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Plans at a Glance2021–22 Departmental Plan

An important element of elections in Canada is the ability to bring together communities in a display of commitment to democratic government. During the COVID-19 pandemic, this will become a critical point of vulnerability as public health authorities continue to advise that Canadians limit interactions and avoid congregating in indoor spaces. These circumstances are front-of-mind as the agency prepares to deliver an accessible, safe, and secure 44th general election.

In collaboration with key partners in health and security, Elections Canada will focus on the vision set forth in Strategic Plan 2020–28:i upholding an electoral democracy that serves all Canadians and that Canadians trust. Activities in service of this vision will include:

  • addressing the operational challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic by:
    • planning for the distribution of personal protective equipment;
    • improving the accessibility and effectiveness of the processes and systems that support voting by mail;
    • adapting training activities to allow for their virtual delivery; and
    • implementing any temporary adjustments to the Canada Elections Actii that Parliament sees fit to enact.
  • providing Canadians with reliable and multilingual information on the ways to register, vote, and be a candidate, as well as on the safeguards that protect participants in, and the integrity of, electoral events.
  • continuing to monitor the information environment to identify and, if appropriate, take action in response to:
    • incidents that could affect the smooth administration of an election;
    • inaccurate information about the electoral process; or
    • social media accounts and websites that impersonate the agency.
  • maintaining and improving our security posture by:
    • continuing to strengthen our information technology infrastructure and monitoring practices;
    • ensuring new systems and processes are well integrated into the existing infrastructure and properly planning for the protection of related data and information; and
    • safeguarding against human error by training employees and field staff on cyber security.

While the date of the next general election is unknown, Elections Canada will remain ready to deliver it successfully, whenever it occurs.

For more information on Election Canada's plans, priorities, and planned results, see the Core Responsibilities: Planned Results and Resources, and Key Risks section of this report.