2025 Election Hub

 

The Federal Election will take place in 2025. This page brings together a variety of resources and other tools to help you make your decision in election 2025. 

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Election & Voting Resources for Social Workers

 

Election 101: Resources for Social Workers and Their Clients

1. How Canada’s Elections Work: An Overview of the Electoral System
   • Breakdown of how the federal elections work
   • How each vote contributes to the election of candidates
   • FAQs on Elections
2. How to Register to Vote: Step-by-Step Guide
   • Registering and Voting in a Federal Election
   • Voter’s Checklist
   • Information on Voting for Individuals with Disabilities and at a Long-term care facility – under “Ways to Vote” and “Accessibility”
   • Information for Indigenous First Nations, Inuit and Métis Voters
   • General Voting Assistance Tools

 

Are you registered to vote?

Check whether you are registered to vote and register if you aren't already, or update your address using the Elections Canada Voter Registration Service. 

 

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Key Social Work Issues

1. Universal Basic Income

   CASW supports the implementation of a national basic income to reduce poverty, improve economic stability, and support social determinants of health.

   CASW Basic Income Resources

   Universal Basic Income Guarantee: The Next ‘BIG’ Thing in Canadian Social Policy
   At the Senate: Guaranteed Liveable Income Webinar 
   Basic Income 101 Webinar
   Basic Income 102: Poverty and Child Welfare Webinar 
   Basic Income 103: Queering Basic Income Webinar 

2. Mental Health Parity

   As members of the Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health (CAMIMH), CASW advocates for mental health parity to ensure that all those who live in Canada have access to mental health care on par with physical health care. CASW advocates for mental health care to be publicly funded ensuring equal access to therapy, psychiatric services, and community support.

   CASW and CAMIMH Mental Health Parity Resources

   CAMIMH 2025 Pre-Budget Submission 
   2025 Federal-Provincial Mental Health & Substance Use Health Report Card
   CAMIMH’s Parity Pledge
   CASW Recommends Mental Health Parity Position Statement

3. Student Loan Forgiveness for Social Workers

   For the past nine years, CASW actively advocated for the inclusion of social workers in student loan forgiveness programs. In Budget 2024 the Government of Canada committed to the inclusion of social workers in the Canada Student Loan forgiveness programme for rural and remote workers. The regulations to amend the Canada Student Financial Assistance are in the final stages. Prior to the 2025 election, CASW asked all parties to commit to upholding the inclusion of social workers in the Canada Student Loan forgiveness programme for rural and remote workers. To date CASW has received no confirmation of support from any of the current opposition parties on this issue. 

   CASW Student Loan Forgiveness Resources

   CASW Student Loan Forgiveness Update
   CASW 2025 Pre-Budget Recommendations – Recommendation 

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How Can Social Workers Engage in the 2025 Elections? 

1. Educate
   • Familiarize yourself with the federal parties platforms to determine how they align with your values and priorities as well as CASW's key social policy issues.
   • Seek out and attend debates or discussions in your constituency and ask the questions that matter most to you and the profession.
   • Volunteer for local candidate(s) to help elect the person and party that best represents you.
2. Partner with Advocacy Initiatives:
   • Actively support national advocacy campaigns that increase the visibility of issues important to you and the profession. 

   • Please consider connecting CASW with national election advocacy campaigns that it may list for the consideration of members to support and promote. 

     Advocacy Campaigns Happening Right Now:

     • Momentum
       • Vote Rainbow Equity
       • Become a #DragTheVote Ambassador
     • Egale
       • Vote with Pride
     • Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness
       • Protect Canadian Housing from Trump’s trade war
     • Vote Housing
       • Ending Homelessness and Housing Need in Canada
     • Action Canada
       • Demand Better
3. Support clients in Voting
   • Train-the-Trainer Webinar: Registering and Voting in a Federal Election
   • Fair Vote Canada webinars
   • Information on Voting for Clients with Disabilities and at a Long-term care facility – under “Ways to Vote” and “Accessibility”
   • Information for Indigenous First Nations, Inuit and Métis Voters

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Access the Party Websites

•    Conservative Party of Canada 
•    Green Party of Canada
•    Liberal Party of Canada
•    New Democratic Party of Canada

 

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CASW Resources

Position Papers: read through existing CASW statements and recommendations on a variety of topics important to the social work profession
Statements and News: get a better sense of all CASW's work and priorities leading up to Election 2025