Canadian PM calls game-changing byelections in three ridings

OTTAWA -- Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Sunday called three federal byelections for April 13, a game-changer that could determine whether his minority Liberal government can secure a majority in the House of Commons.

The byelections will be held in the ridings of University-Rosedale and Scarborough Southwest in Ontario, and Terrebonne in Quebec, according to a news release from the prime minister's official website.

Elections Canada said on Sunday voters can cast their ballots on election day or vote in advance polls from April 3-6 at their assigned polling station.

In the 45th federal election held in April 2025, Carney led the Liberal Party to victory, capturing 169 of the 343 seats in the House of Commons. While the result allowed the party to form a government, it fell three seats short of the 172-seat threshold required for a majority.

Three Members of Parliament (MPs) from the opposition Conservative Party have then crossed the floor to join Carney's Liberal caucus, citing alignment with his economic leadership.

However, these gains were offset by the resignation of two Liberal MPs who departed for diplomatic and advisory roles, and a court ruling that nullified a razor-thin one-vote Liberal victory in a Quebec riding due to administrative errors, necessitating a mandatory re-vote.