Factbox-The key promises of the main parties contesting Canada's election
By David Ljunggren
OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canada's general election will take place on April 28, with polls indicating a tight race between the ruling Liberals and the official opposition Conservatives.
The candidates will participate in evening debates on Wednesday and Thursday.
Here are some of the key planks of the two largest parties:
LIBERALS
DEALING WITH TRUMP - Prime Minister Mark Carney says Canada's reciprocal tariffs on more than C$60 billion worth of U.S. imports will remain in place until Washington removes its import duties. Carney, who says there is a limit to how far Canada can go in imposing dollar-for-dollar tariffs, has promised Canada will thrash out a new economic and security relationship with the U.S. after the election. He has not spelled out how this effort would affect the existing United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement on free trade.
TAXES - Reduce the marginal tax rate on the lowest tax bracket by one percentage point. Carney's campaign says this move will save two-income families up to C$825 a year and directly benefit more than 22 million Canadians, with middle- and low-income people enjoying the biggest savings.
Eliminate the Goods and Services Tax, a value-added tax, for first-time home buyers on properties at or under C$1 million, saving Canadians up to C$50,000 on such purchases.
SECURITY - Push through "an unprecedented acceleration" of investment in the armed forces, expanding the Royal Canadian Navy's capabilities with new submarines and additional heavy icebreakers to defend the North and increasing the Coast Guard's reach and abilities. All military personnel would get a raise and the recruitment process for Canada's Armed Forces would be modernized to eliminate a shortage of 14,500 service members. Carney is also promising an overhaul of Canada's troubled defense procurement system to speed up major military purchases.
TRADE DIVERSIFICATION - Stunned by U.S. President Donald Trump's trade war, the Liberals vow to inject C$5 billion into a new Trade Diversification Corridor Fund. The aim is to build out infrastructure that will diversify Canada's trade relationships around the world, create good jobs and drive economic growth.
ENERGY - Aggressively develop natural resources projects that are in the national interest and set up a Major Federal Project Office that would issue a decision on major projects within two years instead of five.
HOUSING - The government would act as a developer to build affordable housing at scale, including on public lands, while providing more than C$25 billion in financing to innovative prefabricated home builders. In addition to eliminating the Goods and Services Tax for first-time home buyers on properties at or under C$1 million, the Liberals want to cut municipal development charges in half for multi-unit residential housing.
HELP THE AUTO INDUSTRY - Create a C$2 billion strategic response fund to boost the sector's competitiveness, protect manufacturing jobs and build a fortified Canadian supply chain – from raw materials to finished vehicles.
CRIME - Recruit 1,000 more police officers to tackle drug and human trafficking, foreign interference, cybercrime, and the organized criminal gangs that steal cars. Train 1,000 border guards to crack down on drugs, illegal guns, and stop gangs from stealing cars. Toughen the criminal code and make bail laws stricter in cases involving violent and organized crime, home invasions, car theft, and human trafficking.
CONSERVATIVES
DEALING WITH TRUMP - The Conservatives are proposing a deal in which Canada and the U.S. simultaneously drop their tariffs and counter-tariffs. Party leader Pierre Poilievre also would propose an early renegotiation of the USMCA ahead of a planned review in 2026.
ENERGY POLICY - Set up a rapid resource project office to handle all regulatory approvals across all levels of government. Create a national energy corridor to fast-track approvals for transmission lines, railways, pipelines, and other critical infrastructure. Approve 10 natural resources projects that have been stuck for years in the federal approval process.
HOUSING - Eliminate the federal sales tax on new homes under $1.3 million, which will save home buyers up to C$65,000. Incentivize municipalities to cut building taxes, for total savings of C$100,000 on an average home in Canada's big cities.
SECURITY - Double the number of Canadian Rangers in the Arctic, building a new permanent base in Iqaluit, the capital of the Canadian territory of Nunavut, and acquire two additional polar icebreakers for the Royal Canadian Navy.
TAXES - Cut the lowest income tax bracket by 15%, saving each Canadian taxpayer C$900 per year.
Any person or business selling an asset will pay no capital gains tax when they reinvest the proceeds in Canada. Companies that reinvest in active Canadian businesses will also be able to defer any capital gains tax.
Allow Canadians to contribute an extra C$5,000 a year to a Tax-Free Savings Account for investments in Canadian companies. Enable working seniors to earn up to C$34,000 on a tax-free basis, C$10,000 more than currently allowed.
CRIME - Impose life sentences for anyone who is convicted of five or more counts of human trafficking, importing or exporting ten or more illegal firearms, and fentanyl trafficking. Give judges the power to sentence multiple murderers to consecutive prison sentences without parole eligibility beyond 25 years.
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