What is a federal election?

A federal election in Canada is the process for electing all 343 Members of Parliament to the House of Commons. Elections are administered by Elections Canada (an independent agency of Parliament headed by the Chief Electoral Officer) under the federal Canada Elections Act. Federal fixed-election-date legislation, introduced by Bill C-16 in 2007, provides that general elections normally take place on the third Monday of October every four years. The Prime Minister may advise the Governor General to dissolve Parliament earlier, however, and can call snap elections.

The most recent federal elections were held on April 28, 2025 (producing a Liberal Party government led by Prime Minister Mark Carney), September 20, 2021 (a Liberal minority under Justin Trudeau), October 21, 2019 (Liberal minority), October 19, 2015 (Liberal majority under Trudeau), May 2, 2011 (Conservative majority under Stephen Harper), May 2, 2011, October 14, 2008, January 23, 2006 (the first Conservative government in 13 years), and several earlier elections. Elections produce one of three outcomes: a majority government (one party holding more than 172 of 343 seats), a minority government (the largest party with fewer than 172), or (very rarely in Canadian history) a tied Parliament requiring negotiation.

The election cycle has several stages. The writ period (the official campaign) is typically 36 to 50 days. The Governor General issues writs of election to returning officers in each riding on the advice of the Prime Minister. Political parties nominate candidates (some through internal contested nomination races), and candidates may also run as independents. Election Day voting hours vary by time zone. Advance polling is held over four days about a week before Election Day. Mail-in ballots have been available for many years and were greatly expanded in the pandemic-affected 2021 election.

Federal elections are governed by spending limits, registration requirements, and disclosure rules. The Canada Elections Act sets limits on candidate, party, and third-party advertising spending. Major contributions from corporations, unions, and foreign donors are prohibited. The 2003 Bill C-24 reforms (which took effect 2004) introduced quarterly per-vote subsidies (later repealed by the Conservative government in 2015) and tightened individual contribution limits (currently about $1,775 per year per registered party plus separate limits for candidates and constituencies). The Commissioner of Canada Elections enforces the Act through prosecutions and administrative penalties.