Official party status
Updated: 12/11/2025, 9:49:01 AM Wikipedia source
Official party status refers to the Westminster practice which is used in the Parliament of Canada and the provincial legislatures of recognizing parliamentary caucuses of political parties. In parliamentary documents, this is sometimes referred to as being a recognized party (French: parti reconnu).
Tables
Minimum seats required for official party status · Requirements for official party status
Canada – Senate
Canada – Senate
Assembly
Canada – Senate
Minimum seats
9 seats
Alberta Legislative Assembly
Alberta Legislative Assembly
Assembly
Alberta Legislative Assembly
Minimum seats
4 seats
Notes
Status has been granted to parties with only 2 seats a number of times.
British Columbia Legislative Assembly
British Columbia Legislative Assembly
Assembly
British Columbia Legislative Assembly
Minimum seats
2 seats
Manitoba Legislative Assembly
Manitoba Legislative Assembly
Assembly
Manitoba Legislative Assembly
Minimum seats
4 seats
New Brunswick Legislative Assembly
New Brunswick Legislative Assembly
Assembly
New Brunswick Legislative Assembly
Minimum seats
5 seats or 20% of the popular vote
Ontario Legislative Assembly
Ontario Legislative Assembly
Assembly
Ontario Legislative Assembly
Minimum seats
12 seats
Notes
The rule calls for 10% of the total number of seats in the Assembly rounded to the nearest whole number.
Prince Edward Island Legislative Assembly
Prince Edward Island Legislative Assembly
Assembly
Prince Edward Island Legislative Assembly
Minimum seats
1 seat
Notes
There is no official rule, but precedent shows that only one seat is required.
Quebec National Assembly
Quebec National Assembly
Assembly
Quebec National Assembly
Minimum seats
12 seats or 20% of the popular vote
Saskatchewan Legislative Assembly
Saskatchewan Legislative Assembly
Assembly
Saskatchewan Legislative Assembly
Minimum seats
2 seats
Yukon Legislative Assembly
Yukon Legislative Assembly
Assembly
Yukon Legislative Assembly
Minimum seats
1 seat and the party must have run candidates in at least two ridings
| Assembly | Minimum seats | Notes |
| Canada – House of Commons | 12 seats | |
| Canada – Senate | 9 seats | |
| Alberta Legislative Assembly | 4 seats | Status has been granted to parties with only 2 seats a number of times. |
| British Columbia Legislative Assembly | 2 seats | |
| Manitoba Legislative Assembly | 4 seats | |
| New Brunswick Legislative Assembly | 5 seats or 20% of the popular vote | |
| Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly | 2 seats | |
| Nova Scotia House of Assembly | 2 seats and the party must have run candidates in at least three-quarters of the ridings (42 out of 55) and received at least 10% of the popular vote | The official opposition only requires two seats and does not have to meet the additional requirements. |
| Ontario Legislative Assembly | 12 seats | The rule calls for 10% of the total number of seats in the Assembly rounded to the nearest whole number. |
| Prince Edward Island Legislative Assembly | 1 seat | There is no official rule, but precedent shows that only one seat is required. |
| Quebec National Assembly | 12 seats or 20% of the popular vote | |
| Saskatchewan Legislative Assembly | 2 seats | |
| Yukon Legislative Assembly | 1 seat and the party must have run candidates in at least two ridings |
References
- "Parliament of Canada - Parlement du Canada"http://www.parl.gc.ca/Content/LOP/ResearchPublications/bp243-e.htm
- www.ourcommons.cahttps://www.ourcommons.ca/procedure/our-procedure/parliamentaryFramework/c_g_parliamentaryframework-e.html#6
- Rules of the Senate, November 2017, Appendix I.
- CanLIIhttps://canlii.ca/t/563gn
- Legislative Assembly of Manitobahttps://www.gov.mb.ca/legislature/business/rulebook.pdf
- New Brunswick, Legislative Assembly, Standing Rules of the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick (17 June 1986) at s1 (d
- House of Assembly Act, RSNS 1989, c 1 (1992 Supp) s 2(1)(c).
- Legislative Assembly Act, RSO 1990, c L10, s 62(5), http://canlii.ca/t/53hkk.http://canlii.ca/t/53hkk
- Acts of the Parliament of Canada (19th Parliament, 5th Session, Chapter 1-52), 1944-1945https://archive.org/details/actsofparl194445v01cana/page/n141/mode/2up?q=%22recognized+membership%22
- "The Standing Committee on Rules, Procedures and the Rights of Parliament, 37th Parliament, 1st Session, Seventh Report"https://sencanada.ca/Content/SEN/Committee/371/rul2/rep/rep07nov01-e.htm
- Acts of the Parliament of Canada (26th Parliament, 1st Session, Chapter 1-42)https://archive.org/details/actsofparl1963v01cana/page/136/mode/2up?q=%22house+of+commons+act%22
- "House of Commons Procedure and Practice, Second Edition"https://www.ourcommons.ca/procedure-book-livre/Document.aspx?Language=E&Mode=1&sbdid=73CC891E-0676-4773-850B-CCDCB472AD8C&sbpid=BE842475-5632-4969-835B-FC015CE50169
- "Board of Internal Economy, Members By-Law"http://www.parl.gc.ca/About/House/BOIE/boie-ByLaw-MembersB-e.html
- "House of Commons Procedure and Practice, Second Edition"https://www.ourcommons.ca/procedure-book-livre/Document.aspx?Language=E&Mode=1&sbdid=73CC891E-0676-4773-850B-CCDCB472AD8C&sbpid=BE842475-5632-4969-835B-FC015CE50169
- "Rules of the Senate, Appendix I: Terminology"https://web.archive.org/web/20200727050731/https://sencanada.ca/en/about/procedural-references/rules/17/#AppendixI
- "Debates of the Senate (Hansard): 1st Session, 42nd Parliament (Volume 150, Issue 120)"https://sencanada.ca/en/content/sen/chamber/421/debates/120db_2017-05-11-e#64
- "Standing Committee on Rules, Procedures and the Rights of Parliament: Seventh Report, Amendments to the Rules — Recognized parties and recognized parliamentary groups"https://sencanada.ca/en/committees/report/40232/42-1
- "Debates of the Senate (Hansard): 1st Session, 37th Parliament (Volume 139, Issue 122)"https://sencanada.ca/en/content/sen/chamber/371/debates/122db_2002-06-11-e#49
- "Standing Committee on Privileges, Standing Rules and Orders: Twelfth Report, Update to the Rules of the Senate regarding third parties"https://sencanada.ca/Content/SEN/Committee/371/rul2/rep/rep12mar02-e.htm
- "Debates of the Senate (Hansard): 1st Session, 37th Parliament (Volume 139, Issue 72)"https://sencanada.ca/en/content/sen/chamber/371/debates/072db_2001-11-22-e#46
- "Standings in the Senate"https://web.archive.org/web/20040423155437/http://www.parl.gc.ca/common/senmemb/senate/ps-e.htm
- "B.C. Greens achieves party status, but it comes with less funding"http://www.timescolonist.com/news/local/b-c-greens-achieves-party-status-but-it-comes-with-less-funding-1.23064883
- "Archived copy"https://web.archive.org/web/20210323123716/https://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/1069350266495_64759466?hub=TopStories
- CBC Newshttps://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ontario-mpps-play-party-games-1.407669
- www.halifaxlive.comhttp://www.halifaxlive.com/ndp_hamilton_05132004_6322.php
- The Globe and Mailhttps://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-parti-quebecois-add-10th-seat-at-legislature-after-judicial-recount-in-2/
- "Recount gives Gaspé to PQ, sparking probe of Quebec election ballot count"https://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/recount-gives-gaspe-to-pq-sparking-probe-of-quebec-election-ballot-count
- "PQ and QS to get official party status in National Assembly"https://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/pq-and-qs-to-get-official-party-status-in-national-assembly
- "Parties reach agreement in principle to give PQ and QS official party status"https://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/pq-and-qs-to-get-official-party-status-in-national-assembly
- "Canada Elections Act, S.C. 2000, c. 9"https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/e-2.01/FullText.html