Record Advance Voting Surge in B.C. and Atlantic Canada Boosts Early Turnout Ahead of Federal Election

OTTAWA(Rajeev Sharma )— Canadians turned out in record numbers for advance polls this federal election, with British Columbia and Atlantic Canada leading the charge. According to preliminary estimates from Elections Canada, 7.3 million people voted early—up 24 per cent from 2021.

British Columbia saw over 1.1 million early voters, a 35 per cent jump from 2021. Newfoundland and Labrador recorded the sharpest rise, with a 53 per cent increase, while Prince Edward Island’s early voting grew by 41 per cent. Nova Scotia and New Brunswick weren’t far behind, rising by 31 and 25 per cent, respectively.

Ontario added 564,000 more advance ballots compared to the last election—an increase of 25 per cent—while Quebec saw a 15 per cent rise. Alberta’s numbers climbed 26 per cent, Manitoba was up 22 per cent, and Saskatchewan followed with a 12 per cent increase.

Yukon was the only region where advance voting dropped, falling 11 per cent from 5,318 to 4,748. Nunavut and the Northwest Territories also saw gains, with Nunavut rising 22 per cent and NWT by four per cent.

April 21 saw the heaviest turnout, with more than 2.1 million voters casting their ballots in a single day. The other three days of advance polling each saw over a million voters, reflecting a growing preference for early voting nationwide.