List of by-elections in the Province of Canada

The list of by-elections in the Province of Canada includes every by-election held in the Province of Canada from its creation in 1841 until Confederation in 1867. By-elections occurred whenever there was a vacancy in the Legislative Assembly. The Legislative Council was made an elective body in 1856 and by-elections occurred there as well. Due to the fluid nature of party allegiances during this time no attempt has been made to show them in this list.

Causes A by-election occurs whenever there was a vacancy in the legislature. Vacancies occurred for the following reasons:

Death of a member. Resignation of a member. Voided results Expulsion from the legislature. Ineligibility to sit. Appointment to the Legislative Council, the appointed upper house, which was made elective in 1856. Ministerial by-elections occurred when incumbent members recontested their seats upon being appointed to the Executive Council. In 1853 this requirement was amended to exempt Executive Councillors who resigned their offices and within a month accepted a new office. Solicitors General were not exempted if they switched to the Attorney Generalship.Statutes of the Province of Canada 15-16 Vic. c.154 s.3 In 1855 this exception was dropped.Statutes of the Province of Canada 18 Vic. c.86 s.3 In 1857 this requirement was extended to include Legislative Councillors.Statutes of the Province of Canada 20 Vic. c. 22

8th Parliament of the Province of Canada 1863–1867 By-election Date Incumbent Winner CauseOxford NorthJuly 14, 1866Hope Fleming MackenzieThomas OliverDeathWentworth NorthNovember 1, 1865William NotmanJames McMoniesDeathHamiltonFebruary 21, 1865Isaac BuchananCharles MagillResignationOntario SouthJanuary 18, 1865Oliver MowatThomas Nicholson GibbsAppointed a judgeTrois-RivièresJanuary 16, 1865Joseph-Édouard TurcotteLouis-Charles Boucher de NivervilleDeathChicoutimi and SaguenayJanuary 3, 1865David Edward PricePierre-Alexis TremblayResignation to run for the Legislative CouncilYork WestDecember 14, 1864William Pearce HowlandWilliam Pearce HowlandSought re-election upon appointment as Postmaster GeneralLanark NorthNovember 4, 1864Robert BellWilliam McDougallResignation to provide a seat for McDougallPeterboroughSeptember 14, 1864Wilson Seymour CongerFrederick W. HaultainDeathNiagaraSeptember 7, 1864John SimpsonAngus MorrisonAppointed Assistant Auditor of Public AccountsJacques-CartierAugust 26, 1864François-Zéphirin TasséGuillaume Gamelin GaucherAppointed Inspector of PrisonsOntario NorthJuly 30, 1864William McDougallMatthew Crooks CameronSought re-election upon appointment as Provincial Secretary and RegistrarOntario SouthJuly 18, 1864Oliver MowatOliver MowatSought re-election upon appointment as Postmaster GeneralOxford SouthJuly 11, 1864George BrownGeorge BrownSought re-election upon appointment as President of the Executive CouncilHamiltonApril 29, 1864Isaac BuchananIsaac BuchananSought re-election upon appointment as President of the Executive CouncilWaterloo NorthApril 26, 1864Michael Hamilton FoleyIsaac Erb BowmanSought re-election upon appointment as Postmaster GeneralNorthumberland WestApril 23, 1864James CockburnJames CockburnSought re-election upon appointment as Solicitor General for Upper CanadaKamouraskaApril 14, 1864Jean-Charles ChapaisJean-Charles ChapaisSought re-election upon appointment as Commissioner of Public WorksSherbrookeApril 11, 1864Alexander Tilloch GaltAlexander Tilloch GaltSought re-election upon appointment as Minister of FinanceNiagaraApril 11, 1864John SimpsonJohn SimpsonSought re-election upon appointment as Provincial Secretary and RegistrarMontreal WestApril 11, 1864Thomas D'Arcy McGeeThomas D'Arcy McGeeSought re-election upon appointment as Minister of AgricultureMontreal EastApril 11, 1864George-Étienne CartierGeorge-Étienne CartierSought re-election upon appointment as Attorney General for Lower CanadaKingstonApril 11, 1864John A. MacdonaldJohn A. MacdonaldSought re-election upon appointment as Attorney General for Upper CanadaDorchesterApril 11, 1864Hector-Louis LangevinHector-Louis LangevinSought re-election upon appointment as Solicitor General for Lower CanadaLeeds SouthJanuary 30, 1864Albert Norton RichardsDavid Ford JonesSought re-election upon appointment as Solicitor General for Upper CanadaSt. HyacintheOctober 1, 1863Louis-Victor SicotteRémi RaymondAppointed a judgeBagotAugust 15, 1863Maurice LaframboiseMaurice LaframboiseSought re-election upon appointment as Commissioner of Public Works

7th Parliament of the Province of Canada 1861–1863 By-election Date Incumbent Winner CauseEssexApril 7, 1863Arthur RankinJohn O'ConnorVoid ElectionLaprairieApril 1, 1863Thomas-Jean-Jacques LorangerAlfred PinsonneaultAppointed a judgeOxford SouthMarch 19, 1863George Skeffington ConnorGeorge BrownAppointed a judgeNapiervilleNovember 17, 1862Jacques-Olivier BureauPierre BenoîtResignation to run for the Legislative CouncilPerthJuly 3, 1862Michael Hamilton FoleyThomas Mayne DalyElected in two seats and re-elected at ministerial by-election in Waterloo NorthHochelagaJune 20, 1862Paschal FalknerAntoine-Aimé DorionResignation to provide a seat for DorionOxford NorthJune 14, 1862William McDougallWilliam McDougallSought re-election upon appointment as Commissioner of Crown LandsCornwallJune 14, 1862John Sandfield MacdonaldJohn Sandfield MacdonaldSought re-election upon appointment as Attorney General for Upper CanadaYork NorthJune 13, 1862Adam WilsonAdam WilsonSought re-election upon appointment as Solicitor General for Upper CanadaYork WestJune 12, 1862William Pearce HowlandWilliam Pearce HowlandSought re-election upon appointment as Minister of FinanceSt. HyacintheJune 12, 1862Louis-Victor SicotteLouis-Victor SicotteSought re-election upon appointment as Attorney General for Lower CanadaArgenteuilJune 12, 1862John AbbottJohn AbbottSought re-election upon appointment as Solicitor General for Lower CanadaWaterloo NorthJune 9, 1862Michael Hamilton FoleyMichael Hamilton FoleySought re-election upon appointment as Postmaster GeneralQuebec CountyJune 9, 1862François ÉvanturelFrançois ÉvanturelSought re-election upon appointment as Minister of AgricultureMontreal WestJune 5, 1862Thomas D'Arcy McGeeThomas D'Arcy McGeeSought re-election upon appointment as President of the Executive CouncilToronto WestApril 22, 1862John Beverley RobinsonJohn Beverley RobinsonSought re-election upon appointment as President of the Executive CouncilLondonApril 7, 1862John CarlingJohn CarlingSought re-election upon appointment as Receiver GeneralBromeMarch 17, 1862Moses SweetChristopher DunkinAppointed Postmaster of WardenMontcalmFebruary 20, 1862Jean-Louis MartinJoseph DufresneDeathLavalSeptember 27, 1861Pierre LabelleLouis-Siméon MorinAppointed Inspector of Public Works

6th Parliament of the Province of Canada 1858–1861 By-election Date Incumbent Winner CauseGreyMarch 4, 1861John Sheridan HoganJesse Thomas PurdyDeathVaudreuilNovember 26, 1860Robert Unwin HarwoodJean-Baptiste MongenaisResignation to run for the Legislative CouncilSheffordNovember 20, 1860Asa Belknap FosterVacant, no return made due to tie between Lucius Seth Huntington and Michel-Adrien Bessette. Assembly dissolved before the results could be decided.Resignation to run for the Legislative CouncilLambtonNovember 19, 1860Malcolm CameronHope Fleming MackenzieResignation to run for the Legislative CouncilLincolnNovember 7, 1860William Hamilton MerrittJohn Charles RykertResignation to run for the Legislative CouncilLanark NorthOctober 26, 1860Robert BellRobert BellResignation to run for the Legislative CouncilMiddlesex EastMay 31, 1860Marcus TalbotRobert CraikDeathQuebec East*May 18, 1860Hippolyte DubordPierre-Gabriel HuotVoid ElectionQuebec West*May 7, 1860Charles Joseph AlleynCharles Joseph AlleynVoid ElectionQuebec Centre*May 7, 1860Georges-Honoré SimardGeorges-Honoré SimardVoid ElectionTerrebonneFebruary 21, 1860Louis-Siméon MorinLouis-Siméon MorinSought re-election upon appointment as Solicitor General for Lower CanadaYork NorthJanuary 14, 1860Joseph HartmanAdam WilsonDeathRussellDecember 21, 1859G. B. Lyon-FellowesJohn LouxResignation due to election fraudWellington NorthFebruary 23, 1859Charles AllanJames RossDeathMaskinongéDecember 14, 1858Louis-Honoré GauvreauGeorge CaronDeathBrant EastDecember 1, 1858David ChristieHugh FinlaysonResignation to run for the Legislative CouncilHaldimandOctober 7, 1858William Lyon MackenzieMichael HarcourtResignationLotbinièreOctober 2, 1858John O'FarrellLewis Thomas DrummondVoid ElectionSheffordSeptember 14, 1858Lewis Thomas DrummondAsa Belknap FosterSought re-election upon appointment as Attorney General for Lower Canada**PortneufSeptember 11, 1858Joseph-Élie ThibaudeauJoseph-Élie ThibaudeauSought re-election upon appointment as President of the Executive Council and Minister of Agriculture**MontrealSeptember 9, 1858Antoine-Aimé DorionAntoine-Aimé DorionSought re-election upon appointment as Commissioner of Crown Lands**Oxford SouthSeptember 7, 1858George Skeffington ConnorGeorge Skeffington ConnorSought re-election upon appointment as Solicitor General for Upper Canada**IbervilleSeptember 6, 1858Charles LabergeCharles LabergeSought re-election upon appointment as Solicitor General for Lower Canada**Ontario SouthSeptember 4, 1858Oliver MowatOliver MowatSought re-election upon appointment as Provincial Secretary and Registrar**BrockvilleSeptember 2, 1858George SherwoodGeorge SherwoodSought re-election upon appointment as Receiver GeneralTorontoSeptember 1, 1858George BrownGeorge BrownSought re-election upon appointment as Inspector General**CornwallSeptember 1, 1858John Sandfield MacdonaldJohn Sandfield MacdonaldSought re-election upon appointment as Attorney General for Upper Canada**LévisAugust 28, 1858François-Xavier LemieuxFrançois-Xavier LemieuxSought re-election upon appointment as Receiver General**Waterloo NorthAugust 23, 1858Michael Hamilton FoleyMichael Hamilton FoleySought re-election upon appointment as Postmaster General**SherbrookeAugust 23, 1858Alexander Tilloch GaltAlexander Tilloch GaltSought re-election upon appointment as Inspector GeneralWellington NorthAugust 21, 1858Charles AllanCharles AllanVoid ElectionMiddlesex WestAugust 5, 1858John ScatcherdAngus Peter McDonaldDeathLeeds North and Grenville NorthMay 21, 1858Basil R. ChurchOgle Robert GowanDeathOxford NorthMay 14, 1858George BrownWilliam McDougallChose to sit for TorontoRenfrewMarch 3, 1858John Lorn McDougallWilliam CayleyAppointed Associate Coroner for the United Counties of Lanark and RenfrewNorthumberland WestFebruary 22, 1858Sidney SmithSidney SmithSought re-election upon appointment as Postmaster General * Incumbents sat for Quebec City which was a three-member seat until 1860 when it was split into Centre, East and West districts. As a result, the by-elections were held for the new single-member seats

** Members of the Brown-Dorion Ministry of August 2–4, 1858

5th Parliament of the Province of Canada 1854–1857