What you need to know on election day in the Windsor, Chatham and Sarnia region
CBC
From coast to coast to coast, it's federal election day in Canada.
The country's 45th general vote was called March 23 and ran for five weeks. The 36-day campaign is the shortest length allowed under the law — and has been deemed a "consequential" and tight election race from the get-go, amidst U.S. President Donald Trump's trade war.
After just nine days in the prime minister's seat, Liberal leader Mark Carney dissolved Parliament last month after visiting Gov. Gen. Mary Simon.
The interest in this election appears to be strong after a record number of Canadians cast their ballots in advance voting.
An estimated 7.3 million votes were recorded across the Easter long weekend, according to Elections Canada, an increase of 25 per cent from the 2021 federal election. On the Friday alone more than two million people voted — a single-day record.
Locally, here are the advance poll turnout numbers for five southwestern Ontario rdings:
This election will also be the first time newly redrawn ward boundaries will be put into use.
The House of Commons expanded to 343 seats in 2023. Five new ridings were added to keep pace with Canada's growing population. In the Windsor area, two ridings have new names and the boundary lines have changed.
The riding of Windsor-Tecumseh is now Windsor-Tecumseh-Lakeshore, and there are changes to Chatham-Kent—Leamington, Essex and the newly renamed Sarnia—Lambton—Bkejwanong as well.
To vote, you must be a Canadian citizen and at least 18 years old on election day and be able to prove your identity and address. You can only vote at your assigned polling station.
WATCH | Voting in the Canadian federal election, explained:
In Ontario, voting hours at polling stations run from 9:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Peak voting times vary throughout the day, however, according to Elections Canada, the busiest times are early in the morning and after 4 p.m., until the polls close.The less busy times are during the midday hours, with 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. being the best times to see shorter polling station wait times.
Elections Canada says all electors that are still in line at the end of voting hours will be allowed to vote regardless of the length of the line.
A holiday event that began in 2020 during the pandemic with three floats on pickup trucks has now become one of Kelowna’s big winter events, drawing thousands to the city’s downtown core.
WARNING: This story details allegations of child abuse.
It’s been hard to keep track of how many legal challenges and active court proceedings the United Conservative government has tried to quash or pre-emptively block in the last six weeks, but let’s try to tally:
Margaret Walker, the emcee of a Waterloo vigil commemorating the victims of the Montreal massacre, doesn't feel enough is being done to reflect on the killings and address gender-based violence.
The P.E.I. Humane Society says it is doing far more fundraising than it used to, and rising expenses — including the cost of animal medications — are a big reason why.
Ottawa is staring down a court-ordered deadline to submit a new plan to reform the on-reserve child welfare system, as a group of First Nations leaders and children’s advocates prepare a competing proposal.
An underpass revitalization project that was meant to pay tribute to the people of Parkdale has instead deteriorated into “a garbage dump,” according to nearby residents.
A young man has been charged with criminal negligence causing bodily harm after a fire at a frat party near Western University that injured five sorority sisters, including two seriously, late Tuesday night.
The massive deal to combine one of Hollywood's oldest studios with a streaming giant hasn't even been approved yet, but it's already riling multiple related industries and politicians concerned about monopolies and media concentration.
Mi'kmaq chiefs and a former Nova Scotia justice minister are criticizing the provincial government for directing police to crack down on illegal cannabis, saying the order undermines relations with Indigenous Peoples.
For years, there has been “glaring inequity” in the way the province has allocated the millions of dollars in its county roads budget, according to Department of Transportation Minister Chuck Chiasson.
Six months after passing a law aimed at making it easier for new grocery stores to open, Manitoba's premier says lower grocery bills could be on the horizon.
Timothy Smith was acting in self-defence when he punched Landon Waddell, and shouldn't be found guilty of manslaughter, his lawyer says.