Prime Minister Mark Carney has announced six federal byelections scheduled for December 7, sending voters in Quebec, Ontario and Saskatchewan back to the polls to fill vacant seats in the House of Commons.
According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office on Sunday, three byelections will take place in Quebec’s Laurier—Sainte-Marie, Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie and Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot—Acton ridings.
The remaining contests will be held in Brantford—Brant South and Scarborough North in Ontario, as well as Yorkton—Melville in Saskatchewan.
The vacant seats were previously divided among several parties, with the Liberals holding Laurier—Sainte-Marie and Scarborough North, the Conservatives representing Brantford—Brant South and Yorkton—Melville, the NDP holding Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie and the Bloc Québécois representing Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot—Acton.
The byelections come as Carney’s Liberals seek to strengthen their position in Parliament after securing a majority government through a series of electoral victories and party defections earlier this year.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre urged voters to reject the Liberal government’s policies, arguing that Canadians need an alternative approach to affordability, employment and immigration.
Speaking at a Sunday news conference, Poilievre accused Carney of contributing to rising costs for groceries, gasoline and housing, while promoting the Conservatives’ proposals to reduce expenses, protect jobs and reform the immigration system.
The six vacancies resulted from MPs leaving federal politics for diplomatic assignments, provincial political careers, retirement or personal circumstances.
Since the 2025 federal election, 13 of the House of Commons’ 343 members have resigned. Under federal election rules, the prime minister must call a byelection within 11 to 180 days of a seat becoming vacant.
In Ontario, the Brantford—Brant South contest has attracted attention following the Conservative Party’s decision to appoint Brantford Mayor Kevin Davis as its candidate rather than conduct a local nomination race.
Dave Carrol, a pastor and longtime Conservative who previously sought the nomination, has decided to run as an independent.
Carrol criticized the party leadership for bypassing its traditional candidate selection process, suggesting the decision had disappointed local Conservatives.
His independent candidacy could divide the Conservative vote in a riding where the Liberals are expected to mount a competitive challenge.
In Saskatchewan, Yorkton Mayor Aaron Kienle will represent the Liberals against Conservative candidate Nelson Pohl, a farmer and furnace-cleaning business owner.
Yorkton—Melville has been a Conservative stronghold for decades, having been represented by the Conservatives and their predecessor parties for more than 30 years.
The Liberals have not won the riding since its establishment in 1968.
Former Conservative MP Cathay Wagantall secured more than 77 per cent of the vote in the 2025 federal election before resigning in August.
Meanwhile, Quebec’s Laurier—Sainte-Marie riding became vacant following the departure of former environment minister Steven Guilbeault, who left federal politics during the summer after publicly disagreeing with Carney over environmental policy.
The Liberals have selected Guy Cormier, former president and CEO of Desjardins Group, as their candidate.
He will face Bloc Québécois candidate Zumretay Arkin, a former vice-president of the World Uyghur Congress, and NDP candidate Nima Machouf, an epidemiologist.
In Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot—Acton, the vacancy arose after former Bloc MP Simon-Pierre Savard-Tremblay left federal politics in June to pursue a successful provincial campaign with the Parti Québécois.
The Liberals have nominated Chantal Soucy, a former Coalition Avenir Québec member of the National Assembly who served for eight years before deciding not to seek re-election provincially.
The Bloc Québécois will be represented by Caroline Emond, a former director general of the International Dairy Federation.
Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, the only riding east of Manitoba won by the NDP in the 2025 federal election, also became vacant in August.
Former MP Alexandre Boulerice resigned to enter provincial politics and subsequently won a seat for Québec solidaire.
The Liberals have nominated human rights advocate Jean-Sébastien Vallée, while the NDP will field Quebec activist Pierre Céré, who briefly sought the Parti Québécois leadership in 2015.
In Scarborough North, the Liberals are seeking to retain the seat previously held by Shaun Chen, who resigned in August because of ongoing medical complications stemming from a 2025 vehicle collision.
Accountant James Li will represent the Liberals in the Toronto-area contest.
Carney enters the December byelections following a series of successful electoral performances earlier this year.
In April, the Liberals won three byelections in Terrebonne, University—Rosedale and Scarborough Southwest. The Terrebonne contest was held again following a Supreme Court ruling concerning mail-in ballot irregularities during the 2025 federal election.
Those victories, combined with five MPs crossing the floor to the Liberals, helped establish Carney’s parliamentary majority.
The governing party continued its winning streak on August 31, capturing three additional seats. The Liberals retained Beaches—East York and North Vancouver—Capilano while taking Chicoutimi—Le Fjord from the Conservatives.
The December 7 contests will provide another test of the governing Liberals’ electoral strength and the opposition parties’ ability to challenge Carney’s majority government.
