Liberals:

The Liberals have said that they can reduce Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions by up to 45% below 2005 levels by the year 2030 using a combination of a national carbon price (which will increase to $170/tonne by 2030) and other measures. This goal exceeds their previous stated reductions target of 30% by 2030. The Liberals have also passed C-12, a climate plan that sets legally binding emissions targets to reach net-zero emissions in 2050. Finally, the Liberals have also committed to making sure the oil and gas sector reduces emissions at a rate fast enough for Canada to go net-zero by 2050, with incremental five-year targets. Finally, the Liberals have pledged to completely ban single-use plastics by 2030.

Conservatives:

The Conservative climate plan is not aiming for net-zero emission, but rather, aims to meet Paris climate commitments of 30% below 2005 levels by 2030. The Conservatives also seek to replace the Liberal carbon pricing system with one that includes a price on carbon for consumers, rising to a maximum of $50 per tonne. Additionally, as opposed to the rebates offered under the Liberal carbon pricing framework, the money collected through the Conservative carbon pricing system would go to “personal low carbon savings accounts” that would be used by individuals to purchase “green” products. The Conservatives also want to keep in place the current output-based pricing system on larger industrial emitters, and plan to invest in carbon capture and tax products imported from countries with low climate standards.

Bloc:

The Bloc Québécois has committed to meeting and exceeding the Paris climate agreement targets, reallocate unused federal funds on the Trans Mountain pipeline to renewable energy projects, and mandate that provinces with emissions exceeding Canada’s national average to pay into a “green equalization” fund that will be distributed to provinces polluting less. Another proposal of the Bloc is to require that all federal policies and public contracts satisfy a “climate test” before receiving approval.

NDP:

The NDP backed the Liberals’ net-zero legislation but have set a slightly higher emissions reduction target of 50% below 2005 levels by 2030. Another core part of the NDP climate plan is their pledge to completely eliminate fossil fuel subsidies and convert Canada to net-zero electricity by 2030, with a goal of moving to 100% non-emitting electricity by 2040.

Greens:

The Green Party has pledged to slash greenhouse gas emissions by 60% below 2005 levels by 2030 by implementing an annual carbon tax increase of $25 per year and has committed to creating “clear” and “enforceable” targets by 2023. Additionally, the Greens have promised to axe pipeline projects, prohibit fracking, and impose tariffs on imports from countries with weak climate policies. Another component of the Green Party’s climate plan is to eliminate subsidies for the fossil fuel sector and to mandate that federal public investment funds divest from the fossil fuel industry. The Greens have also promised a detailed carbon budget to help keep greenhouse gas emissions within the Paris Climate Accord’ 1.5 degrees Celsius threshold and have said they want to name an all-party climate cabinet.

Liberals:

The Liberals raised the federal minimum wage to $15 and have committed to expanding the Canada Workers Benefit to support nearly one million more Canadians in low-wage jobs. Moreover, the Liberals have also pledged to create the Canada Disability Benefit which will see direct monthly payments be made to low-income Canadians between the ages of 18-64 with disabilities.

During last September’s throne speech and in the spring budget, the Liberals promised to create one million jobs. More recently, in their election platform, the Liberals pledged to go “beyond” one million jobs. The Liberals have also proposed to extend the duration of the Canada Recovery Hiring Program to March 31 and provide up to 75% temporary wage and rent support to the tourism industry to get them through the winter. Another component of the Liberals job plan is a promise to extend COVID-related insurance coverage for media stoppages to support 150,000 jobs.

Conservatives:

The Tories have committed to doubling the disability supplement in the Canada Workers Benefit from $713 to $1,500, and to lower the criteria to qualify for the Disability Tax Credit and Registered Disability Savings Plan. Furthermore, the Conservatives have also pledged to double the Canada Workers Benefit up to a maximum of $2,800 for individuals or $5,000 for families. If elected, the Conservatives promise to create one million jobs. The Tory platform also features a “Canada Job Surge Plan” which would pay up to 50% of the salary of new hires for six months once the emergency wage subsidy ends and promises to provide small and medium businesses in the hospitality, retail and tourism sectors with loans of up to $200,000. Additionally, the Tories have promised to double the Canada Workers Benefit.

Bloc:

The Bloc supports raising the federal minimum wage and has called for a study on the impact of bankruptcies on small and medium-sized businesses. Additionally, the Bloc has advocated for reforming employment insurance to better cover all workers, including seasonal workers and those in the gig economy.

NDP:

The NDP have committed to raising the $15 federal minimum wage to $20 and say that if elected, they will immediately introduce a new disability benefit. The NDP have also pledged to make the creation of a guaranteed livable basic income a priority as a means of strengthening Canada’s social safety net. On the jobs front, the NDP has promised to create one million new jobs in its first mandate through investments in things such as transit, community infrastructure, affordable housing, and energy-efficient retrofits.

Greens:

The Green Party has long advocated for a guaranteed livable income and has argued that the Canada Emergency Response Benefit could have been transitioned into one. The Greens are also in favor of establishing a “fair, national minimum wage.” Additionally, the Green Party has committed to a “just transition” for workers in the oil and gas industry to transfer over to the “green economy of the future.” The Greens believe that Canada can become a leader in “cleantech” and renewable energy jobs if it acts now, claiming that the cleantech and renewable energy sectors are “where the jobs of the future are.”

Liberals:

As the sitting government thus far during the pandemic, the Liberals have spent billions on pandemic aid in the form of relief benefits and wage subsidies. The Liberals have pledged to extend the emergency wage subsidy to October and the Canada recovery hiring program to March 31, 2022. Additionally, they have also committed to aiding Canada’s tourism industry with a temporary wage and rent support for up to 75% of expenses. This past April, the government and Air Canada agreed to a $5.9 billion loan package.

Conservatives:

The Tories have said that they plan on winding down emergency spending in a responsible way and helping the hardest-hit industries with the party’s “Canada jobs surge plan,” which will pay up to 50% of the salaries of new hires after the wage subsidy expires. The Conservatives have also committed to provide small and medium businesses in the retail, hospitality and tourism sectors with loans of up to $200,000, of which 25% could be forgiven. Additionally, the Conservatives have promised to support the rebuild of the airline sector.

Bloc:

The Bloc has not yet unveiled its policies on this matter.

NDP:

The NDP have touted their role in pressuring the Liberals to make pandemic relief measures and emergency economic aid programs more generous. Additionally, if elected, they promise to extend wage and rent subsidies for small businesses as well as “dedicated support” to help the tourism sector rebound.

Greens:

The Green Party says it will create green jobs for those who have been “severely affected” by the economic downturn of the pandemic. Furthermore, the Greens’ platform pledges to extend wage and rent subsidies until COVID-19 restrictions are completely lifted.

Liberals:

The Liberals are promising to legislate national standards for long-term care by introducing the Safe Long-Term Care Act. Additionally, the Liberals have promised to invest $9 billion over five years to raise wages for care workers and hire 50,000 new ones. The Liberals’ long term care plan also includes plans to double the Home Accessibility Tax Credit, improve the quality and access to long-term care beds, and increase federal inspections for infection prevention. Roughly two thirds of this money is new, while $3 billion has already been promised in the budget. Additionally, some extra funds are already being distributed to provinces via the $1 billion Safe Long-term Care Fund announced by the Liberals in their fall economic update.

On the vaccination front, the Liberals announced prior to the election call that the government would mandate COVID-19 vaccines for federal public service employees, as well as some workers in federally regulated industries such as airlines and railways. The Liberals’ vaccine mandate will also apply to commercial air travellers and passengers on interprovincial trains and large marine vessels with overnight accommodations when it comes into effect this fall. Beyond the mandate, the Liberals have also pledged to spend $1 billion to help provinces and territories implement proof-of-vaccination credentials in their jurisdictions for non-essential businesses and public spaces.

Conservatives:

The Conservatives oppose national standards for long-term care but have pledged to create a set of “best practices” that provinces would be encouraged to adopt as law. Moreover, the Tories are promising to invest $3 billion over three years to upgrade long term care facilities. They have also committed to create a Canada Seniors Care Benefit that would pay $200 per month per household to people living with and caring for a parent over age 70. Additionally, the Conservatives seek to amend the Home Accessibility Tax Credit to increase the limit from $10,000 per dwelling to $10,000 per person. On the staffing front, the Tories promise to boost long term care staff numbers by leveraging immigration incentives.

Thus far, the Conservative Party has said that it would not demand that federal civil servants and travellers be vaccinated against COVID-19, opting instead for unvaccinated public servants to be required to pass daily rapid testing. Additionally, Canadian travellers would have to pass a rapid COVID-19 test or show a recent negative test result before boarding a plane, train, bus or ship.

Bloc:

The Bloc opposes introducing national standards in long-term care because they believe it would represent an unconstitutional encroachment on provincial jurisdiction. The Bloc is in favor of vaccinations but has questioned the constitutionality of the government’s mandatory vaccination policies.

NDP:

The NDP aims to end private, for-profit long-term care by enacting minimum standards and regulating the long-term care industry similarly to how the Canada Health Act guarantees quality health care in Canada. Additionally, the party has committed to improving conditions for long-term care workers by protecting them from violence and providing improved wages and stable employment.

The NDP supports mandatory vaccinations for federal public servants and workers in federally regulated industries, and has called for a mandatory vaccine policy and domestic vaccine passports to be in place by Labour Day.

Greens:

The Green Party advocates for long-term care being brought into the purview of the Canada Health Act and the elimination of the for-profit model. Furthermore, the Greens have also promised tougher enforcement of national health-care standards, including the potential of criminal prosecution for rule breakers. The Green Party also wants to improve working conditions to provide care workers with paid sick leave and better training. Another key pillar of the Greens’ long term care plan is to improve care in local communities to enable a greater number of seniors to receive care at home.

In terms of vaccinations, Green Party Leader Annamie Paul has sought more details on the government’s mandatory vaccination policies and how said policies would respond to those who refuse inoculation on medical or religious grounds.

Liberals:

As a core pillar of the spring budget, the Liberal Party has committed to spending $30 billion over five years for a national child-care system. In support of this plan, the Liberals have signed multi-billion-dollar deals with eight provinces and territories to slash childcare fees to an average of $10 per day in five years. Additionally, Liberals have committed to working towards reducing the average fees for early learning and childcare by 50% by the end of 2022. The Liberals’ plan also injects $2.5 billion into Indigenous early learning and childcare.

Conservatives:

If elected, the Tories would scrap the Liberal childcare program but would allow provinces and territories that entered into deals with the Liberal government to keep the funds already paid out. Moreover, Conservatives’ plan would turn the existing child-care expense deduction into a refundable tax credit that would cover up to 75% of child-care costs for lower-income families. According to Tory estimates, families with an income of $30,000 would receive up to $6,000 a year, while families earning below $50,000 would receive $5,200.

Bloc:

The Bloc has championed Quebec’s already existing child-care program while expressing concern about the federal government exerting control over the provinces on this issue. The Bloc has also called for funding to be unconditionally transferred to Quebec, in response to the conditions attached to the $6 billion over five years that the federal government pledged to Quebec last August.

NDP:

The NDP has called for a national, universal, $10-per-day child-care program. Additionally, the party has pledged funding to establish more child-care spaces across Canada to reduce waitlists and to guarantee that child-care workers are paid a “fair, living wage.” However, the NDP has not yet outlined how the plan would work.

Greens:

The Green Party has promised to establish a universal and affordable early learning and child-care system, but has not provided financial details. Additionally, the Greens have committed to increase parental leave pay and make it more flexible, including making it available it to those who have had a miscarriage or need to care for an elderly family member.

Liberals:

The Liberal Party has offered to invest $10 billion in new federal healthcare funding for the 2021-22 budget year, with $4 billion already announced in the federal budget. In total, $6 billion would go towards shortening waitlists for treatment, $3.2 billion will go towards hiring 7,500 doctors and nurses, while the remaining funds will go towards improving virtual care and rural health care. Additionally, the Liberals have pledged to give the provinces $4.5 billion over five years to go towards mental health services and to begin creating a national, universal pharmacare program.

Conservatives:

The Conservatives have pledged to meet with premiers to strike a new health-care agreement within the first 100 days of forming government. They have also committed to boosting the annual growth rate of the Canada Health Transfer to 6%, instead of the current annual growth rate which is tied to the growth of the economy in a given year, with a floor of three per cent. The Tories claim that their proposed increase would provide an additional $60 billion into the healthcare system through 2031 and will help finance mental health services. Additionally, the Conservatives have vowed to invest $325 million in drug treatment beds and recovery centres. Finally, the Tory platform does not include any mention of pharmacare.

Bloc:

The Bloc is calling on Ottawa to increase its share of healthcare funding from the 22% it currently sends to the province to 35% of its cost. Additionally, the Bloc has called for a national pharmaceutical plan to improve access to drugs at lower costs.

NDP:

The NDP have pledged to introduce universal pharmacare by 2022 at a cost of $10 billion per year. They also have committed to immediately introducing dental care for the uninsured and would take steps towards creating universal dental care. Additionally, the NDP has pledged to put together a long-term plan for ear care, eye care and fertility treatment. The NDP have also committed to improving access to mental health and addictions support as well as to improving access to palliative care. To help pay for these measures, the NDP is proposing to raise the tax on households with wealth of over $10 million by 1%.

Greens:

The Green Party wants to increase funding for mental health services that have been heavily relied upon during the pandemic and establish a national mental health and suicide prevention strategy. Additionally, the Greens also want to bring the care of seniors under the purview of the Canada Health Act and to make all long-term care either publicly funded or not-for-profit. As for pharmacare, the party seeks to introduce a universal program while increasing dementia care funding.

Liberals:

The Liberals failed to fulfil their promise to lift all long-term boil-water advisories in First Nations by March 2021. However, they invested $1.5 billion more in 2020 to finish the project. Additionally, in their spring budget, the Liberals allocated $18 billion over five years to improve the quality of life in Indigenous communities by investing in things such as healthcare and education. The Liberals have also committed to spending an added $1.4 billion over the next five years to develop a mental health and wellness strategy in conjunction with Indigenous community partners. Recently, Liberals passed legislation to create the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, a new federal statutory holiday taking place each year on September 30. They also modified Canada’s citizenship oath to explicitly recognize Indigenous rights. Furthermore, the Liberals have recently allocated $320 million in funding to help Indigenous communities search burial sites at former residential schools and help survivors with trauma. To honour residential school survivors, the Liberals have said they will construct a monument in Ottawa. The Liberals have promised to implement all 94 calls to action from the Report on Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) but have yet to do so.

Conservatives:

The Conservative Party has said that it will end all long-term drinking water advisories on reserves and recognize safe drinking water as a fundamental human right. They also have pledged to increase economic partnerships with First Nations communities and to boost funding for Indigenous mental health and drug treatment programs by $1 billion over five years. Additionally, the Tories have promised to introduce a plan to implement the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s calls to action 71 through 76 — addressing the uncovering of missing children and searching of burial sites — and fund searches for unmarked graves at all former residential schools. The Conservatives have also pledged to install a monument in Ottawa to honour residential school survivors and the children who lost their lives.

Bloc:

The Bloc has said that it wants to negotiate new nation-to-nation treaties that would replace the Indian Act. The Bloc has also floated the idea of an independent entity replacing the federal government’s comprehensive land claims resolution policy. In June, Bloc Leader Yves-François Blanchet tabled a motion (which was adopted unanimously) in the House of Commons calling for a national residential school monument to be built in Ottawa and increased funding to help Indigenous communities identify unmarked burial sites. Furthermore, the Bloc has proposed additional funding for Indigenous schools as well as the preservation of Indigenous languages, traditions, and cultures.

NDP:

The NDP have promised to immediately lift all drinking water advisories. They also have pledged to close the health gap in Indigenous communities, establish a First Nations justice and policing strategy, and advance Indigenous rights and self-determination. Furthermore, the NDP have vowed to quickly appoint a special prosecutor to pursue accountability for the crimes committed in residential schools, prosecute those responsible for the abuse or deaths of children, and mandate the transfer of all related records from churches and governments. The NDP have also committed to ending the federal government's legal proceedings against a Canadian Human Rights Tribunal ruling on compensation for Indigenous children who were discriminated against.

Greens:

The Green Party has pledged to end long-term boil-water advisories by upgrading infrastructure and have committed to ensuring that all Indigenous people have access to educational opportunities. The Greens’ platform states that the party is committed to Reconciliation, Nation-to-Nation engagement, and self-determination for Indigenous Peoples. Their platform also offers a range of initiatives centred on Indigenous communities including issues from mental health to fishing to land-use practices, and more. The Green Party has pledged to fund Indigenous healing centres to help address the trauma of residential schools. It has also committed to allocate funding to help find missing children and unmarked burials. Additionally, the Greens say they will demand that the Pope apologize for the Catholic Church’s role in Canada’s residential school system, work to improve First Nations child welfare, and end Ottawa’s legal battle over a Canadian Human Rights Tribunal ruling on compensation for Indigenous children who faced discrimination.

Liberals:

In 2017, the Liberal Party introduced a $40-billion, 10-year National Housing Strategy designed to build 100,000 affordable homes and reduce homelessness across Canada. Additionally, $2.5 billion was allocated in the spring budget to create 35,000 affordable housing units. During this campaign, the Liberals have pledged to preserve or repair 1.4 million homes in four years, double the first-time home buyers tax credit from $5,000 to $10,000, and force the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation to lower mortgage insurance rates by 25%. Furthermore, the Liberals have promised to allocate $1 billion for a rent-to-own program, create a Home Buyers’ Bill of Rights designed to ban blind bidding, and establish a first home savings account that would enable Canadians until the age of 40 to save up to $40,000 for their buying their first home and withdraw it tax-free at the time of purchase. The Liberals have also committed to introduce a ban on foreign ownership of new homes for two years.

Conservatives:

The Conservative Party has pledged to construct one million homes over the next three years, introduce a dedicated Indigenous housing strategy and convert 15% of federal property into housing. They also want to prohibit foreign investors living outside of or not moving to Canada from purchasing homes in Canada for 2 years. Additionally, the Tories plan on encouraging the growth of a new market for 7 to 10 year mortgages, modifying the home buyers’ stress test, and changing insurance requirements so more Canadians can qualify for financing.

Bloc:

The Bloc has called on the federal government to allocate 1% of its annual income to investing in social, community and affordable housing. The Bloc has also called for surplus federal properties to be used for the development of these homes, with funds from the national housing strategy to assist co-operatives with purchasing and converting buildings into affordable housing.

NDP:

The NDP has promised to force the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation to slash mortgage insurance rates by 25% and build, renovate, and preserve 1.7 million homes across Canada over the next four years. Additionally, the NDP has pledged to build 500,000 affordable homes throughout the next decade and has proposed to create 30-year mortgages that would be insured by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. The NDP have also called for a 20% foreign buyer’s tax on residential property purchases by foreign corporations and individuals who are not citizens or permanent residents. Furthermore, the NDP has vowed to create a $5,000 rental subsidy for Canadians struggling to pay rent and have also committed to doubling the first-time home buyers’ tax credit.

Greens:

To strengthen regulation of foreign investment in residential real estate, the Green Party wants to levy an empty home tax on foreign and corporate residential property owners who leave units vacant. The Greens have also vowed to redirect 1% of GST to housing and other municipal infrastructure to provide a steady baseline of funding.

Liberals:

The Liberals have committed to resettling 40,000 Afghan refugees. They have also promised to continue supporting Afghans who were not able to leave the country but have yet to offer details on how they plan on doing so. The Liberals have said that they intend to work with allies to respond to authoritarian behaviour by states such as China, Russia and Iran, and to develop a coordinated response to issues such as arbitrary detention and foreign interference in elections. Additionally, the Liberals have committed to increasing Canada’s international development assistance and donating 200 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to vulnerable populations around the world by the end of 2022.

Conservatives:

In light of recent events in Afghanistan, the Conservatives say they are open to resettling more than 20,000 Afghans. The Conservatives have also promised to stand up to “China’s aggressions” with a “coalition of democracies,” and work with international partners to respond to threats from China, Russia and Iran. Additionally, the Conservatives have pledged to audit all Canadian positions in multilateral institutions such as the UN. The Tories have also vowed to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and have committed to relocating Canada’s embassy there.

Bloc:

The Bloc has been largely mum on details of their vision for Canada’s foreign policy. The Bloc has stated that Canada should play a “leadership role” in the World Health Organization and has called for Quebec to have greater authority over its own international affairs.

NDP:

The NDP have criticized the Liberal government’s handling of the evacuation in Kabul and have supported a group of individuals with families trapped in Afghanistan in making the evacuation of Afghanistan an election issue. The party has also vowed to work with allies to stand up to China. Another aspect of the NDP’s foreign policy strategy is supporting the waiver of intellectual property rights to COVID vaccines so that they can be manufactured in developing nations. Additionally, the NDP has also pledged to increase foreign aid and advocate for nuclear disarmament and peacekeeping.

Greens:

The Green Party has stated that it’s foreign policy approach will revolve around the promotion of human security and respect for the rule of law. The Greens have also called on Canada to sign and ratify the treaty to abolish nuclear weapons. Furthermore, the Green Party has also pledged to lead national and international debates on defining what constitutes a “environmental refugee” and to welcome “an appropriate share of the world’s environmental refugees into Canada.”

Liberals:

The Liberals rolled out a $291.3 million Black Entrepreneurship Loan Fund last September that offers loans of up to $250,000 to majority Black-owned businesses, but some have found the funds difficult to access. The party’s spring budget allocated $200 million for Employment and Social Development Canada to create a Black-led philanthropic endowment fund to fight anti-Black racism and improve social and economic outcomes in Black communities. The budget also directed $100 million to the Supporting Black Canadian Communities Initiative, an initiative supporting Black-led non-profit organizations. Additionally, the budget earmarked $172 million over five years for Statistics Canada to devise and implement a plan to improve the collection of disaggregated, race-based data. As part of the Liberals’ wider anti-racism strategy, the party has also pledged to introduce a national action plan on combating hate by 2022 as well as a “Black Canadians justice strategy” designed to tackle anti-Black racism in Canada’s criminal justice system.

Conservatives:

Although the Conservative Party’s platform states that it is “time for Conservatives to take inequality seriously”, it lacks any specific proposals to combat racial inequality and does not mention the word “racism.” That said, the Tory platform vows to appoint “Canada’s first Muslim Ambassador and first Ambassador to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.” Additionally, the Conservatives have pledged to double funding for the Security Infrastructure Program in order to address rising hate crimes.

Bloc:

The Bloc platform calls on the federal government to use anonymous resumes in the federal public service’s recruitment process to combat hiring discrimination.

NDP:

The NDP has pledged to introduce a national action plan to dismantle far-right extremist organizations and crackdown on white supremacists and neo-Nazi groups. Another commitment made by the NDP is to ban carding by the RCMP and advocate for all major cities to create dedicated hate crime units with local police forces. The NDP has also promised to convene a national working group to counter online hate and prioritize the “collection of race-based data on health, employment, policing and more.” Additionally, the NDP has announced that it will launch a national task force to address the overrepresentation of Indigenous peoples and Black Canadians in the federal prison system and “conduct a comprehensive review of the existing employment equity regime to close the racialized wage gap.”

Greens:

One of the three main pillars of the Green Party’s platform is to create a “just society”. The party has promised to confront systemic racism in federal public service by allocating more time and resources for an ongoing review into the Employment Equity Act, a law intended to prevent discrimination in federally regulated workplaces. Furthermore, the Green Party’s platform has called for bringing private entities, such as temporary agencies, hired by or contracted with by the federal government to also fall under the stipulations of the Employment Equity Act. The Greens also seek to tackle systemic racism in policing by performing a comprehensive review of the RCMP aimed at identifying ways to “detask” and divert funds from policing to community and social supports. Additionally, the party has committed to establishing a new independent police oversight system and a national database of police use-of-force incidents. To combat identity-based hate, the Green Party has pledged that it would promote unity, condemn extremist ideologies, and allocate federal funds for data collection on the spread of online hate and real-world violence.

Liberals:

The Liberal Party’s budget features a 10% increase to Old Age Security benefits for pensioners 75 or older that will come into effect next July. In August, the government provided a one-time payment of $500 to OAS pensioners who will be 75 or older as of June 30, 2022. Additionally, the Liberals have pledged to spend $9 billion over five years for seniors and to permanently increase the Guaranteed Income Supplement by $500 annually for single seniors and $750 for senior couples over 65.

Conservatives:

The Conservatives have pledged to introduce a Canada Seniors Care Benefit which would pay $200 per month, per household, to any Canadian living with and taking care of a parent over the age of 70. The Tory plan would also permit seniors or their caregivers to claim the Medical Expense Tax Credit for home care.

Bloc:

The Bloc has called for the Old Age Security benefit to be increased by $110 a month for those aged 65 and older. They have also criticized the Liberals for not providing the one-time $500 payment to seniors below the age of 75, calling the Liberal’s decision “unacceptable discrimination.”

NDP:

The NDP has promised to create a National Seniors Strategy which would include a federally funded dementia strategy and measures to prevent elder abuse. Additionally, the party has committed to make the Canada Caregiver Tax Credit refundable and claim that their plan for universal pharmacare and dental care will save seniors hundreds of dollars per year.

Greens:

In the 2019 election, the Green Party proposed creating a national seniors strategy which includes policies dedicated to addressing dementia. In their current platform, the Greens have vowed to create a “dedicated seniors’ care transfer” that is separate from the already existing federal health transfers and can be used by provinces and territories to improve conditions for seniors.

Liberals:

As the pandemic escalated, the Liberal Party adopted measures such as offering a relief benefit to students, pausing student loan repayments and freezing interest accumulation, and doubling the Canada Student Grant from $3,000 to $6,000. The Liberals have pledged to continue providing the larger grant for two more years and permanently eliminate federal interest on Canada Student Loans and Canada Apprentice Loans. Additionally, the Liberal platform says that new parents will be eligible to pause repayment of their student loans until their youngest child is five. The Liberals have also committed to investing $500 million over four years to improve student mental health on campus.

Conservatives:

The Conservative Party's current platform lacks any mention of post-secondary education or student affordability. However, prior to becoming Party leader, Erin O'Toole promised to give new graduates up to $100,000 in tax breaks over their first three years out of school. O’Toole also vowed that students who graduate in the skilled trades, as engineers, or as coders would receive a tax exemption of $200,000 over five years.

Bloc:

The Bloc has said that, if elected, it would increase the Canada Social Transfer to provinces and territories to help fund post-secondary education and provide increased financing for university research. No dollar amounts have been specified for either promise.

NDP:

The NDP has promised to cancel up to $20,000 in federal student debt per student, immediately freeze student loan repayment during the pandemic, and completely eliminate student debt interest. Accordingly, the party’s proposal would amount to $3.95 billion over five years, according to the PBO. Additionally, to make education more accessible, the NDP has pledged to move away from loans and permanently double Canada Student Grants. Furthermore, the party has pledged to give new graduates a five-year grace period on federal loan repayment.

Greens:

The Green Party has promised to make education universally accessible by abolishing post-secondary tuition at a cost of $10.2 billion per year and by cancelling all federally-held student loan debt. The Greens have also pledged to extend grant availability to graduate and doctoral students and establish new, green apprenticeship programs for young Canadians.