List of federal political parties in Canada
Updated: 11/5/2025, 10:52:23 PM Wikipedia source
Unlike other federal political systems, Canadian political parties at the federal level are often loosely or not at all connected to parties at the provincial level, despite having similar names and policy positions. One exception is the New Democratic Party, which is organizationally integrated with most of its provincial counterparts.
Tables
· Current parties › Represented parties
| Name | Founded | Leader | Ideology | Political position | MPs | Largest MP caucus | Most ridings contested | |
| Liberal Party of CanadaParti libéral du Canada | 1867 | Mark Carney | mw- LiberalismSocial liberalism | Centre to centre-left | 169 / 343 | 179 / 245 (1940) | 338 / 338 2015–2021 elections | |
| Conservative Party of CanadaParti conservateur du Canada | 2003 | Pierre Poilievre | ConservatismSocial conservatismEconomic liberalism | Centre-right to right-wing | 144 / 343 | 166 / 308 (2011) | 338 / 338 2015, 2019 elections | |
| Bloc Québécois | 1991 | Yves-François Blanchet | Quebec sovereigntySocial democracyRegionalismRepublicanism | Centre-left | 22 / 343 | 54 / 295 (1993) | 75 / 295 1993 election | |
| New Democratic PartyNouveau Parti démocratique | 1961 | Don Davies (interim) | Social democracy | Centre-left to left-wing | 7 / 343 | 103 / 308 (2011) | 338 / 338 2015–2021 elections | |
| Green Party of CanadaLe Parti Vert du Canada | 1983 | Elizabeth May | Green politics | 1 / 343 | 3 / 338 (2019) | 338 / 338 2019 election | ||
· Current parties › Registered parties
| Name | Founded | Leader | Ideology | Political position | Largest MP caucus | Most ridings contested | |
| Animal Protection PartyLe Parti pour la Protection des Animaux | 2005 | Liz White | Animal rights, environmentalism | Green politics | — | 17 / 338 (2019) | |
| Canadian Future PartyParti avenir canadien | 2024 | Dominic Cardy | Centrism | Centre | — | 19 / 343 (2025) | |
| Centrist Party of CanadaParti centriste du Canada | 2020 | Rana | Centrism | Centre | — | 19 / 343 (2025) | |
| Christian Heritage PartyParti de l'Héritage Chrétien | 1986 | Rodney L. Taylor | Social conservatism, Christian right | Right-wing | — | 63 / 295 (1988) | |
| Communist Party of CanadaParti communiste du Canada | 1921 | Elizabeth Rowley | Communism, Marxism–Leninism | Far-left | 2 / 245 (1943) | 100 / 265 (1953) | |
| Libertarian Party of CanadaParti Libertarien du Canada | 1973 | Jacques Y. Boudreau | Libertarianism, laissez-faire | — | 88 / 295 (1988) | ||
| Marxist–Leninist Party of CanadaParti Marxiste–Léniniste du Canada | 1970 | Anna Di Carlo | Communism, Marxism–Leninism | Far-left | — | 177 / 282 (1980) | |
| People's Party of CanadaParti populaire du Canada | 2018 | Maxime Bernier | Conservatism, right-libertarianism, right-wing populism | Right-wing to far-right | 1 / 338 (2018) | 315 / 338 (2019) | |
| Rhinoceros PartyParti Rhinocéros | 2006 | Chinook B. Blais-Leduc | Satirical politics | — | 39 / 338 (2019) | ||
| United Party of CanadaParti uni du Canada | 2024 | Grant Abraham | Social conservatism, fiscal conservatism, right-wing populism | Right-wing to far-right | — | 16 / 343 (2025) | |
· Current parties › Senate caucuses
| Name | Founded | Facilitator / Leader | Ideology | Senators in October 2025[update] | Most senators | |
| Independent Senators GroupGroupe des sénateurs indépendants | 2016 | Raymonde Saint-Germain | Non-partisan technical group | 43 / 105 | 59 / 105 (2019) | |
| Canadian Senators GroupGroupe des sénateurs Canadiens | 2019 | Scott Tannas | Non-partisan technical group | 19 / 105 | 21 / 105 (2025) | |
| Progressive Senate GroupGroupe progressiste du sénat | 2019 | Pierre Dalphond | Progressivism, Non-partisan technical group | 16 / 105 | 18 / 105 (2025) | |
| Conservative Party of Canada Parti conservateur du Canada | 2003 | Leo Housakos | Conservatism, economic liberalism | 13 / 105 | 65 / 105 (2013) | |
| Government Representative’s Office Bureau du représentant du gouvernement | 2025 | Pierre Moreau | 5 / 105 | 5 / 105 (2025) | ||
· Historical parties › Registered parties
| Name | Founded | Dissolved | Ideology | Largest MP caucus | Most ridings contested | |
| Abolitionist Party | 1993 | 1996 | Social credit, monetary reform, social liberalism | — | 80 / 295 (1993) | |
| Anti-Confederation Party | 1867 | 1867 | Opposition to Confederation (membership in Canada), Nova Scotia separatism | 18 / 181 (1867) | 20 / 181 (1867) | |
| Bloc populaire | 1943 | 1949 | Anti-conscription, Canadian nationalism, isolationism, French Canadian rights | 4 / 245 (1943) | 35 / 245 (1945) | |
| Canada Party (1993) | 1993 | 1996 | — | 56 / 295 (1993) | ||
| Canadian Action PartyParti action canadienne | 1997 | 2017 | Canadian nationalism, anti-globalization | — | 70 / 301 (2000) | |
| Canadian Nationalist PartyParti nationaliste canadien | 2017 | 2022 | White nationalism | — | 3 / 338 (2019) | |
| Canadian Reform Conservative AllianceAlliance réformiste-conservatrice canadienne | 2000 | 2003 | Conservatism, right-wing populism, social conservatism | 66 / 301 (2001) | 298 / 301 (2000) | |
| Co-operative Commonwealth FederationParti social démocratique | 1932 | 1961 | Social democracy, democratic socialism, agrarianism | 31 / 245 (1948) | 205 / 245 (1945) | |
| Confederation of Regions Party | 1984 | 1988 | Regionalism, conservatism | — | 55 / 282 (1984) | |
| Conservative Party (1867) Progressive Conservative Party | 1854 | 2003 | Canadian conservatism, British loyalism, Canadian nationalism (particularly under John Diefenbaker), Red Toryism, economic liberalism (under Brian Mulroney), moderation, occasional populism | 209 / 265 (1958) | 301 / 301 (1997) | |
| Democratic Party | 1945 | 1945 | — | 5 / 245 (1945) | ||
| Direct Democracy Party | 2019 | 2023 | Direct democracy | — | 7 / 338 (2019) | |
| Equal Rights | 1890 | 1891 | — | 2 / 215 (1891) | ||
| First Peoples National Party | 2005 | 2013 | Aboriginal rights advocacy | — | 6 / 308 (2008) | |
| Free Party CanadaParti Libre Canada | 2019 | 2024 | Direct democracyVaccine hesitancy | — | 59 / 338 (2021) | |
| Labour Party | 1926 | 1968 | Trade unionism, socialism | 4 / 245 (1926) | 28 / 235 (1921) | |
| Marijuana PartyParti Marijuana | 2000 | 2025 | Cannabis law reforms | — | 73 / 301 (2000) | |
| Maverick Party | 2020 | 2025 | Western separatism, conservatism, right-wing populism | — | 29 / 338 (2021) | |
| McCarthyite | 1896 | 1898 | Anti-Catholic, anti-French, British imperialism | 1 / 213 (1896) | 11 / 213 (1896) | |
| National Citizens AllianceAlliance Nationale des Citoyens | 2014 | 2023 | White nationalism | — | 4 / 338 (2015, 2019, 2021) | |
| National Party (1991) | 1991 | 1994 | Canadian nationalism, protectionism, progressivism | — | 170 / 295 (1993) | |
| Nationalist (1873) | 1873 | 1910 | Socialism, nationalization of industries | 2 / 215 (1889) | 6 / 215 (1887) | |
| Natural Law PartyParti de la loi naturelle | 1992 | 2004 | New age | — | 231 / 295 (1993) | |
| New Capitalist Party | 1965 | 1965 | — | 3 / 265 (1965) | ||
| Newfoundland and Labrador First Party | 2007 | 2011 | Newfoundland and Labrador advocacy | — | 3 / 308 (2008) | |
| Non-Partisan League | 1917 | 1917 | Agrarianism | — | 3 / 235 (1917) | |
| Parti de la Démocratisation Économique | 1968 | 1968 | — | 5 / 264 (1968) | ||
| Parti Nationaliste du Quebec | 1983 | 1987 | Quebec independence | — | 74 / 282 (1984) | |
| Party for the Commonwealth of Canada | 1984 | 1993 | LaRouchite | — | 66 / 282 (1984) | |
| Parti Patriote | 2019 | 2022 | Quebec nationalism, Quebec sovereignty, right-wing populism | — | 2 / 338 (2021) | |
| Patrons of Industry | 1890 | 1900 | Pro-labour | 2 / 213 (1896) | 31 / 213 (1896) | |
| People's Political Power PartyPouvoir Politique du Peuple | 2006 | 2011 | Feminist, centrist, populist | — | 2 / 308 (2008) | |
| Pirate PartyParti Pirate | 2010 | 2017 | Pirate politics | — | 10 / 308 (2011) | |
| Parti pour l'Indépendance du Québec | 2019 | 2022 | Québec independence | — | 13 / 338 (2019) | |
| Progressive Canadian PartyParti Progressiste Canadien | 2004 | 2019 | Red Toryism | — | 25 / 308 (2006) | |
| Progressive PartyParti progressiste United Farmers | 1921 | 1948 | Agrarian, free trade, progressivism | 58 / 235 (1921) | 137 / 235 (1921) | |
| Protestant Protective Association | 1892 | 1898 | Anti-Catholic, Anti-French | — | 5 / 213 (1896) | |
| Radical chrétien | 1958 | 1967 | — | 3 / 265 (1967 by-elections) | ||
| Ralliement créditiste Union des électeurs | 1963 | 1971 | Split from the Social Credit Party; see Social Credit Party of Canada split, 1963. | 14 / 264 (1968) | 77 / 265 (1965) | |
| Reconstruction Party | 1935 | 1938 | Keynesianism, national conservatism, isolationism | 1 / 245 (1935) | 172 / 245 (1935) | |
| Reform PartyParti réformiste | 1987 | 2000 | Fiscal conservatism, regionalism, social conservatism, democratic reform | 60 / 301 (1997) | 277 / 301 (1997) | |
| Republican Party (1967)Parti republicain | 1967 | 1968 | — | 2 / 264 (1968) | ||
| Republican Party (1971)Parti republicain | 1971 | 1971 | — | 2 / 264 (1971 by-elections) | ||
| Rhinoceros Party (1963)Parti Rhinocéros | 1968 | 1993 | Satirical | — | 121 / 282 (1980) | |
| Social Credit PartyParti Crédit social | 1935 | 1993 | Canadian social credit, Canadian conservatism, right-wing populism, social conservatism | 30 / 265 (1962) | 230 / 265 (1962) | |
| Socialist Labour Party | 1945 | 1968 | Socialism | — | 2 / 245 (1945) | |
| Socialist Party (1904) | 1904 | 1925 | Socialism, Classical Marxism, Anti-Leninism | — | 6 / 221 (1911) | |
| Socialist Party (1931) | 1931 | 1961 | Socialism, Classical Marxism, Anti-Leninism | — | 2 / 265 (1958) | |
| Stop Climate Change | 2019 | 2021 | Environmentalism | — | 2 / 338 (2019) | |
· Historical parties › Non-party parliamentary groups
| Name | Founded | Dissolved | Description | Largest caucus | Most ridings contested | |
| Democratic Representative Caucus | 2001 | 2002 | Formed in the 37th Canadian Parliament by MPs who left the Canadian Alliance due to the leadership of Stockwell Day. The group was dissolved after Day lost the party leadership to Stephen Harper. | 13 / 301 (2002) | — | |
| Ginger Group | 1924 | 1932 | Split from the Progressive Party. Supported Progressivism and socialism. In 1932 formed the Cooperative Commonwealth Federation. | 15 / 245 (1926) | Likely some number of Labour candidates | |
| Liberal–Progressive | 1925 | 1955 | Nominated jointly by or aligned with both the Liberal Party and Progressive Party. | 8 / 245 (1926) | 12 / 245 (1926) | |
| Liberal–Unionist | 1917 | 1921 | Members of the Liberal Party who supported Robert Borden's coalition government. | 11 / 235 (1917) | Likely some number of Unionist candidates | |
| Nationalist Conservative | 1878 | 1911 | Used by Quebec Members in order to distinguish themselves from what has been referred by the party as the "British imperialist" reputation of the Conservative Party. | 2 / 215 (1887) | 2 / 215 (1887) | |
| Nationalist Liberal | 1867 | 1921 | 1 / 215 (1891) | — | ||
| Parti canadien | 1942 | 1944 | Anti-conscription. In addition to the MP who adopted this label, two candidates ran in by-elections using this label. | 1 / 245 (1942) | — | |
| Progressive–Conservative | 1925 | 1935 | Probably indicates that these candidates were supporters of both the Progressive Party of Canada and the historical Conservative Party. | 1 / 245 (1930) | 2 / 245 (1926) | |
| Québec debout | 2018 | 2018 | Formed when several MPs left the Bloc Québécois due to the leadership of Martine Ouellet. The group was dissolved after Ouellet lost a leadership review vote and resigned. | 7 / 338 (2018) | — | |
· Historical parties › Senate technical groups
| Name | Founded | Dissolved | Ideology | Largest caucus | |
| Liberal–Unionist | 1917 | 1921 | Members of the Liberal Party who supported Robert Borden's coalition government. | 4 / 96 (1919) | |
| Nationalist Liberal | 1867 | 1921 | 2 / 72 (1867) | ||
| Senate Liberal Caucus Caucus libéral du Sénat | 2014 | 2019 | Members of the Liberal Party who formed their own caucus after Justin Trudeau removed all senators from the Liberal Party's parliamentary caucus. | 32 / 105 (2014) | |
| Senate Progressive Conservative CaucusCaucus progressiste-conservateur du Sénat | 2003 | 2016 | Members of the former Progressive Conservative Party who retained the caucus name after the party itself dissolved in 2003. | 5 / 105 (2005) | |
· Unofficial designations and parties who never ran candidates
| Name | Founded | Dissolved | Description | Largest MP caucus | Most ridings contested | |
| Aboriginal Peoples Party of Canada | 2005 | 2005 | Attempt to found a party that fizzled when the First Peoples National Party of Canada became a registered party. | — | — | |
| Canadian Labour Party | 1917 | 1929 | Attempt to unite the disparate Labour candidates and parties in Canada. | — | some non-affiliated candidates in 1917–1926 | |
| Canadian Renewal Party | 1993 | 1993 | Advocate for direct democracy; affiliated with the Marxist–Leninist Party | — | some non-affiliated candidates in 1993 | |
| Canadian Union of Fascists | 1934 | 1940 | Breakaway wing of the Canadian Nationalist Party (1933) | — | — | |
| Christian Credit Party | 1982 | 1983 | — | — | ||
| Christian Freedom Party of Canada | c. 1988 | c. 1996 | Rebrand of the moribund Social Credit Party | — | some non-affiliated candidates in 1993 | |
| Revolutionary Workers League Communist League | 1977 | c. 2019 | Merger of the League for Socialist Action, the Revolutionary Marxist Group, and the Groupe Marxiste Revolutionaire. | — | 3 / 308 (2006) | |
| Liberal Protectionist | 1925 | 1930. | Supporters of the Liberal Party who opposed the party's free trade policy. | — | 2 / 245 (1925) | |
| The Waffle Movement for an Independent Socialist Canada | 1969 | 1974 | Breakaway wing of New Democratic Party. | — | some non-affiliated candidates in 1974 | |
| National Party of Canada (1979) | 1979 | late 1980s | Left-wing nationalist party. | — | 2 / 282 (1980) | |
| North American Labour Party | c. 1975 | c. 1980 | Canadian affiliate of the Lyndon LaRouche movement; later became the Party for the Commonwealth of Canada | — | some non-affiliated candidates in 1970s | |
| Workers' Communist Party of Canada | 1975 | 1983 | One of several early attempts to create a Marxism–Leninism party in Canada. | — | 30 / 282 (1980) | |
References
- In 2015, the Liberal Party held 184 seats; the most in its history. However, at that time there were 338 seats total, so
- In 2025, the Liberals, Conservatives, and NDP each ran 342 candidates; the most in their histories. However, there were
- The Bloc Québécois also won 54 seats in the 2004 election, but at the time there were 308 seats total, so the proportion
- In the 2015–2025 elections the Bloc Québécois ran 78 candidates, but the House had 338 seats total, so the proportion of
- Known at the time as the Labor-Progressive Party.
- Known at the time as the Labor-Progressive Party.
- In 1984 the Progressive Conservative Party held 211 seats; the most in its history. However, at that time there were 282
- Dalton McCarthy won in two ridings, but could only accept one.
- The Canadian Encyclopediahttps://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/party-system
- Elections Canadahttps://www.elections.ca/content.aspx?dir=par&document=index&lang=e§ion=pol
- Elections Canadahttps://www.elections.ca/content.aspx?section=pol&dir=pol/bck&document=index&lang=e
- National Posthttps://nationalpost.com/news/canada/new-senators-group-of-11-could-complicate-liberal-efforts-to-get-legislation-passed
- CBC Newshttps://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/new-faction-progressive-senate-group-1.5358269
- www.elections.cahttps://www.elections.ca/content.aspx?section=pol&dir=par&document=index&lang=e
- Saskatchewan Politics: Into the Twenty-first Centuryhttps://books.google.com/books?id=qb4hnmKhTEoC&pg=PA161
- A History of Human Rights in Canada: Essential Issueshttps://books.google.com/books?id=tNS092dZzzMC&pg=PA208
- Cultural Identity and the Nation-statehttps://books.google.com/books?id=UojTSUnDmC4C&pg=PA39
- Agrarian Socialism: The Cooperative Commonwealth Federation in Saskatchewan : a Study in Political Sociologyhttps://books.google.com/books?id=_oosxdaj7JQC
- "Deregistration of Western Block Party"https://www.elections.ca/content.aspx?section=med&document=jan2814&dir=pre&lang=e
- "Deregistration of Western Block Party"https://www.elections.ca/content.aspx?section=pol&dir=par&document=index&lang=e#pact
- lop.parl.cahttps://lop.parl.ca/sites/ParlInfo/default/en_CA/ElectionsRidings/Elections