When Is the Next Election in Ontario?

Canadian law sets fixed dates for many provincial elections. Ontario's general elections are held every four years on the first Thursday in June.

Date of the Next Ontario Election

The next election will be on or before June 2, 2022.

How Ontario Election Dates are Decided

Ontario has fixed dates for general elections. In 2016, a bill moved the election from the previous date in October in order to avoid conflicting with municipal elections. Previously, the dates of the election were fixed by the Election Statute Law Amendment Act, 2005.

There are exceptions to Ontario's fixed election dates:

• If the fixed election date is not suitable because it is a day of cultural or religious significance, then an alternate election date is chosen from the seven dates after the Thursday that would otherwise be election day.
• If the government loses a non-confidence vote in the legislative assembly triggering an election. This can happen quite easily with a minority government.
• If the decides to dissolve the legislature.

In Ontario general elections, voters in each district or “riding” elect members to the Legislative Assembly, Ontario uses a Westminster-style parliamentary government, like at the federal level in Canada. The Premier (Ontario's head of government) and the Executive Council of Ontario are then appointed by the Legislative Assembly based on majority support. The Official Opposition is the largest party not in control of the government, with its leader recognized as Leader of the Opposition by the Speaker.