More than 7.3 million Canadians have already cast their ballots in advance polls ahead of the federal election scheduled for April 28, setting a new record for early voter turnout, according to Elections Canada. The number represents about a quarter of all eligible voters and marks a 25% increase from advance voting in the 2021 election.
Advance polling stations were open from Friday to Monday over the Easter long weekend, and Elections Canada reported long lines and steady turnout. Nearly two million voters cast their ballots on Good Friday alone, underscoring strong public engagement in an election marked by economic anxiety and tense cross-border relations with the United States.
This year’s campaign has unfolded against the backdrop of an ongoing trade war with the US. President Donald Trump has imposed sweeping 25% tariffs on Canadian imports not covered by the USMCA trade agreement. Canadian industries, particularly the auto sector, have been hit hard, with thousands of temporary layoffs already reported. Trump’s repeated references to Canada as a potential “51st state” have added fuel to the political fire.
Mail-in voting has also surged, with over 754,000 Canadians submitting their special ballots by mail, up from 660,000 in the last federal election.
As the final week of campaigning begins, the Liberals, led by former central banker Mark Carney, hold a narrow five-point lead over Pierre Poilievre’s Conservative Party, according to the latest polls. Carney has emphasized his party’s ability to stand up to Trump’s protectionist policies, stating Tuesday, “Pierre Poilievre has no plan to stand up to President Trump.”
Carney made campaign stops in Prince Edward Island and Quebec, while Poilievre held a rally in Vaughan, just outside Toronto, focusing on issues such as housing affordability, crime, and inflation. “It’s time for the government to start pinching pennies,” Poilievre told supporters, unveiling the Conservative platform and urging voters to “choose change.”
The Bloc Québécois sits in third place nationally, drawing support mainly from Quebec, while the left-leaning New Democratic Party (NDP) trails behind.
A Liberal victory would mark a major turnaround for the party, which had been polling at just 20% when former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stepped down in January after nearly a decade in power.
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