Employee rights on election day: Ontario Provincial Election 2025

Ontario is set to hold its 44th general election on Feb. 27.

In a news release on Jan. 28, Premier Doug Ford’s office said the lieutenant governor has “accepted the premier’s advice to sign a proclamation dissolving the 43rd Parliament of the Province of Ontario, effective as of 4:00 p.m. today.”

Ford told reporters during a news conference in Brampton last week that the province needs a “strong mandate” as U.S. President Donald Trump prepares to impose a 25 per cent tariff on all Canadian goods.

“With a strong mandate, we will be able to fight with Donald Trump to make sure we stop the tariffs and make sure we give certainty to the people of Ontario.”

SEE ALSO
• Doug Ford warns Trump’s 25% tariff could cost Ontario ‘500,000 jobs’
• Ontario farmers warn U.S. tariffs could lead to widespread job losses

The next provincial election was scheduled to take place in June 2026.

This resource will help you understand your voting rights as an employee when you cast your ballot in the 44th general election and exercise your civic duty.

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Can I take time off work to vote in the Ontario election?

Ontario’s Election Act states that employees who are qualified to vote have the right to take up to three consecutive hours off work to vote on election day to vote, during polling hours.

This arrangement allows someone enough time to travel between work and the appropriate polling station.

An employee can vote if they are:

• A Canadian citizen
• At least 18 years of age
• A resident of Ontario

When an employer doesn’t need to give time off

An employer doesn’t have to give an employee time off if the employee has three consecutive hours outside of their work schedule to vote.

In Ontario, polling hours are 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. in the Eastern Time Zone, and 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. in the Central Time Zone.

• Example 1: If an employee works from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time Zone), their employer does not need to give them time off work, because the employee has more than three hours after work to vote.
• Example 2: If an employee works from 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., their employer must give them enough time off so that the employee has three consecutive hours to vote. Because an employer can decide when an employee takes time off, the employer can allow the worker to leave at 6:00 p.m., giving them three hours from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. to vote.

Who decides when I can take time off to vote?

Your employer may select which hours you take off to cast your vote in the Ontario general election.

A company can choose the hours that are most convenient for the business.

Do I get paid time off to vote?

Employees in Ontario are guaranteed up to three consecutive hours of time off work to vote.

Your company can’t penalize you (i.e. make deductions to your pay) for taking time off to cast your ballot or simply asking to do so.

Can my employer refuse to give me time off work to vote?

If your employer refuses to provide three consecutive paid hours off for voting purposes or penalizes you for requesting it (by reducing your pay, for instance), they will be in violation of the Elections Act.

Employers can be penalized with a fine of up to $5,000 per violation.

The fine increases to a maximum of either $25,000, two years’ jail time or both if a judge convicts the employer and finds that they purposefully committed the offence.