Canadians will go to the polls on 28 April to vote for a new federal government after prime minister Mark Carney triggered an election on Sunday.
Carney, who was only sworn into his spot on 14 March, will face off against Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre.
The country's parliament was set to return on 24 March but was dissolved by Canada's governor general on Sunday, at Carney's request. Carney would have been on the outside looking in as he did not hold elected office when his party chose him to succeed Justin Trudeau as Liberal party leader.
Poilievre's Conservatives were widely expected to rout the Liberals to form the next government until a remarkable rebound in polls by the Liberals over the past two months. This can be attributed to Carney replacing an increasingly unpopular Trudeau, but also because of rising anti-US sentiment and the perceived similarities between Poilievre and US president Donald Trump.
Polls show a tight race with some even suggesting the Liberals may be back in majority territory for the first time in years, not only at the expense of the Conservatives but also other parties.
On the line is the Liberal's nine-year run leading the country after winning the last three elections in 2015, 2019 and 2021, all under Trudeau.
Inflation, cost of living and international relations are among the most important issues to Canadians, according to polls.
Also leading parties into the election are Jagmeet Singh of the New Democratic Party (NDP) and Yves-François Blanchet of the Bloq Québécois.