Let 16-Year-Olds Vote in Federal Elections

Summary#

This bill would lower the federal voting age in Canada from 18 to 16. It amends the Canada Elections Act to make 16- and 17-year-old Canadian citizens eligible to vote and adjusts related definitions and offence provisions to match (Bill Summary; Bill Section 3).

• Lowers the minimum voting age to 16 for federal elections and referendums (Bill Section 3).
• Changes the “future elector” definition so it covers 14–15-year-olds, not 14–17-year-olds (Bill s.2(1)).
• Repeals subsection 22(5) and updates offence provisions that reference the age threshold, replacing 18 with 16 (Bill s.22(5) repeal; Bill s.281.3; Bill s.549.1).
• Leaves other qualifications (Canadian citizenship; being on the list of electors) unchanged (Bill Section 3).

What it means for you#

• Households

  • If enacted, Canadian citizens who are 16 or 17 on polling day could vote in federal elections and referendums. This would take effect once the law is in force (Bill Section 3).
  • Teens aged 14–15 could pre-register as “future electors.” At 16, they would move onto the main voters list (Bill s.2(1)).
  • ID rules would still apply. Acceptable ID options remain set by Elections Canada. The bill does not change ID rules (Data unavailable in bill text).

• Students and young workers (ages 16–17)

  • You could register and vote in federal elections. You could also apply to work at polling stations if you meet Elections Canada hiring rules. The bill does not change hiring rules (Bill Section 3; Data unavailable).
  • You would begin receiving voter information from Elections Canada once registered (Data unavailable in bill text).

• Political parties and campaigns

  • Parties would be able to contact and mobilize 16- and 17-year-old registered voters. Standard campaign rules on privacy, spending, and advertising still apply. The bill does not change those rules (Data unavailable in bill text).

• Schools and educators

  • No new legal duties are created for schools. Elections Canada may expand outreach or civic education offerings, but the bill does not mandate this (Data unavailable).

• Provinces and municipalities

  • No direct change to provincial or municipal voting ages, which are set by provincial or municipal laws. Voters could face different age rules across levels of government (Data unavailable).

Expenses#

Estimated net cost: Data unavailable.

• No fiscal note or official cost estimate is published with the bill. The bill contains no explicit appropriation (Data unavailable).
• Likely impacts include one-time administrative costs for Elections Canada to update systems, forms, training, and outreach; and ongoing costs to support a larger electorate. Quantities are not provided in the bill or accompanying materials (Data unavailable).

Proponents' View#

• Expands the franchise to more Canadian citizens, improving representation of youth interests. The core change is to lower eligibility from 18 to 16 (Bill Section 3).
• Builds voting habits earlier, which proponents argue can increase lifetime civic participation. They cite that adding 16–17-year-olds and moving pre-registration to 14–15 could support smoother onboarding into the voters list (Bill s.2(1)).
• Aligns law with existing responsibilities many 16–17-year-olds have, such as work and paying taxes. The bill changes voting age but does not alter other qualifications, keeping the rules simple (Bill Section 3).
• Cleans up related provisions so enforcement and eligibility tests match the new age, reducing ambiguity (Bill s.281.3; Bill s.549.1).
• Administrative updates are limited and focused (definitions, eligibility, and offences). The bill does not alter campaign finance, riding boundaries, or election timing (Bill text).

Opponents' View#

• Questions about readiness: critics argue some 16–17-year-olds may lack the life experience to assess platforms and candidates. No capacity test exists, so all who meet the new age would be eligible (Bill Section 3; assumption noted).
• Implementation risk: Elections Canada would need to update IT systems, registers, forms, training, and outreach before the next election. If timelines are tight, errors or confusion could occur (Data unavailable).
• Administrative cost: expanding the electorate and outreach would add one-time and ongoing costs. No official estimate is provided with the bill (Data unavailable).
• Confusion across jurisdictions: federal voting at 16 while most provincial/municipal voting ages remain 18 could confuse new voters and families (Data unavailable).
• ID and access concerns: some 16–17-year-olds may have fewer government-issued IDs or less stable addresses, which could increase reliance on alternative ID options at the polls (assumption noted; the bill does not change ID rules).