ASAP
Canadian Election Day is Coming – Understanding Employees’ Entitlement to Time off to Vote
On Monday, April 28, 2025, Canadians will go to the polls to elect their next federal government.
Voting hours vary, based on jurisdiction, as follows:
| Newfoundland, Atlantic, Central time zone* | 8:30 a.m. – 8:30 p.m. |
| Eastern time zone | 9:30 a.m. – 9:30 p.m. |
| Mountain time zone* | 7:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. |
| Pacific time zone | 7:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. |
*Saskatchewan voting hours are 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Three Consecutive Hours Off to Vote
Under the Canada Elections Act (the “Act”), an employee who is eligible to vote is entitled to have three consecutive hours off to vote. An employee is eligible to vote if they are a Canadian citizen who is 18 years of age or older.
If an employee’s work schedule does not already provide them with three consecutive hours off that fall within the voting windows identified above, the employer is required to allow such time off as needed to ensure the employee has three consecutive hours off in which to vote. For example, if an employee working in Toronto, Ontario (Eastern Time Zone) is scheduled to work from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., they can be provided with 1.5 hours of time off at the end of their shift, such that they would end work at 6:30 p.m., to ensure they have three consecutive hours off during the time the polls are open. The time off must be paid and can be scheduled at the employer’s convenience.
If an employee’s work schedule already provides them with three consecutive hours free from work during the applicable polling window for their jurisdiction, an employer has no obligation to provide any time off, paid or otherwise, to permit the employee to cast a ballot at a preferred time.
Prohibition Against Interference
The Act explicitly prohibits employers from interfering with an employee’s three consecutive hours off to vote through intimidation, undue influence, or any other means.
Transportation Exemption
The requirement to provide three consecutive voting hours off does not apply to an employee of an employer that transports goods or passengers by land, air or water who is employed outside their polling division in the operation of a means of transportation if the time off cannot be allowed without interfering with the transportation service.
