Canada's 2025 Election Summarized So Far

Confused about all the information that the candidates have talked about so far? Here's a summary of what the two major candidates have promised so far.

Pierre Poilievre, leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, started out with a sizable lead in the polls against the Liberal Party—a double-digit lead, in fact. This stemmed largely from the unfavourability of former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Since Trudeau resigned and Mark Carney won the Liberal Party leadership race, things have changed significantly in the polls. Most polls currently have Carney’s Liberal Party ahead of Poilievre’s Conservatives.

Poilievre has been compared to Trump, and while there are some similarities, Trump tends to be a bit more extreme in his policies than Poilievre (see this comparison piece for more information).

• Economic/Fiscal

  • Repeal Carbon Tax

  • 15% tax cut to the lowest federal tax bracket (dropping it from 15% to 12.75%)

  • Implement pay-as-you-go law capping federal spending at budgeted amounts and requiring savings for new spending

  • Increase natural resource production via pre-approved areas and reduced regulation

• Housing

  • Mandate a 15% increase in housing construction

  • $10,000 per new home

  • Convert federal buildings to housing

• Immigration

  • Speed up licensing of foreign trained professionals

  • Link immigration levels to housing, healthcare, and infrastructure capacity

  • More study loans for training

• Freedom of Expression

  • Withhold funding to non-compliant schools

  • Appoint “free speech” guardian

• Monetary

  • Subject the Bank of Canada to audits by the Auditor General

  • Ban proposed digital currency

  • Facilitate the use of cryptocurrencies

• Crime

  • Crack down on crime

  • Keep repeat offenders behind bars

  • Support "Freedom Convoy" protesters

• Environment

  • Build pipelines

  • Rely on technology for emissions (details unclear)

• Social/Cultural

  • Historical opposition to marriage equality

  • Controversial Indigenous statements (current stance unclear)

  • Opposes transgender inclusion in women's spaces and sports.

---

While Poilievre has been campaigning for some time, Mark Carney is new to the Canadian political scene and to politics in general. He has already made significant policy announcements as the new Liberal leader and has moved quickly. He has a strong economic background, having served as governor of the Bank of Canada and later as governor of the Bank of England.

• Economic

  • Middle-class tax cut (1% off lowest income tax bracket)

  • Balanced operational budget, but separate operational vs investments

  • AI integration to make government quicker and more efficient

  • Pledged to have the fastest growing economy in the G7

• Housing

  • Accelerate housing construction

  • Densification

  • Eliminate unit/parking maximums

  • GST removal for first-time buyers

• Immigration

  • Temporary cap to pre-pandemic levels

  • Integrate 4M temporary residents

  • Align with housing/healthcare capacity

• Foreign Policy

  • New partnerships (Europe, Asia, etc.)

  • Critical minerals supplier

  • Food security

  • Stand against U.S. tariffs

• Military/Defense

  • Invest in Made-in-Canada defense

  • Meet 2% NATO target

  • Modernize NORAD

  • Arctic infrastructure

  • Border security

• Environment

  • Remove consumer carbon tax

  • Green incentives

  • Tax industrial emitters (compensating for lack of consumer carbon tax)

  • Clean energy superpower

  • Carbon border-adjustment

• Social/Healthcare

  • Improve doctor access

  • Lower wait times

  • Tackle homelessness/drug crisis

  • Provide reskilling programs for technological advancements

  • Indigenous reconciliation