Promises made on key issues in the 2025 Canada election

The Conservatives say they will keep the retirement age at 65, while also making it possible for working seniors to earn up to $34,000 tax free. They will also make it possible to keep savings in a registered retirement savings plan (RRSP) until age 73, up from 71. The Conservatives promised to cut income tax by 2.25 percentage points, which they say would save a dual-income family about $1,800 per year. The Conservatives announced they would require banks to recognize apprenticeship and skilled trades programs for Registered Education Savings Plans (RESPs) to ensure related expenses qualify for Education Assistance Payments.

Under a Liberal government, the party said the marginal tax rate on the lowest tax bracket would be reduced by one percentage point, promising that a two-income family will save up to $825 a year. They also said rules that prevent people from collecting employment insurance for six months if they have a severance package would be suspended. In addition, the Liberals plan to increase the calculations of regional unemployment rate percentages to make it easier for people in those markets to access EI. Liberal Leader Mark Carney said amid the tariffs, the party would reduce the minimum amount that must be withdrawn from a Registered Retirement Income Fund by 25 per cent for one year, and increase the Guaranteed Income Supplement by five per cent for a year. Carney announced a new “Canada Strong” pass amid the threats to the country’s economy and sovereignty, which includes free access for children and youth under 18 to national galleries and museums, and free seats on VIA Rail when travelling with parents between June and August. Camping fees in national parks will also be reduced for all Canadians from June to August.

The NDP say they will establish an emergency price cap on basic food items like pasta and infant formula, while also enforcing a mandatory grocery code of conduct to regulate prices, and ensure the Competition Bureau can act as a watchdog and tax profits from the country’s biggest grocery chains. The party also pledged to raise the guaranteed income supplement for seniors. Under an NDP government, the party said the Canada Disability Benefit would be doubled.

The Green Party says it would make college and university free, while also creating universal early learning and child care. The Greens would introduce a guaranteed livable income and expand paid leave to elder care, miscarriage and other family needs.

The Conservatives promised to eliminate the GST on new home purchases valued at up to $1.3 million, while also incentivizing municipalities to cut development charges and speed up permits to allow for more homes to be built. The party has proposed selling off 6,000 federal buildings to make acres of federal land available to build new homes. Under a Conservative government, the party says they’d incentivize municipalities to cut building taxes that it estimates will amount to a total of $100,000 in savings on an average home in a big city. The party says every dollar that a municipality provides relief for on development charges, the party will reimburse 50 per cent for a maximum of $50,000 in savings for new homebuyers.

The Liberals said they would build nearly 500,000 homes annually over the next 10 years, doubling the current rate of residential construction. It also plans to establish the Build Canada Homes, an entity that would act as a developer to speed up the construction of affordable housing, including providing $25 billion in financing to the builders of prefabricated homes and $10 billion to those who build affordable homes. The party said it also plans to eliminate the GST for first-time homebuyers on homes that are bought at or under $1 million.

The NDP says they will build three million homes by 2030 and replace the expiring House Accelerator Fund with a permanent $16 billion housing strategy. The NDP promised to bring in national rent control, requiring provinces and municipalities to put in place laws to protect renters in order to receive federal funding. The party said it would provide low-interest loans to first-time homebuyers who qualify but are unable to afford bank rates. It also says it plans to use Crown land to build more than 100,000 rent-controlled homes over 10 years, while spending $1 billion over five years to acquire more public land for these homes. It announced it would ban corporations from buying affordable rentals, ban corporate landlords from accessing low-interest federal loans and preferential tax treatment, and help non-profits buy affordable rentals. Leader Jagmeet Singh said the party would bring in a permanent ban on foreign buyers, including by barring purchases by numbered companies. He also said the party would make it so profits from the sale of a residential property sold within five years of purchase would be taxed as income, not capital gains, unless the home is a principal residence.

The Green Party says it plans to strengthen housing market regulations, use covenants to ensure housing built with public money stays affordable “forever,” close loopholes it says allows criminals to use real estate to “hide dirty money,” and stop corporations from buying up single-family homes. It also says it plans to launch a public housing construction program to create jobs and build more homes.

The Conservatives say they plan to cap immigration and would not implement the Century Initiative, proposals from a registered charity and advocacy group whose stated goal is to see the population reach 100 million by 2100. The party has also said it would allow temporary foreign workers in “rare circumstances where there are not enough Canadians to fill jobs,” such as in farming.

The Liberals say they plan to keep the immigration caps installed last year where they are, currently set at 395,000 in 2025, with Leader Mark Carney adding that there was no “predetermined point” at which those caps would be adjusted or removed.

The NDP says it would “strike a blue ribbon panel” that would review the question of appropriate immigration levels, adding if “someone is good enough to work in Canada, they’re good enough to live in Canada.”

The Green Party says it wants to change immigration caps based on consultation with provinces and territories, adding that it must be done based on whether the country can “absorb, integrate, house and support newcomers.”

The Conservatives say they will boost training and employment for skilled trades workers with a “more boots, less suits” plan aimed at providing direct grants and expanding training halls to back 350,000 positions. They also plan to make it easier for apprentices to access employment insurance. The Tories promised a $3-billion fund to loan money to businesses impacted by U.S. tariffs to keep workers employed throughout the trade dispute. The Tories said they would boost funding for union training and innovation programs (UTIP) to train 350,000 new workers over five years.

Amid the ongoing trade war with the U.S., the Liberals promised the party would waive the one-week waiting period for employment insurance for those who lost their job to those duties. It also announced a plan to diversify Canadian trade, investing $5 billion in a Trade Diversification Corridor Fund to build infrastructure to create new jobs. The Liberals say they will provide a new apprenticeship grant of up to $8,000, increase union-led training initiatives and provide a new $20 million capital funding stream for colleges to support new training spaces for apprenticeships. The party says if elected it will provide up to $15,000 for workers in sectors like health care, manufacturing and technology to help workers access new skills training to help career stability.

The NDP promised to help Canada’s auto sector amid the trade war with the U.S. by boosting employment insurance, giving money collected from counter-tariffs to hard-hit workers and communities and requiring federal departments to buy vehicles made in Canada. It also says it will invest in infrastructure and use Canadian resources to create jobs. The party says it plans to use “every legal tool available” to prevent companies using public money from taking plants outside of Canada. An NDP government would also raise the cap on the Wage Earner Protection Program to cover wages, expand the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act’s “super-priority” protections for workers to include post-employment benefits to ensure employeess are paid before banks in the event of a bankruptcy. The party plans to also train 100,000 skilled workers, including newcomers and those impacted by the trade war, and to deliver on its three million homes by 2030 plan.

The Greens say they would invest in clean power projects to create new jobs, provide training for new jobs in clean energy, and support unions to protect workers’ rights. The party also promised to make it easier for skilled workers to work in any province while supporting Canadian manufacturing to create jobs that make essential products in Canada, such as medical supplies and clean technology. Government contracts would also go to Canadian manufacturers first under a Green government.

The Conservative Party said on day one of forming a government it would ask U.S. President Donald Trump to renegotiate the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement and propose to pause tariffs during the negotiation process. The Tories also agreed to the five asks they say have come from the energy sector to end dependence on the U.S., which also includes six-month approvals on applications and ensuring guarantees for Indigenous loans.

The Liberals pledged to maintain production quotas in Canada’s agri-food sector with Leader Mark Carney saying supply management is “off the table in any negotiations.” The party also said it would build an “All-in-Canada” network for auto manufacturing component parts, working to build more parts in the country to limit border crossings of materials that could then face tariffs. A Liberal government says it would create a $2 billion strategic response fund to support industries hit by the tariffs while proposing to protect manufacturing jobs and build a “fortified” Canadian supply chain. A Liberal government would also hold comprehensive negotiations about a “new economic and security relationship” following the election if re-elected, an agreement made by Carney in a call he had with Trump in his position as prime minister of a caretaker government during the election. The party plans to use a new “First and Last Mile Fund” to connect critical mineral projects to supply chains, and directly support these plans as well as clean energy projects to reduce reliance on other countries while protecting Canadian jobs.

The NDP said it would protect essential Canadian industries like public hydro, critical minerals and the cultural sector while also banning U.S. companies from federal procurement contracts if Canadian workers can do the job. The party says it would also ban American corporations from buying Canadian health-care facilities while also blocking “Trump-style trade deals from putting Canadian health care on the negotiating table.” In addition, under an NDP government American companies would be banned from federal procurement contracts if Canadian workers can do the job.

The Greens promised to create a “common diplomatic and economic front,” similar to NATO, with other countries like the EU, U.K. and Japan, to “put the U.S. administration and key U.S. economic actors on notice” about joint retaliatory economic measures in relation to further threats to the sovereignty of any members of this new bloc. They also proposed exploring all possible options to deepen economic, political and defence links with the EU. The Greens proposed barring U.S. President Donald Trump and key U.S. officials from visiting Canada, including for the upcoming G7 summit in Kananaskis, Alta. The party said it would also suspend the Safe Third Party Agreement with the U.S. and ban certain U.S. food and drug imports which could be impacted by cuts at the Food and Drug Administration.

The Tories also say they would defer the tax on capital gains for those who choose to reinvest those earnings in Canada, with the deferred tax able to be recouped by the government once investors cash out or move the money outside of the country. Under a Tory government, Canadians would also be able to contribute another $5,000 to a maximum of $12,000 a year into a tax-free savings account (TFSA). It also said it would expand the tax write off trade workers can declare for work travel. Amid the ongoing trade war, the party will cut federal sales tax from Canadian-made vehicles to support the auto industry, though notes the tax cut would only remain as long as tariffs are in place. Leader Pierre Poilievre said the party will redirect Canada Revenue Agency resources towards “cracking down on offshore tax havens,” and will create a “name-and-shame” website aimed at exposing wealthy multinational corporations dodging taxes. In addition, the Conservatives say they will expand the Offshore Tax Informant Program to give whistleblowers up to 20 per cent of recovered funds when they “help expose illegal tax schemes.”

The Liberals said they would allow businesses to defer income tax, GST and HST payments due to the ongoing trade war with the U.S. to help boost liquidity. While not announced during the campaign, the party also said it would be cancelling the hike to the capital gains inclusion rate.

The NDP said it would increase the basic personal amount exempt from tax to $19,500 and would cut the GST on items like diapers, grocery meals, cell phone bills and internet costs. The party said it would also create tax-free savings bonds to shore up the economy amid U.S. tariffs, with interest earned to be tax-free if held to maturity. The party plans to close loopholes allowing companies to put money in offshore accounts while ending tax agreements with countries like Bermuda.

The Greens promised the party would eliminate federal income tax on earnings under $40,000. The party said it will also close loopholes it claims big corporations use to avoid paying “what they owe.” The Greens also plan to update Canada’s tax system to “one that fits today’s economy.”

The Conservatives said they plan to end the federal carbon price on industrial emissions while also expanding eligibility for companies to access tax credits that target clean energy and manufacturing. The Tories say they also plan to repeal the cap on oil and gas production and repeal Bill C-69, which Leader Pierre Poilievre has called the “no new pipelines law.” The party also announced it would create a pre-approved national energy corridor to speed up infrastructure projects while creating “shovel-ready zones” to get permits in place for a mine, liquefied natural gas plant, pipeline or other major project. The party promised it would create a “one and done” rule for resource projects, with a Rapid Resource Project Office handling all regulatory approvals across all levels of government, with one application and one environmental review per project, with a one-year maximum wait time for approvals with a six-month target time.

The Liberals ended the consumer carbon price while keeping in place the price on industrial emissions. The party has also announced $94 million to upgrade power plants in Nunavut and $20 million to help the Nunavut Nukkiksautiit Corporation with its hydroelectricity project to move northerners off diesel. The party’s full platform has not yet been released. The Liberals promised new conservation measures, including the creation of 10 new national parks and marine conservation areas, and 15 new urban parks. Leader Mark Carney also committed $15 million to improve the location, retrieval and proper disposal of discarded or abandoned fishing gear that threatens marine life. A Liberal government, if elected, will invest $1 billion to help fund home retrofits and lower utility bills by helping low and middle-class households adopt heat pumps and other energy efficient upgrades. Carney committed to building an “East-West” electricity grid with the aim of accessible, clean electricity nationwide, and develop a trade and energy corridor across Canada for transport, energy, critical minerals and digital connectivity. He’s also promised to create a “Major Federal Project Office” to issue decisions on major projects within two years, instead of five.

The NDP says it will permanently end the consumer carbon tax while keeping the industrial carbon price and emissions cap in place. The NDP says it will retrofit 3.3 million homes with energy-saving upgrades, with 2.3 million low-income households receiving the retrofit for free. Another one million households with receive grants or low-interest loans the party says would cut energy bills by up to $4,500 annually. It will also support Canadian-made solutions like heat pumps and, through its retrofit program, create thousands of unionized jobs in installation, auditing and retrofitting. The party says it will pay for the program by eliminating subsidies and tax breaks for oil and gas companies.

The Greens said they will stop giving public money to oil and gas companies and invest it in clean energy instead while also creating “strict, science-based limits” on total pollution in the country. The party also said it would hold big polluters responsible for climate damage and ensure companies have “real plans” to deal with climate risks.

Under a Conservative government, the party says the existing federal dental care, pharmacare and child-care coverage plans put in place by the previous government would remain in place, though Leader Pierre Poilievre did not say if the plans would be expanded. The Tories said the party would fund addictions treatment for 50,000 Canadians in centres with a “proven record of success.” Poilievre also announced plans to change veterans’ health care, including giving them full control over their medical records, automatically approve disability applications if not processed within 16 weeks, ensure post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) service dogs are available to veterans who need them, and let military doctors assess injuries using one standardized system.

The Liberals announced they would expand dental coverage to Canadians aged 18 to 64, a move they initially made just before the election began, saving people about $800 a year in dental-care costs.

The NDP says it plans to strengthen the Canada Health Act to prevent “cash-for-care” clinics that would charge people for care and go after provinces that try to privatize health care. It also will make full enforcement of public health-care standards a condition for provinces and territories to get federal health funding. An NDP government would also look at creating 1,000 new physician residency spaces to ensure all Canadians have access to a family doctor by 2030. If elected, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said his party will deliver full public pharmacare within four years, which he said would start with about 100 of the most prescribed medications. The party says this number covers approximately half of the total number of prescriptions in the country. Increasing the number of nurses is another focus for the party, pledging to hire 35,000 new nurses between now and 2030, and incentivize provinces to fast-track accreditation for internationally educated nurses. The NDP said they also want to focus on health care in the North by training more doctors in the region and supporting them to stay, and investing in regional medical schools in rural, remote and underserved communities.

The Green Party says it would provide stable, long-term health-care funding to provinces and territories and train and hire more workers to improve access and cut wait times. Home care and community care would also be expanded by the Greens, while the party would ensure reproductive care access across the country. Under a Green Party government, federal funding would be invested in public health care as opposed to allowing for-profit corporations to provide care.

Announced before the election began, the Conservatives promised in February to build a permanent military base in Iqaluit to be completed within two years of Leader Pierre Poilievre being elected prime minister while also announcing it would buy two new polar icebreakers. The party said it would double the size of the Canadian Ranger’s 1st Patrol Group.

The Liberal Party says it plans to fill the shortage of Canadian Armed Forces members by modernizing its recruitment process, increasing salaries, building on-base housing and improving access to health-care services such as doctors and mental health. It also plans to expand its navy capabilities with new submarines and heavy icebreakers while expanding its Arctic presence, including through a partnership with Australia in that country’s early-warning radar system. The party says it will accelerate defence spending to reach the NATO target of two per cent of GDP by or before 2030. Liberal Leader Mark Carney announced, if elected, his government would overhaul defence procurement and establish a Bureau of Research, Engineering and Advanced Leadership in Science to ensure the Canadian Armed Forces and Communications Security Establishment have made-in-Canada solutions in areas such as AI, cybersecurity and advanced research and technology. The party also plans to boost domestic defence industries and production, such as Canada’s involvement in the ReArm Europe Plan, and help Canadian businesses in the industry to grow at home an diversify their markets abroad, such as by expanding the CanExport program.

The NDP said, if elected, they will cancel Canada’s F-35 military jet contract with the U.S. amid the ongoing trade conflict between the two countries. The party also plans to build 5,000 new affordable homes for the military and invest more in protecting Canada’s Arctic sovereignty by building new marine search and rescue stations. It also plans to give soldiers a raise, buy new equipment to keep the military safe and provide health care and mental health to soldiers. When it comes to NATO defence spending, the party said it would increase defence spending to two per cent of GDP no later than 2032.

The Greens said it would build stronger cyber defences to protect Canadians and create a nationwide civil defence corps to focus on climate disaster response. It would strengthen Arctic and coastal security with more patrols and better equipment. The party said Canada would also stop selling weapons to countries which abuse human rights. The party also says it will suspend the $80 billion acquisition process for F35 fighter jets from the U.S. produced by Lockheed Martin, while also joining the Norwegian-German Type 212CD submarine development process. It proposed ramping up domestic artillery and ammunition production capacity and training Canadian Armed Forces and affiliated paramilitary and civilian bodies to defend the territory from occupation.