Timeline of Canadian elections


This article provides a timeline of elections in Canada, including all the provincial, territorial and federal elections. The information starts from when each province was formed or entered the Confederation, and continues through to the present day.

About the tables

The background colour indicates which party won the election. Several provinces held elections before joining Canada, but only their post-Confederation elections are shown. These include:
The most recent election is shown with a box limited to five years of government, as this is the maximum length of office, as set by the constitution. However, elections can be called at any time by an incumbent government. The federal government, nine provinces, and one territory have changed to fixed election dates every four years. For these legislatures, the box is shown as running until the next scheduled election, but one could still be earlier if the government falls due to a motion of no confidence. Nova Scotia and Yukon do not have fixed election dates in this matter.
ColourPartyColourParty
Pre-ConfederationBritish Columbia Social Credit
British Columbia LiberalParti Québécois
Liberal PartyProgressive Conservatives, historical Conservatives, and Yukon Party
NDPProgressive Conservatives, historical Conservatives, and Yukon Party
CCFConservative Party
Alberta Social CreditUnion Nationale
United FarmersAlberta Progressive Conservative
Saskatchewan PartyCoalition Avenir Québec
CoalitionNonpartisan, and consensus government

1867–1897

YearBCMBONQCNBNSPEINT Federal
18671st
1st1st
1st1st
18681st
1st1st
1st1st
18691st
1st1st
1st1st
18701st1st
1st2nd1st1st
18711st1st2nd2nd2nd2nd1st
18721st1st2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd
18731st1st2nd2nd2nd2nd26th2nd
18741st2nd2nd2nd3rd3rd26th3rd
18752nd2nd3rd3rd3rd3rd26th3rd
18762nd2nd3rd3rd3rd3rd27th3rd
18772nd2nd3rd3rd3rd3rd27th3rd
18783rd3rd3rd4th
4th4th27th4th
18793rd4th4th4th
4th4th28th4th
18803rd4th4th4th
4th4th28th4th
18813rd4th4th5th4th4th28th4th
18824th4th4th5th5th5th29th5th
18834th5th5th5th5th5th29th5th
18844th5th5th5th5th5th29th5th
18854th5th5th5th5th5th29th5th
18865th6th6th6th6th6th30th5th
18875th6th6th6th6th6th30th6th
18885th7th6th6th6th6th30th1st6th
18895th7th6th6th6th6th30th1st6th
18906th7th7th7th7th7th31st
1st6th
18916th7th7th7th7th7th31st
2nd7th
18926th8th7th8th8th7th31st
2nd7th
18936th8th7th8th8th7th32nd2nd7th
18947th8th8th8th8th8th32nd3rd7th
18957th8th8th8th9th8th32nd3rd7th
18967th9th8th8th9th8th32nd3rd8th
18977th9th8th9th9th9th33rd3rd8th
YearBCMBONQCNBNSPEINT Federal

1898–1948

1949–1998

1999–present

Summary

The table below shows how many elections each party has won in each province and territory. The Northwest Territories and Nunavut use consensus government, which means there are no political parties. Of forty-two federal elections, twenty-three have been won by the Liberals, and eighteen by the Conservatives.