Elections in Canada are typically held every four years under the Canada Elections Act. However, certain votes in the House of Commons can trigger an election before the term ends. The most significant of these are "confidence votes," including votes on the budget, key government legislation, and explicit motions of non-confidence.

If the government is defeated on a confidence vote in the House, it is expected to either resign or request the dissolution of Parliament, which would prompt a general election. The following is a list of such occurrences.