Summary#
This bill, called the Vote 16 Act, lowers the federal voting age from 18 to 16. It amends the Canada Elections Act and the referendum regulation so citizens aged 16 and 17 can vote in federal elections and referendums. It also updates related rules on offences, fundraising disclosures, and voter declarations to reflect the new age. The Act takes effect six months after Royal Assent unless Elections Canada is ready sooner and publishes a notice.
- Lowers the minimum age to vote in federal elections to 16 (Bill s.3).
- Lowers the minimum age to vote in federal referendums to 16 (Regulation s.3; Bill s.8).
- Updates offence provisions so it is illegal to vote if you are under 16, or to induce someone under 16 to vote (Bill s.5; Canada Elections Act s.281.3).
- Changes regulated fundraising event disclosures: parties must still omit attendees under 16, but 16–17-year-olds would now be listed (Bill s.6; Canada Elections Act s.384.3(3)(a)).
- Adjusts the voter declaration wording so electors affirm they are 16 or older on polling day (Bill s.7; Canada Elections Act s.549.1(1)(b)).
- Amends the “future elector” definition so 16–17-year-olds move from the future electors list to the main voters list (Bill s.2).
What it means for you#
- Households (16–17-year-old Canadian citizens)
- You can vote in federal elections and referendums held on or after the Act takes effect (Bill s.3; Regulation s.3).
- You can register as an elector and will be subject to the same ID and address proof rules as other voters; the declaration form will reflect the 16+ rule (Bill s.7).
- If you attend a regulated fundraising event, your name can appear on the party’s public attendee report; only attendees under 16 are excluded (Bill s.6).
- Parents and guardians
- Your 16–17-year-old children who are Canadian citizens will be able to vote in federal elections and referendums once the Act is in force (Bill s.3; Regulation s.3).
- If a 16–17-year-old attends a regulated fundraising event, their name may appear on a public attendee list (Bill s.6).
- All voters
- No change to your voting rights if you are 18+; processes and ID requirements remain in place. The offence of underage voting now applies to those under 16 (Bill s.5).
- Political parties and campaigns
- You must adjust compliance systems: underage voting offences now reference 16, and regulated fundraising reports must list 16–17-year-old attendees by name (Bill s.5–6).
- Elections Canada and election workers
- You must update registration systems to move 16–17-year-olds from the future electors list to the main register, revise forms, train staff, and adapt referendum processes (Bill s.2–3, s.7; Regulation s.3).
- Timing
- The law comes into force six months after Royal Assent, unless the Chief Electoral Officer publishes an earlier readiness notice in the Canada Gazette (Coming-into-force clause).
Expenses#
Estimated net cost: Data unavailable.
- No explicit appropriations or funding amounts are in the bill text.
- The bill creates implementation tasks (system updates, forms, training, outreach, and register changes), but no official fiscal note was provided. Data unavailable.
- Any ongoing cost or savings to Elections Canada, parties, or others are not quantified in public documents. Data unavailable.
Proponents' View#
- Expands democratic participation by enfranchising citizens aged 16–17 in federal elections and referendums (Bill s.3; Regulation s.3).
- Provides clear legal updates across the Act so compliance and enforcement match the new voting age, including offences and voter declarations (Bill s.5–7).
- Aligns referendum voting rules with election rules to avoid confusion for young voters (Regulation s.3; Bill s.8).
- Uses a measured rollout: a six‑month buffer, with an option for earlier start only if Elections Canada confirms readiness (Coming-into-force clause).
- Builds on existing infrastructure, since Elections Canada already maintains a future electors register and youth pre‑registration processes (Bill s.2).
Opponents' View#
- Administrative costs and workload for Elections Canada could rise due to system changes, new registrations, staff training, and communications; no public cost estimate is provided (Data unavailable).
- Privacy trade-off: 16–17-year-olds at regulated fundraising events would no longer be excluded from attendee disclosures; only those under 16 are omitted (Bill s.6).
- Implementation risk: proof‑of‑identity and address rules may be harder for some 16–17-year-olds to meet without targeted guidance, potentially affecting access (Bill s.7; Canada Elections Act ID rules unchanged).
- Repeal of the clause about appointing election officers under 18 may have unclear effects without the context of the remaining section 22; the bill does not specify a new minimum age for officers (Bill s.4).