Canada's next election will take place on April 28: sources

Prime Minister Mark Carney is expected to ask the Governor General on Sunday to dissolve Parliament, marking the beginning of a federal election campaign.

Sources have confirmed to CBC News that election day will be on April 28 — meaning federal parties will be sprinting through the shortest election period possible under Canadian law.

Federal campaigns must be between 37 and 51 days in length, according to Canada's election rules, and election day must fall on a Monday (with a few exceptions). Should Carney call the election on Sunday, April 28 would be Day 37 of the election period.

The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) told CBC News that Carney will meet with Gov. Gen. Mary Simon on Sunday at noon ET, then hold a news conference at 12:30 p.m. ET.

Afterward, Carney will travel to St. John's, the PMO said. He's expected to travel across the country during his first week of the federal election campaign.

Carney is expected to run in the Nepean riding in the Ottawa region, a source with knowledge of the decision told Radio-Canada.

Earlier this week, the Globe and Mail reported that Carney is expected to call the snap election for April 28.

Carney is making the call against a backdrop of public opinion polls that have placed the Liberal Party just out front in the coming contest.

WATCH | Carney says government needs 'strong and clear mandate':

Carney says government needs ‘strong and clear mandate’ when asked about calling an election

3 days ago

Duration 0:41

Asked in Edmonton on Thursday if he is going to call a federal election this weekend, Prime Minister Mark Carney said the Governor General would be the first to know as per convention. He said the government needs a strong and clear mandate.

According to CBC's Poll Tracker, the Liberals under Carney are leading with 37.8 per cent, compared with Pierre Poilievre's Conservatives, who stand just below that, at 37.2 per cent support. 

The CBC Poll Tracker suggests that if a vote were to take place now, the Liberals could secure 176 seats to the Conservatives' 133.

Parties gearing up for a campaign

Although the election call isn't expected until Sunday, Canada's federal parties are already trotting out policy ideas to sway Canadians to their side.

On Friday, after meeting with Canada's premiers, Carney said his federal government intends to remove barriers to the free movement of workers, goods and services between provinces and territories. The prime minister said the goal is to have "free trade by Canada Day."

Earlier in the day, Poilievre continued his push to draw in working-class voters with a plan to train 350,000 more trade workers across the country — a plan he billed as "more boots, less suits" that can "bring home a country that works for the people that do the work."

Last Sunday, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said his party would cancel Canada's contract to buy U.S.-built F-35s and look for companies to build fighter jets in Canada amid tensions with U.S. President Donald Trump.