , align="center" ,

Burnaby Burnaby is a city in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia, Canada. Located in the centre of the Burrard Peninsula, it neighbours the City of Vancouver to the west, the District of North Vancouver across the confluence of the Burrar ...

, align="center", Ernest Edward Winch
, , , - , , , align="center", Thomas Irwin
, align="center" , Delta
Social Credit , , , , , align="center" , Comox

, align="center", William Campbell Moore , , , - , , , align="center", Lyle Wicks
, align="center" , Dewdney
Social Credit , , , , , align="center" , Cowichan-Newcastle

, align="center",

Robert Martin Strachan Robert Martin Strachan (December 1, 1913 – July 21, 1981) was a trade unionist and politician. He was the longest serving Leader of the Opposition in British Columbia history.Canadian Press, "Robert Strachan Led CCF-NDP in opposition for 13 y ...

² , , , - , , , align="center", Llewllyn Leslie King
, align="center" , Fort George
Social Credit , , , , , align="center" , Cranbrook

, align="center",

Leo Thomas Nimsick Leo Thomas Nimsick (January 26, 1908 – February 8, 1999) was a political figure in British Columbia. He represented Cranbrook from 1949 to 1966 and Kootenay from 1966 to 1975 in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia as a Co-opera ...

, , , - , , , align="center", Philip Arthur Gaglardi
, align="center" ,

Kamloops Kamloops ( ) is a city in south-central British Columbia, Canada, at the confluence of the South flowing North Thompson River and the West flowing Thompson River, east of Kamloops Lake. It is located in the Thompson-Nicola Regional District, w ...

Social Credit , , , , , align="center" , Grand Forks-Greenwood

, align="center", Rupert Haggen , , , - , , , align="center",

Herbert Joseph Bruch Herbert Joseph Bruch (March 16, 1920 – May 26, 1993) was a fruit farmer, businessman, civil servant and political figure in British Columbia, Canada. He represented Esquimalt in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia from 1953 to 1 ...

, align="center" ,

Esquimalt The Township of Esquimalt is a municipality at the southern tip of Vancouver Island, in British Columbia, Canada. It is bordered to the east by the provincial capital, Victoria, to the south by the Strait of Juan de Fuca, to the west by Esqui ...

Social Credit , , , , , align="center" ,

Kaslo-Slocan Kaslo-Slocan was the name of a provincial electoral district in the Canadian province of British Columbia centred on the town of Kaslo on Kootenay Lake as well as the mining towns of the "Silvery Slocan". The riding first appeared in the 1924 ele ...

, align="center",

Randolph Harding Randolph Harding (September 17, 1914 – March 3, 1996) was a Canadian politician. Biography Born in Silverton, British Columbia, Harding was a teacher and a member of the Silverton municipal council. He was elected as the Co-operative Com ...

, , , - , , , align="center", Wesley Drewett Black
, align="center" , Nelson-Creston
Social Credit , , , , , align="center" , Mackenzie

, align="center", Anthony John Gargrave , , , - , , , align="center",

Lorne Shantz Lorne Hugh Shantz (February 4, 1920 – October 2, 1999) was a politician in British Columbia, Canada. He represented North Okanagan in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia from 1952 to 1963 as a British Columbia Social Credit Party, Soc ...

, align="center" ,

North Okanagan North Okanagan was the name of a provincial electoral district in the Canadian province of British Columbia beginning with the 1916 British Columbia general election, election of 1916. Following the 1975 British Columbia general election, 1975 el ...

Social Credit , , , , , align="center" , New Westminster

, align="center", Rae Eddie , , , - , , , align="center",

George Henry Tomlinson Jr. George Henry Tomlinson Jr. (July 28, 1896 – May 21, 1963) was a Canadian politician. He served in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia from 1953 to 1956 from the electoral district of North Vancouver, a member of the Social Credit ...

, align="center" , North Vancouver
Social Credit , , , , , align="center" , Revelstoke

, align="center",

Vincent Segur Vincent Spies Segur (May 2, 1887 – February 25, 1965) was an American-born locomotive engineer and political figure in British Columbia. He represented Revelstoke in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia from 1943 to 1945 and fr ...

, , , - , , , align="center",

Cyril Morley Shelford Cyril Morley Shelford (April 8, 1921 – November 8, 2001) was a rancher, author and political figure in British Columbia. He represented Omineca from 1952 to 1972 and Skeena from 1975 to 1979 in the Legislative Assembly of British Colum ...

, align="center" , Omineca
Social Credit , , , , , align="center" , Skeena

, align="center", Frank Howard , , , - , , , align="center", Charles William Parker
, align="center" ,

Peace River The Peace River (french: links=no, rivière de la Paix) is a river in Canada that originates in the Rocky Mountains of northern British Columbia and flows to the northeast through northern Alberta. The Peace River joins the Athabasca River in ...

Social Credit , , , , , align="center" rowspan=2 , Vancouver East

, align="center",

Arthur James Turner Arthur James Turner, CBE, FTI (1889 – October 1971) was a British scientist who worked in the field of textile technology. He was the first director of the Technological Laboratory created by the Indian Central Cotton Committee (ICCC) in Bom ...

, , , - , , , align="center", Robert Edward Sommers
, align="center" ,

Rossland-Trail Rossland-Trail was the name of a provincial electoral district in the Canadian province of British Columbia centred on the towns of Rossland and Trail, in the West Kootenay. The riding first appeared in the 1924 election as the result of a redistr ...

Social Credit , , , , , align="center",

Arnold Alexander Webster Arnold Alexander Webster (9 March 1899 – 27 July 1979) was a Canadian politician and served as Leader of the Opposition and leader of the BC Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (now known as the British Columbia NDP). He returned to politics ...

, ,      , - , ,      , align="center", John Douglas Tidball Tisdalle , align="center" , Saanich
Social Credit , ,      , ,      , align="center" , Fernie
Labour (Party) , align="center", Thomas Aubert Uphill , ,      , - , ,      , align="center", James Allan Reid
, align="center" ,

Salmon Arm Salmon Arm is a city in the Columbia Shuswap Regional District of the Southern Interior of the Canadian province of British Columbia that has a population of 17,706 (2016). Salmon Arm was incorporated as a municipal district on May 15, 1905. The ...

Social Credit , , , , , align="center" , Lillooet
Liberal , align="center", James Gordon Gibson , , , - , , , align="center",

Frank Richter, Jr. Francis Xavier Richter Jr. (July 12, 1910 – November 20, 1977) was a Canadian politician, who served as a Member of the Legislative Assembly and Minister of Agriculture and Minister of Mines in the Social Credit government of W.A.C. Be ...

, align="center" , Similkameen
Social Credit , , , , , align="center" , Oak Bay
Liberal , align="center",

Philip Archibald Gibbs Philip Archibald Gibbs (August 5, 1893 – March 4, 1960) was a Canadian politician. He served in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia from 1952 to 1960 from the electoral district of Oak Bay, a member of the Liberal Party The Libera ...

, , , - , , , align="center", William Andrew Cecil Bennett¹ , align="center" , South Okanagan
Social Credit , , , , , align="center" ,

Prince Rupert Prince Rupert of the Rhine, Duke of Cumberland, (17 December 1619 (O.S.) / 27 December (N.S.) – 29 November 1682 (O.S.)) was an English army officer, admiral, scientist and colonial governor. He first came to prominence as a Royalist caval ...

Liberal , align="center",

Arthur Bruce Brown Arthur Bruce Brown (March 17, 1911 – December 20, 1975) was a Canadian politician. He served in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia from 1953 to 1956 from the electoral district of Prince Rupert, a member of the Liberal Party ...

, , , - , , , align="center",

Eric Charles Fitzgerald Martin Eric Charles Fitzgerald Martin (September 15, 1905 – April 23, 1973) was an accountant, stock broker and political figure in British Columbia. He represented Vancouver-Burrard in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia from 1952 to ...

, align="center" rowspan=2 ,

Vancouver-Burrard Vancouver-Burrard was a provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, Canada. It first appeared on the hustings in the 1933 general election and included the neighbourhoods of Kitsilano and Fairview. This versio ...

Social Credit , , , , , align="center" , Vancouver-Point Grey
Liberal , align="center", Arthur Laing , , , - , , , align="center",

Bert Price Bert Price (April 10, 1907 – September 24, 1986) was a business owner and political figure in British Columbia, Canada. He represented Vancouver-Burrard in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia from 1952 to 1966 and from 1969 to 197 ...

, ,      , ,      , align="center" , Nanaimo and the Islands
Progressive Conservative , align="center", Larry Giovando ,      , - , ,      , align="center", Alexander Small Matthew , align="center" rowspan=2 , Vancouver Centre
Social Credit , ,      , - , ,      , align="center", George Churchill Moxham , ,      , - , ,      , align="center", Thomas Audley Bate
, align="center" rowspan=2 , Vancouver-Point Grey
Social Credit , ,      , - , ,      , align="center", Robert William Bonner
, ,      , - , ,      , align="center", Lydia Arsens , align="center" rowspan=3 ,

Victoria City Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychell ...

Social Credit , , , - , , , align="center",

William Neelands Chant William Neelands Chant (July 13, 1895 – September 25, 1976) was a farmer and political figure in Alberta and British Columbia. He represented Camrose in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1935 to 1940 as a Social Credit and then I ...

, , , - , , , align="center",

Walter Percival Wright Walter Percival "Percy" Wright (March 19, 1909 – September 1, 1992) was a Canadian politician. He won one of the three seats in the electoral district of Victoria City for the British Columbia Social Credit Party during the 1953 British Columb ...

, , , - , , , align="center",

Irvine Finlay Corbett Irvine Finlay Corbett (February 12, 1915 – October 7, 1986) was a Canadian former politician. He served in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia from 1952 to 1963, as a Social Credit member for the constituency of Yale. He died in 1986 ...

, align="center" ,

Yale Yale University is a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and among the most prestigious in the wor ...

Social Credit , , , - , , align="center", ¹ Premier-Elect , align="center", ² Leader of the Opposition , - , - , align="center" colspan="10", Source:''
Elections BC
, -

Results

Results by riding

See also