OTTAWA — As advance voting continues across Canada, the federal parties are intensifying efforts in key battleground regions, with the Conservatives and NDP concentrating their weekend campaigns in British Columbia, and the Liberals focusing on strongholds in Ontario.
B.C. has emerged as a crucial battleground in the final stretch of the campaign, with pollsters identifying it as a region that could determine the outcome of the election—particularly for Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre.
Both Poilievre and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh held campaign events in B.C. on Sunday, highlighting cost-of-living concerns. Singh, campaigning in Victoria, was asked if he supported strategic voting to hold off Conservative advances.
“I want people to vote based on their values,” Singh responded. “And if stopping a Conservative win on Vancouver Island matters to them, the best choice is a New Democrat.”
He also encouraged voters worried about potential cuts under a Liberal government to elect NDP MPs to “fight for them in Ottawa.”
The NDP won 13 of B.C.’s 43 federal seats in 2021, but current polling indicates those positions may be at risk. A recent Angus Reid poll conducted April 10–13 shows the Liberals and Conservatives tied at 42 per cent support in B.C., with the NDP trailing at 11 per cent and the Greens at just three per cent.
In Metro Vancouver, Liberal Leader Mark Carney leads with 49 per cent voter support. However, both the Conservatives and NDP have been gaining ground in the region.
Angus Reid Institute President Shachi Kurl emphasized that B.C. remains one of the last strongholds for the federal NDP, largely due to its provincial popularity. Singh is running in the Burnaby Central riding.
Kurl noted that Poilievre has focused recent efforts on areas with significant Asian and South Asian populations, where his messaging around crime and public safety may resonate more.
“With the Liberals polling strongly in Ontario and Quebec, B.C. becomes critical for Conservative hopes of forming government,” Kurl said. “For the NDP, it’s about holding onto enough seats to maintain party status and influence.”
She added that while the Liberals could theoretically win without B.C., the province would provide “extra insurance” toward securing a majority.
Campaign Trail Highlights
Liberal Leader Mark Carney spent Sunday rallying supporters in the Ottawa-area riding of Nepean, where he is running. Speaking at the Lusitania Portuguese Club of Ottawa, Carney focused on his platform to strengthen Canada’s economic independence amid growing trade tensions with the U.S. He also drew comparisons between Poilievre and former U.S. President Donald Trump, echoing chants from the crowd labeling Poilievre “Timbit Trump.”
Among those attending was Leigh Hall, a first-time rally-goer. “Carney’s experience outside of politics is exactly what we need right now,” she said. “I usually don’t commit to one party, but this election feels different.”
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, speaking in Victoria, reiterated his commitment to combating grocery price gouging and capping the cost of food essentials. He argued that New Democrats are best positioned to defend Canadians from both Conservative policies and potential Liberal cuts.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre began his day in Surrey, B.C., at a grocery store where he announced plans to cut $10 billion in annual federal spending on consultants. “Inflation is the result of reckless government spending,” he said, blaming Liberal policies for higher consumer prices.
Poilievre also criticized the Liberals’ recently unveiled platform, which includes $129 billion in new spending over the next four years. He argued that scaling back government spending would help ease inflation, which Statistics Canada reported had fallen slightly to 2.3 per cent in March. However, food prices were still up 3.2 per cent compared to a year ago.
He also took aim at Carney’s tenure as Governor of the Bank of England, linking him to inflation in the UK—even though Carney’s term ended in 2020 and the inflation surge occurred during the pandemic recovery.
Poilievre avoided directly answering whether he would maintain the national freeze on handgun purchases introduced by the Liberals in 2022. Instead, he focused on cracking down on firearm trafficking, particularly from the U.S.
After delivering his remarks, Poilievre answered only four pre-selected media questions before walking away as reporters called out additional queries, including when the full Conservative platform would be released.
Advance Voting Sees Strong Turnout
Sunday marked the third day of advance polling, with Canadians turning out in large numbers. Elections Canada reported nearly two million voters cast ballots on Friday alone, setting a new record and causing long lines at many polling stations.
Polling locations remained busy over the weekend, with officials working to improve wait times.
The final day of advance voting is Monday, ahead of the national election on April 28.
