Ontario’s 2007 referendum on electoral reform resulted in the status quo, the same result as B.C. and PEI.

Below is a summary of what took place in B.C. and PEI with hyperlinks for those who would like more detailed information.

B.C. 2005

The B.C. government established a Citizens’ Assembly in 2004. The Assembly recommended a Single Transferable Vote (STV) system which was put to a referendum in May 2005.

According to Elections B.C. the referendum was required to pass two thresholds:

1. At least 60 per cent of the valid votes province-wide must be cast in favour of BC-STV
2. In at least 51 of the 85 electoral districts, more than 50 per cent of the valid votes in the electoral district must be cast in favour of BC-STV

The referendum fell short with 58 per cent support province-wide and 77 of the electoral districts giving STV at least 50 per cent support.

B.C. 2009

The closeness of the result prompted the B.C. government to run another referendum in 2009. The government gave Elections B.C. additional funding to deal with the criticism that a poorly informed citizenry handicapped the result.

From Elections B.C.'s website:

In order to help British Columbians better understand electoral reform, Elections BC was required by law to distribute $1 million to two groups. No STV (www.nostv.org), which opposes BC-STV, and British Columbians for BC-STV (www.stv.ca), which supports electoral reform, each received $500,000 to assist their public information campaigns. The funding was given to both groups in two instalments: $435,000 on Feb. 2, 2009, and $65,000 on Apr. 1, 2009.

In addition, the Ministry of Attorney General established a Referendum Information Office to provide neutral information about the referendum.

Overall support dropped to 39.08 per cent (from 58 per cent in 2005) and seven ridings (down from 77) gave STV over 50 per cent support.

For now electoral reform appears to be off the table in British Columbia.

PEI

In 2003 the government of Prince Edward Island established an Electoral Reform Commission.

In October 2005 the citizens of PEI voted on the following question: Should Prince Edward Island change to the Mixed Member Proportional System as presented by the Commission of PEI's Electoral Future?

Elections PEI established similar thresholds as B.C.:

1. At least 60 per cent of the valid votes cast province wide would need to approve the proposal; and
2. At least 50 per cent of the valid votes cast in at least 60 per cent (16) of the provinces's 27 electoral districts would need to approve the proposal.

Voters resoundingly rejected the proposed change.

NO 63.58 per cent (25 districts)
YES 36.42 per cent (2 districts)

Ontario

Another referendum in Canada’s largest province appears unlikely, but that doesn’t mean the 2007 referendum was a failure. It was democracy in action from the bottom up.

Ontario referendum resources:

TVO: Citizens’ Assembly Videos

Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform

Elections Ontario: Detailed Referendum Results