What Federal Parties Are Promising on Issues That Matter to Engineers

This blog is being updated as new information becomes available. 

​As Canada approaches the 2025 federal election on April 28, the engineering community faces a pivotal moment. With a shortened campaign period of just 36 days (the minimum duration permitted under Canadian election law) it’s imperative for engineers and STEM professionals to quickly familiarize themselves with the political parties’ positions on issues that directly impact our field. 

This election unfolds against a backdrop of heightened tensions with the United States. President Donald Trump’s recent imposition of 25% tariffs on Canadian goods and provocative statements regarding Canada’s sovereignty have intensified economic and political challenges. These developments underscore the need for leadership that can adeptly manage international relations while safeguarding Canada’s interests. 

Despite the diverse platforms of the major federal parties -Conservatives, Liberals, and the NDP- there is a shared recognition of the importance of investing in infrastructure and innovation. All parties acknowledge that robust infrastructure is vital for economic growth and have proposed various plans to enhance transportation, energy, and digital networks. Additionally, there is a consensus on the need to support research and development initiatives, which are crucial for maintaining Canada’s competitive edge in engineering and technology sectors.​ 

To assist the engineering community in making informed choices, we’ve prepared the following comparative chart based on publicly available platforms and reporting from news sources. This chart highlights commitments by the major federal parties on topics particularly relevant to engineering, including infrastructure, energy, employment in skilled trades, and research and innovation. This chart will be updated regularly as new platform details are released, debates unfold, and election day approaches. We encourage you to stay engaged, stay informed, and share your voice on the issues that matter.​ 

Let us know if there’s a topic you’d like us to include in future updates! 

Infrastructure Development   

• Conservative Party
  • Shovel-Ready Zones: Fast-track permits for major energy/resource projects.  
  • Ring of Fire Development: Approve all federal permits within 6 months; invest $1B in supporting infrastructure. 
  • Reimburse cities for half of every dollar cut in development charges. 
  • Build 2.3 million homes over the next five years. 

• Liberal Party
  • “”Alto” High-Speed Rail: Build a rail line from Toronto to Quebec City.  
  • Port & Marine Investment: Green shipping corridors and modernized port infrastructure. 
  • Double housing construction rate to 500,000 homes/year over a decade. 

• New Democratic Party (NDP) 
  • Spend $16 billion over four years to build three million homes by 2030 by incentivizing cities to build higher density and providing them funding for expanded infrastructure. 
  • Retrofit 3.3 million homes. 
  • Build 100,000 rent-controlled homes on federal land over 10 years. 
  • Infrastructure program called Build Canada that would mandate only Canadian steel be used for federally funded construction. 
  • Public transit ridership by 2035 by expanding the Canada Public Transit Fund to include operations funding. 

Energy and Environment 

• Conservative Party
  • Carbon Tax Repeal: Eliminate all federal carbon pricing (consumers & industry).  
  • Pipeline Expansion: Increase domestic pipeline capacity.  
  • National Energy Corridor: Streamline energy project approvals. “Set a deadline” to approve all federal permits for mining in northwestern Ontario’s Ring of Fire region within six months.  
  • Expand eligibility for the Clean Technology and Clean Manufacturing Investment Tax Credits (ITCs) so that industries who make products with lower emissions than the world average will be rewarded. 

• Liberal Party
  • Speed up major natural resource project approvals with an eye to making Canada an “energy superpower” while turning away from U.S. energy imports. 
  • Carbon Tax Redesign: End consumer carbon tax; retain industrial carbon pricing.
  • Net-Zero by 2050: Continued investment in clean tech and green jobs.  
  • Renewable Projects: Prioritize green infrastructure in government contracts. 
  • In order to speed up major natural resource projects, he would sign agreements within six months of taking office with willing provinces and Indigenous governments that would recognize energy project assessments from their jurisdictions 
  • Create at least 10 new national parks and marine conservation areas, as well as 15 new urban parks. 
  • Invest $100 million in a “strategic water security technology fund” to advance Canadian research and development, artificial intelligence, monitoring and data tools. 

• New Democratic Party (NDP) 
  • Polluter Pays Model: Shift costs to major emitters, not households.  
  • Green Energy Investment: Focus on renewables and energy efficiency to cut emissions and support green jobs. 
  • Retrofit program to deliver free energy efficiency upgrades to millions of low-income households, including apartment buildings. The party says it would retrofit every building in the country by 2050. 
  • Public transit ridership by 2035 by expanding the Canada Public Transit Fund to include operations funding. 
  • Rebates for new EVs up to $5,000 and double rebates for made-in-Canada EVs up to $10,000.

Skilled Trades and Employment 

• Conservative Party
  • Trades Training Expansion: Boost funding for training facilities; fast-track employment insurance access and provide direct grants for apprentices.

• Liberal Party
  • Workforce Investment: Expand training for sectors like engineering, clean tech, and advanced manufacturing.

• New Democratic Party (NDP) 
  • Worker Protections: Ensure fair wages, safe working conditions, and stronger benefits across all skilled professions, including engineering and construction.

Research and Innovation 

• Conservative Party
  • Green Tech Incentives: Prioritize carbon capture, clean fuels, and nuclear research and development.   

• Liberal Party
  • Investment in Research and Development: Fund innovation hubs, post-secondary institutions, and incubators in emerging tech and clean energy sectors.

• New Democratic Party (NDP) 
  • Sustainable Innovation: Invest in public-interest research and development to support climate action and environmental technologies.

Tariffs & U.S. Relations 

• Conservative Party
  • Canada First Approach: Oppose U.S. tariffs; promote domestic industry and trade diversification. 
  • Repeal restrictive environmental laws seen as barriers to U.S.-Canada energy projects.  
  • Explore non-U.S. markets to reduce dependence.  

• Liberal Party
  • Expects to generate $20 billion in revenue from Canada’s tariff response. 
  • Cooperative U.S. Relations: Support resolving EV tax credit and softwood lumber disputes.  
  • Pro-climate trade deals: Advance agreements with environmental accountability (e.g., Canada-Ukraine FTA). 
  • Create a $2 billion fund to bolster the auto sector, and a $5 billion fund to diversify trade corridors with Canada’s partners outside of the U.S. 
  • Waive the one-week waiting period for employment insurance for those who lose their jobs to U.S. tariffs and temporarily allow Canadian businesses to defer income tax as well as GST and HST payments. 

• New Democratic Party (NDP) 
  • Trade Retaliation Measures: Support targeted tariffs on U.S. goods harming Canadian sectors.  
  • Diversify Trade: Push for new deals to reduce reliance on U.S. and protect Canadian workers and industries, especially the steel, auto, and agriculture industries.  
  • Waive the GST on vehicles made in Canada. They would also make sure that the federal government only purchase Canadian-made vehicles for services like the RCMP and Canada Post, and prevent any manufacturing equipment from being removed from Canadian factories. 
  • Introduce an “emergency price cap” on basic food items as part of the tariff response. 
  • All money collected from counter-tariffs to workers and communities hit the hardest by the U.S. trade war. The NDP is also pledging a rebate for zero-emissions vehicles, that doubles for Canadian-made cars and exempts any made by Tesla. 

Taxes

• Conservative Party
  • Cut the lowest income tax bracket from 15 to 12.75 per cent. This would save a person making $57,000 about $900 per year. 
  • Allow Canadians to save an additional $5,000 in their Tax-Free Savings Accounts (TFSAs) if that money is invested into Canadian companies. 
  • Allow Canadians to defer capital gains tax if they reinvest those earnings in Canada. 
  • Crack down on offshore tax loopholes with a “Bring It Home” tax task force. 

• Liberal Party
  • Cut the lowest income tax bracket by one per cent. This would save a dual-income family up to $825 per year. 
  • Leave the capital gains inclusion rate unchanged, ditching the previous Liberal government’s plan to raise it above gains of $250,000. 

• New Democratic Party (NDP) 
  • Reinstate the capital gains tax and crack down on tax havens. It says the wealth tax on people with more than $10 million in holdings would raise $22.7 billion this fiscal year. 
  • Raise the basic personal amount to $19,500 for anyone earning less than $177,882. They say the move would save workers about $505. 
  • Permanently remove the GST from essentials like grocery store meals, diapers and strollers, as well as from monthly bills such as cell, internet and heating bills. 
  • Double the Canada Disability Benefit.