How the House of Commons stands
As of November 1, 2026, the Liberals hold 173 of 343 seats, the Conservatives 137, the Bloc Québécois 21, the NDP 5, and the Greens 1; 6 seats are vacant, and 172 make a majority.
Last change: , Brantford—Brant South falls vacant.
IThe 172 line and the Chair
The Liberals hold 173. One is the Chair, who votes only to break a tie: 172 votes. 6 seats empty · 336 members vote · 169 carries a question.
The Chair is Francis Scarpaleggia, member for Lac-Saint-Louis, a Liberal, Speaker since (Journals No. 1).
172 is more than half of the House's 343 seats. A party at or over it holds a majority of the seats; the Speaker is counted among the seats but votes only to break a tie, so the votes a question needs on the floor depend on how many seats are empty that day.
- Our Procedure: The Canadian Parliamentary System
- A government formed by the party or the coalition of parties holding more than half of the seats in the House of Commons is known as a majority government.
- Constitution Act, 1867, s. 49
- Questions arising in the House of Commons shall be decided by a Majority of Voices other than that of the Speaker, and when the Voices are equal, but not otherwise, the Speaker shall have a Vote.
- House of Commons Procedure and Practice, 4th ed., ch. 7
- The Speaker normally votes to maintain the status quo: whenever possible, leaving the matter open for further discussion; whenever no further discussion is possible, preserving the possibility that the matter might be brought back and decided by a majority; and leaving a bill in its existing form rather than amending it.
The Liberals and the line since the election
The Liberals have held 172 seats or more from April 13, 2026 to August 14, 2026 and since August 31, 2026 (as of November 1, 2026).
- : 171 to 174 seats, over the line, By-elections in University—Rosedale, Scarborough Southwest and Terrebonne.
- : 172 to 171 seats, under the line, Scarborough North falls vacant.
- : 170 to 173 seats, over the line, By-elections in North Vancouver—Capilano, Chicoutimi—Le Fjord and Beaches—East York.
IIThe empty seats
6 of 343 seats are empty as of November 1, 2026. They are Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot—Acton, Scarborough North, Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, Yorkton—Melville and Brantford—Brant South.
For each empty seat, the day it fell empty, the day Elections Canada received the Speaker’s warrant, the last day a by-election may be called and the latest polling day that allows, with the clock the statutes set, are in When are the next federal by-elections in Canada?
The by-elections held since the election
- : Battle River—Crowfoot, Conservative hold, Pierre Poilievre.
- : Scarborough Southwest, Liberal hold, Doly Begum.
- : Terrebonne, Liberal hold, Tatiana Auguste.
- : University—Rosedale, Liberal hold, Danielle Martin.
- : Beaches—East York, Liberal hold, Tanveer Shahnawaz.
- : Chicoutimi—Le Fjord, Liberal gain from the Conservatives, Daniel Gobeil.
- : North Vancouver—Capilano, Liberal hold, Braeden Caley.
IIIThe next general election
The next general election is fixed for : the third Monday of October in the fourth calendar year after the last polling day, .
Subject to subsection (1), each general election must be held on the third Monday of October in the fourth calendar year following polling day for the last general election, with the first general election after this section comes into force being held on Monday, October 19, 2009.
The Chief Electoral Officer may recommend another day if that Monday is not suitable, including because it conflicts with a day of cultural or religious significance or a provincial or municipal election; the alternate day must be the Tuesday after, October 16, 2029, or the Monday of the following week, October 22, 2029, and the order must be made by August 1, 2029 (Canada Elections Act, s. 56.2(1), s. 56.2(4) and s. 56.2(5)).
No by-election is held for a seat that falls empty less than nine months before the fixed date, that is, after (Parliament of Canada Act, s. 31(1.1)).
The Act leaves the Governor General's power to dissolve Parliament where it is (Canada Elections Act, s. 56.1(1)). This page records the date the law sets and nothing about whether an election will come sooner.