Ottawa [Canada]: Voting has officially closed in Canada’s easternmost province of Newfoundland and Labrador, marking the beginning of the 2025 federal election results, Al Jazeera reported.
The first results from Newfoundland and Labrador are expected shortly, offering an initial glimpse into how the closely contested race between the Liberal and Conservative parties is unfolding.
Polls have also closed across the Atlantic provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island at 8:30 p.m. Atlantic Time (23:30 GMT). However, voters in Canada’s more populous provinces, including Ontario, Quebec, and Alberta, still have a few more hours before polls shut, leaving much of the national picture still to emerge.
In the run-up to election day, CBC’s polling tracker indicated a tight contest: the Liberal Party was polling at nearly 43 percent, while the Conservative Party was close behind at just over 39 percent. The New Democratic Party (NDP) held around 9 percent support, and the Bloc Quebecois about 6 percent.
This election marks a significant moment for the Liberals, with Mark Carney — a former economist and central banker — seeking his first full mandate as Prime Minister. Carney took over from Justin Trudeau in March, positioning himself as a political outsider despite having advised the Liberal government previously.
On the Conservative side, veteran parliamentarian Pierre Poilievre campaigned vigorously against the Liberals, focusing on economic concerns, immigration policy, and cultural issues to galvanize voter support.
Here are the poll closing times across Canada, as outlined by Elections Canada:
- Newfoundland and Labrador Time: 8:30 p.m. (23:00 GMT)
- Atlantic Time: 8:30 p.m. (23:30 GMT)
- Eastern Time: 9:30 p.m. (01:30 GMT)
- Central Time:* 8:30 p.m. (01:30 GMT)
- Mountain Time:* 7:30 p.m. (01:30 GMT)
- Pacific Time: 7:00 p.m. (02:00 GMT)
(*Adjusted for local differences)
Saskatchewan, which spans two time zones, will close polls at 7:30 p.m. local time.
As voting concludes nationwide, Canadians are deciding whether interim Prime Minister Mark Carney will secure a full four-year term or if the Conservatives will reclaim power after more than nine years of Liberal governance.