SAMbot was deployed for the Ontario election to further the Samara Centre’s efforts to explore how online toxicity is a barrier to civic engagement and participation in our democracy. As political discourse is generally at its most toxic during campaigns, SAMbot helps us gain critical insight into the current state of online Canadian political conversations.
SAMbot tracked toxic tweets by monitoring the public Twitter accounts of 486 candidates and 14 official parties. We are pleased to release this 2022 Ontario Election Snapshot that provides an overview of the toxic sentiment captured by SAMbot between May 4, 2022 at 12:00 a.m. ET and June 2, 2022 at 11:59 p.m. ET.
Candidates were tracked from all registered parties and details about tracked accounts can be found at the end of this Snapshot.
SAMbot uses a natural language processing, machine learning model to assess toxicity. These models are ever-evolving and thus, everytime SAMbot is deployed it becomes more accurate and informed. Learn more about how SAMbot detects toxicity.
Download the full Snapshot
684,479 tweets analyzed
From 486 candidates and 14 official party Twitter accounts.
56,482 tweets identified as likely toxic*
8.3% or approximately 1 in 12 tweets were likely toxic.
Toxicity Overview
Of the 684,479 tweets analyzed:
- 1,039 were labelled as containing sexually explicit content
- 1,961 were labelled as containing identity attacks
- 3,612 were labelled as containing threats
- 10,719 were labelled as containing profanity
- 55,334 were labelled as containing insults
Toxicity Rankings
Calculations are based on tweets received by the party and all party candidates.
Highest volume of toxicity received per party
| Ranking | Party | Total likely toxic tweets |
| 1 | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | 26,149 |
| 2 | Ontario Liberal Party | 14,009 |
| 3 | New Democratic Party of Ontario | 6,036 |
| 4 | Ontario Party | 1,053 |
| 5 | New Blue Party of Ontario | 865 |
| 6 | Green Party of Ontario | 804 |
Highest proportion of toxicity received per party
| Ranking | Party | Percentage of tweets that are likely toxic |
| 1 | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | 9.8% |
| 2 | Ontario Party | 9.3% |
| 3 | Ontario Liberal Party | 9.1% |
| 4 | New Democratic Party of Ontario | 6.9% |
| 5 | New Blue Party of Ontario | 6.1% |
| 6 | Green Party of Ontario | 3.3% |
Candidates that received the highest volumes of toxicity
Doug Ford*
- Leader of the PC Party of Ontario
- Re-elected in Etobicoke North
- Premier of Ontario
Received 205,484 total tweets, of which 21,160 or 10.3% are likely toxic
Steven Del Duca
- Leader of the Ontario Liberal Party
- Was not elected in Vaughan—Woodbridge
Received 99,526 total tweets, of which 10,519 or 10.6% are likely toxic
Andrea Horwath*
- Leader of the Ontario NDP
- Re-elected in Hamilton Centre
Received 46,514 total tweets, of which 3,872 or 8.3% are likely toxic
Steven Lecce*
- PC Party of Ontario candidate
- Re-elected in King—Vaughan
Received 17,784 total tweets, of which 1,884 or 10.6% are likely toxic
Tyler Watt
- Ontario Liberal Party candidate
- Was not elected in Nepean
Received 8.715 total tweets, of which 654 or 7.5% are likely toxic
Tom Marazzo
- Ontario Party candidate
- Was not elected in Peterborough—Kawartha
Received 5,027 total tweets, of which 542 or 10.8% are likely toxic
Lisa MacLeod*
- PC Party of Ontario candidate
- Re-elected in Nepean
Received 6,325 total tweets, of which 514 or 8.1% are likely toxic
Mike Schreiner*
- Leader of the Green Party of Ontario
- Re-elected in Guelph
Received 11,503 total tweets, of which 510 or 4.4% are likely toxic
Caroline Mulroney*
- PC Party of Ontario candidate
- Re-elected in York—Simcoe
Received 5,538 total tweets, of which 417 or 7.5% are likely toxic
Monte McNaughton*
- PC Party of Ontario candidate
- Re-elected in Lambton—Kent—Middlesex
Received 4,931 total tweets, of which 365 or 7.4% are likely toxic
Top 20 candidates that received the highest volume of toxicity
*was a Member of Provincial Parliament during the 42nd Parliament
Initial Findings
Election day the most toxic
On June 2, 2022 SAMbot tracked 4,339 likely toxic tweets. This was the highest volume of tweets and toxicity of any day during the election period. Approximately 60% of these tweets were captured between 9:00pm ET and 11:59pm ET, after polls closed across Ontario.
Ford primary target of toxic sentiment
Premier Doug Ford received the highest volume of likely toxic tweets (21,160) accounting for over a third (38%) of all likely toxic tweets during the election period.
Vaccine announcement prompts toxic response
May 7, 2022 was the second most toxic day on the digital campaign trail with SAMbot tracking 2,671 likely toxic tweets. This day featured an announcement from the Ontario Liberal Party regarding a plan to add COVID-19 vaccinations as required immunizations in Ontario schools. Over 20% of all likely toxic tweets received by Steven Del Duca during the election period were tracked on May 7 and 8, 2022.
Low toxicity during the Ontario leaders’ debate
The second most active day for tracking during the election period was on May 16, 2022 which was when the 2022 Ontario leaders’ debate was held. A total of 33,077 tweets were tracked with 2,146 (7%) likely to be toxic.
Party leaders face majority of toxicity
Leaders of the six largest parties received over half (54%) of all tracked tweets and 65% of all likely toxic tweets.
| Party leader | Party | Total tweets received | Total likely toxic tweets | % of tweets that are likely toxic |
| Doug Ford | PC Party of Ontario | 205,484 | 21,160 | 10.3% |
| Steven Del Duca | Ontario Liberal Party | 99,526 | 10,519 | 10.6% |
| Andrea Horwath | Ontario NDP | 46,514 | 3,872 | 8.3% |
| Mike Schreiner | Green Party of Ontario | 11,503 | 510 | 4.4% |
| Derek Sloan* | Ontario Party | 2,583 | 232 | 9.0% |
| Jim Karahalios | New Blue Party of Ontario | 3,379 | 229 | 6.8% |
*Ontario Party leader Derek Sloan’s Twitter account was suspended for 12 days from May 9, 2022 to May 21, 2022. During this suspension, Sloan could not tweet and Twitter users could not view any of his past posts. After the suspension was lifted, Sloan remained active on Twitter for the rest of the election period.
Tracked candidates by party
| Party | Number of tracked candidates | Official party accounts tracked |
| Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | 110 | 1 |
| Ontario Liberal Party | 102 | 1 |
| New Democratic Party of Ontario | 101 | 1 |
| Green Party of Ontario | 66 | 1 |
| New Blue Party of Ontario | 66 | 1 |
| Ontario Party | 22 | 1 |
| No Party (Independent Candidates) | 9 | N/A |
| None of the Above Direct Democracy Party | 6 | 1 |
| Ontario Libertarian Party | 4 | 1 |
| Canadians’ Choice Party | 0 | 1 |
| Communist Party of Canada (Ontario) | 0 | 1 |
| Freedom Party of Ontario | 0 | 1 |
| Ontario Alliance | 0 | 1 |
| Stop the New Sex-Ed Agenda | 0 | 1 |
| Trillium Party of Ontario | 0 | 1 |
| TOTAL | 486 | 14 |
SAMbot is tracking 486 candidates and 14 official party accounts. Review the full list.
For more detailed methodology, visit our About SAMbot page.