Ahead of the April 28, 2025 federal election, we remind you that under the Canada Elections Act, every employee who is an elector must be given three consecutive hours for the purpose of casting his or her vote on April 28, during polling station opening hours, i.e., between 9:30 am and 9:30 pm Eastern Time. The establishment may not prevent you from exercising this right if your work hours do not enable you to count on this three-hour period for voting.
In addition, the establishment MAY NOT:
- make a deduction from your salary,
- impose a penalty on you, or
- deduct a portion of your bank of leave days provided for in the collective agreement for the period it has to grant you, where applicable, for going to vote, pursuant to the Act.
Examples
➔ If you normally work between 8:00 am and 7:00 pm, the latest the establishment may release you so you can go and vote is 6:30 pm.
➔ If you have call duty scheduled following your regular work schedule until 8 pm, the establishment could, for instance, release you until 12:30 pm on the day of the election so you can go and vote, or release you for three hours during the day.
The establishment determines the time in the day when the release is granted, if necessary.
Here is some relevant information concerning entitlement to vote.
To vote in federal elections, you must:
- be a Canadian citizen;
- be at least 18 years old on election day; and
- be registered on the electoral list. Normally, you should receive your Voter Information Card by mail. If you have not received it, you may register online on the electoral list before April 22, or at your polling place when you vote;
- prove your identity and address.
For opening hours and the address of your polling place:
Consult the Elections Canada site or your Voter Information Card.
Advance voting
Il est possible de voter par anticipation. Les bureaux de vote par anticipation sont ouverts de 9 h à 21 h (heure normale de l'Est) les 18, 19, 20 et 21 avril 2025. Vous pourrez obtenir l'adresse de votre lieu de vote par anticipation en consultant le site d’Élections Canada ou votre carte d'information de l'électeur.
Go and vote, you’re entitled to!