As April 28, 2025, rolls in, Canadians are participating in a crucial federal election, with polls being synchronized to close around the same time nationwide. The day kicked off with the first voting stations in Newfoundland and Labrador opening at 8:30 a.m. local time, which translates to 7:00 a.m. Eastern. Key provinces such as Ontario and Quebec, which are in the Eastern time zone, will have polling hours from 9:30 a.m. until 9:30 p.m. Meanwhile, British Columbia, situated in the Pacific time zone, will close polling an additional 30 minutes later, at 10:00 p.m. Eastern.
The nonpartisan agency responsible for overseeing the election, Elections Canada, provides a comprehensive list of polling hours to assist voters. This election has seen a notable increase in engagement; approximately 7.3 million Canadians participated in early voting from April 18 to April 21, marking a 25 percent rise in turnout compared to the early-voting phase of the 2021 election.
Journalist Ian Austen, who has spent two decades reporting on Canadian affairs, is on the ground in Ottawa to cover the evolving political landscape, including this pivotal moment for Canadian democracy. To keep the public informed, he can be contacted via email at austen@nytimes.com for inquiries or insights related to the election.
