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Fixed election dates in Canada

Updated: 12/11/2025, 6:09:10 PM Wikipedia source

In Canada, the federal government and most provinces and territories have enacted legislation setting election dates, usually every four years, one year sooner than the constitutionally set five year maximum life of a parliament. However, the governor general, lieutenant governors, and commissioners still have the legal power to call a general election on the advice of the relevant first minister at any point before the fixed date. By-elections, used to fill vacancies in a legislature, are also not affected by fixed election dates.

Tables

· Next elections
Federal
Federal
Jurisdiction
Federal
Election date
October 15, 2029
Alberta
Alberta
Jurisdiction
Alberta
Election date
October 18, 2027
British Columbia
British Columbia
Jurisdiction
British Columbia
Election date
October 21, 2028
Manitoba
Manitoba
Jurisdiction
Manitoba
Election date
October 5, 2027
New Brunswick
New Brunswick
Jurisdiction
New Brunswick
Election date
October 16, 2028
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador
Jurisdiction
Newfoundland and Labrador
Election date
October 9, 2029
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Jurisdiction
Nova Scotia
Election date
2029 (no fixed date)
Northwest Territories
Northwest Territories
Jurisdiction
Northwest Territories
Election date
October 5, 2027
Nunavut
Nunavut
Jurisdiction
Nunavut
Election date
October 29, 2029
Ontario
Ontario
Jurisdiction
Ontario
Election date
June 7, 2029
Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island
Jurisdiction
Prince Edward Island
Election date
October 4, 2027
Quebec
Quebec
Jurisdiction
Quebec
Election date
October 5, 2026
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Jurisdiction
Saskatchewan
Election date
October 30, 2028
Yukon
Yukon
Jurisdiction
Yukon
Election date
November 5, 2029
Jurisdiction
Election date
Federal
October 15, 2029
Alberta
October 18, 2027
British Columbia
October 21, 2028
Manitoba
October 5, 2027
New Brunswick
October 16, 2028
Newfoundland and Labrador
October 9, 2029
Nova Scotia
2029 (no fixed date)
Northwest Territories
October 5, 2027
Nunavut
October 29, 2029
Ontario
June 7, 2029
Prince Edward Island
October 4, 2027
Quebec
October 5, 2026
Saskatchewan
October 30, 2028
Yukon
November 5, 2029

References

  1. Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, s. 4.
    https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/const/page-12.html#h-43
  2. Constitution Act, 1867, s. 50.
    https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/const/page-2.html#docCont
  3. Act to Amend the Canada Elections Act, 2007, c. 10
    https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/AnnualStatutes/2007_10/page-1.html
  4. "Fixed election dates in Canada"
    https://web.archive.org/web/20120224201248/http://www.electionalmanac.com/articles/fixedelectiondates.php
  5. Canada Elections Act, SC 2000, c. 9, s. 56.1(1) , as amended.
    https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/E-2.01/page-10.html#h-204214
  6. "Bill setting federal elections every 4 years about to become law"
    https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/bill-setting-federal-elections-every-4-years-about-to-become-law-1.669836
  7. "Harper promises law to set election date every four years"
    http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/harper-promises-law-to-set-election-date-every-four-years-1.615777
  8. Conacher v. Canada (Prime Minister)
    http://decisions.fct-cf.gc.ca/fc-cf/decisions/en/item/57094/index.do?r=AAAAAQAPRGVtb2NyYWN5IFdhdGNoAAAAAAE
  9. Toronto Star
    https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/985536--brace-yourself-back-to-back-elections-likely-in-2015
  10. "Federal election could overlap with at least two provincial votes"
    http://www.canada.com/news/Federal+election+could+overlap+with+least+provincial+votes/5273954/story.html
  11. The Globe and Mail
    https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/tories-to-add-more-seats-in-commons-for-ontario-bc-alberta/article2044083/
  12. Election Amendment Act, 2011, SA 2011, c. 19
    https://www.canlii.org/en/ab/laws/astat/sa-2011-c-19/147684/sa-2011-c-19.html
  13. Global News
    https://globalnews.ca/news/8351150/alberta-proposes-set-election-day/
  14. The Toronto Star
    https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2021/12/08/alberta-government-passes-rules-on-election-dates-financing-as-fall-sitting-wraps-up.html
  15. Global News
    https://globalnews.ca/news/10484711/alberta-bill-21-election-date-emergencies/
  16. Emergency Statutes Amendment Act, 2024, S.A. 2024, c. 9, s. 2(2)
    https://canlii.ca/t/c2r5#sec2
  17. Constitution (Fixed Election Dates) Amendment Act, 2001, SBC 2001, c. 36.
    https://www.bclaws.gov.bc.ca/civix/document/id/hstats/hstats/1609799889
  18. "Facts on...Fixed Election Dates"
    https://web.archive.org/web/20080503170747/http://www.gnb.ca/0100/Doc/fact2fixed-e.pdf
  19. Constitution Amendment Act, 2017, SBC 2017, c. 36, s. 3.
    https://www.bclaws.gov.bc.ca/civix/document/id/hstats/hstats/307419174
  20. Elections Manitoba
    http://www.electionsmanitoba.ca/en/
  21. Elections Act, sec. 49.1(3).
  22. "An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly Act (2007)"
    https://web.archive.org/web/20110718121407/http://www1.gnb.ca/legis/bill/editform-e.asp?ID=555&legi=56&num=1
  23. "Legislative Assembly Act"
    http://laws.gnb.ca/en/showfulldoc/cs/2014-c.116/#anchorga:s_2
  24. "Bill 40 An Act To Amend The House Of Assembly Act And The Elections Act, 1991"
    http://www.assembly.nl.ca/business/bills/Bill0440.htm
  25. Global News
    https://globalnews.ca/news/8122158/ns-tim-houston-names-transition-team/
  26. The Toronto Star
    https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2021/10/13/nova-scotia-legislation-would-make-province-the-last-to-adopt-a-fixed-election-date.html
  27. CBC Nova Scotia
    https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/nova-scotia-election-houston-chender-churchill-1.7363229
  28. Global News
    https://globalnews.ca/news/11023941/nova-scotia-fixed-election-date-politician-pay/
  29. An Act Respecting Government Organization and Administration
    https://nslegislature.ca/sites/default/files/legc/PDFs/annual%20statutes/2025%20Spring/c008.pdf
  30. "Election Statute Law Amendment Act, 2005"
    http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/source/statutes/english/2005/elaws_src_s05035_e.htm
  31. "Ontario 'fixed' election date moved off Jewish holiday"
    https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/ontario-fixed-election-date-moved-off-jewish-holiday-1.631001
  32. Toronto Star
    https://www.thestar.com/news/queenspark/2016/10/19/ontario-moves-election-date-to-june-7-2018.html
  33. Election Statute Law Amendment Act, 2016, S.O. 2016, c. 33, s. 7
    https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/s16033
  34. "Ontario to scrap fixed election dates, raise donation limit to $5,000 under new bill"
    https://www.ctvnews.ca/toronto/politics/queens-park/article/ontario-to-scrap-fixed-election-dates-raise-donation-limit-to-5000-under-new-bill/
  35. "Opposition supports fixed election dates"
    https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/opposition-supports-fixed-election-dates-1.647100
  36. "Bill n°3: An Act to amend the Election Act for the purpose of establishing fixed-date elections"
    http://www.assnat.qc.ca/en/travaux-parlementaires/projets-loi/projet-loi-3-40-1.html
  37. The Huffington Post
    https://web.archive.org/web/20140308165728/http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2014/03/05/quebec-election-date-2014-pauline-marois_n_4901751.html
  38. "Provincial vote to be held Oct. 2020 | Regina Leader Post"
    https://leaderpost.com/news/saskatchewan/province-adjusting-election-dates
  39. "Legislation Introduced To Set Fixed Election Dates"
    http://www.gov.sk.ca/news?newsId=f3e99177-fd1b-4544-9d63-ac9833f16f1b
  40. "The Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act, 2007"
    http://www.qp.gov.sk.ca/documents/English/Statutes/Statutes/L11-3.pdf
  41. Elections and Plebiscite Act, SNWT 2006, c. 15, s. 39.
    http://www.canlii.org/en/nt/laws/stat/snwt-2006-c-15/latest/snwt-2006-c-15.html
  42. "Fixed election date in the N.W.T.: What does it mean, and why?"
    http://www.cbc.ca/nwtvotes2007/features/features-fixed-date.html
  43. "Nunavut Gazett"
    https://web.archive.org/web/20131029210403/http://www.justice.gov.nu.ca/apps/authoring/dspPage.aspx?page=NUNAVUT%20GAZETTE%20PAGE&year=2012
  44. "An Act to Provide for a Fixed Election Date"
    http://www.nunavutlegislation.ca/iu/download/file/fid/7478
  45. "Nunavut MLAs opt for fixed election dates, code of conduct"
    https://web.archive.org/web/20180212232318/http://www.nunatsiaqonline.ca/stories/article/65674nunavut_mlas_opt_for_fixed_election_dates_code_of_conduct/
  46. Elections Act, R.S.Y. 2002, c. 63, s. 50.01, as amended by S.Y. 2020, c. 11
    https://legislation.yukon.ca/acts/elections_c.pdf
  47. "Yukon Liberals promise 'balanced approach,' transparency in government"
    https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/yukon-liberal-election-platform-released-1.3821401
  48. "Liberals unveil complete election platform"
    http://www.yukon-news.com/news/liberals-unveil-complete-election-platform/
  49. "Platform | Electoral Process"
    http://www.ylp.ca/electoral_process_1
  50. CBC News
    https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/yukon-mlas-wrap-marathon-fall-sitting-1.5853220
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