Appointments overview

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Executive Summary

The Privy Council Office (PCO) provides support to you in respect of a wide range of Governor in Council (GIC) appointments, as well as Senate appointments.

GIC appointments are made by the Governor General, the majority of which are on the advice of the King’s Privy Council for Canada (i.e., the Cabinet), by means of an Order in Council (OIC). GIC appointments include chairpersons, directors and chief executive officers of Crown corporations, heads and members of agencies, boards and commissions, chairpersons and members of administrative and adjudicative tribunals, agents and officers of parliament, ombudspersons, and heads of mission, as well as judges. Deputy ministers and associate deputy ministers are also appointed by the GIC.

The authority for GIC appointments stems from constitutional and legislative provisions, as well as the Royal Prerogative. The exercise of these authorities is based on government policy and convention and flows from the Prime Minister’s prerogative for the organization of government, Cabinet and Cabinet committees.

Senate appointments are affected via an instrument of advice from the Prime Minister to the Governor General. 

PCO provides information and advice regarding various appointments-related matters, including policies and processes for the selection and appointment of candidates, terms and conditions of employment, and current and projected vacancies.

Governor in Council Appointments

Overview

The Prime Minister exercises a number of constitutional prerogatives formalized through a 1935 Order in Council, including determining the organization of government and recommending the appointment of the principal holders of public office.

Through the exercise of these prerogatives, the Prime Minister sets the direction that determines the processes and policies by which appointment decisions are made, including the approach for the development of Ministerial recommendations on a broad range of appointments to federal organizations. Ultimately, high quality and timely appointments allow the Prime Minister to ensure that the government carries out its mandate and achieves its objectives in an efficient manner.

Key pieces of legislation that guide the appointment process are: enabling statutes of government organizations (of which there are approximately 250), the Financial Administration Act (for Crown corporations), OICs establishing the mandate of an organization or positions not set out in legislation, and the Interpretation Act. Legislative provisions and mandate OICs will generally specify the term and tenure of the appointment, along with any specific requirements for the position.

The Cabinet decision-making forum for appointments is determined by the Prime Minister under their prerogative. Appointments are brought forward on the recommendation of the responsible minister, as defined in the Table of Public Statutes and Responsible Ministers. The responsible minister signs a formal recommendation (the “Ministerial recommendation”), which sets out the organization and position to which the candidate would be appointed, as well as the length of term. The Ministerial recommendation is sent to PCO in the context of its role in supporting the Cabinet decision-making process. In the case of agent or officer of Parliament positions, the appointment is made on the recommendation of the Prime Minister, based on the advice of the responsible minister.

As a means of assessing the suitability of an individual for public office, various forms of due diligence are initiated. This preparatory process is intended to ensure that all appointment requirements and other relevant factors are taken into account prior to Cabinet consideration.

There are approximately 3,400 GIC positions that can be divided into a number of principal groups:

• heads and members of agencies, boards and commissions;
• chairpersons and members of administrative and adjudicative tribunals;
• chairpersons, directors and chief executive officers of Crown corporations;
• ombudspersons;
• agents and officers of Parliament;
• deputy ministers and associate deputy ministers;
• heads of mission;
• judges;
• territorial commissioners;
• special advisors to ministers; and,
• other part-time appointments, including honorary consuls.

In 2023-24, over 570 GIC appointments were made, excluding judicial and auditor appointments (compared to over 760 in 2022-23). The number of vacancies, changes to the structure and organization of government, and mandate priorities can be a factor in the variability of the number of GIC appointments from year to year.

In addition to the above categories, there are also a number of routine GIC appointments of a more administrative nature that historically have been delegated to a Cabinet Committee or a quorum of Cabinet (which is four ministers) for consideration, rather than full Cabinet. These include the Prime Minister’s residence household staff, Royal Canadian Mounted Police appointments at the deputy commissioner or commander level, auditors and a number of administrative public servant positions (i.e., pollution prevention officer, official bankruptcy receivers).

Role of the Privy Council Office

The Senior Personnel Secretariat within the Privy Council Office (PCO) is the primary Public Service support to the Prime Minister on the policy and process in relation to the majority of GIC appointments and the GIC appointments system. Exceptions to this are: where the Machinery of Government Secretariat within PCO provides support for vice-regal and territorial commissioner appointments, as well as for the selection and appointment of cabinet ministers and parliamentary secretaries; and, where the Commissioner for Federal Judicial Affairs is responsible for supporting the judicial appointments process. The Senior Personnel Secretariat also provides support to the Prime Minister in respect of appointments to the Senate, which are made by the Governor General on the advice of the Prime Minister, outside of the Cabinet process. 

In addition, the Senior Personnel Secretariat supports the government in circumstances where issues arise with GIC appointees, such as cases of alleged misconduct and potential disciplinary actions, including termination. PCO works closely with legal and departmental experts and its advice is informed by principles of procedural fairness and safeguarding personal information, in accordance with the Privacy Act and other frameworks.

Agent and Officer of Parliament Appointments

Agents and officers of Parliament are appointed by the GIC pursuant to the enabling legislation for the position. The exception to this is the Chief Electoral Officer, who is appointed by resolution of the House of Commons with no involvement of the GIC.

While there is no explicit definition in legislation or in the House of Commons Standing Orders, typically a distinction is made between officers of Parliament (who are located within the administrative apparatus of Parliament itself) and agents of Parliament (whose offices are administratively part of the government, but who generally perform an oversight function).

The Senior Personnel Secretariat supports the appointment processes for agents and officers of Parliament on behalf of the Prime Minister. Appointments to agent and officer of Parliament positions are normally made on the recommendation of the Prime Minister after consultation with, and approval by, the House of Commons and/or the Senate, as required by statute (specifics are set out in the enabling legislation for each position).

Where the government intends to appoint an agent of Parliament, the nominee may be called to appear before the appropriate House of Commons and/or Senate committee, and the committee may examine their qualifications prior to Parliament approving the appointment by resolution.  The appointment processes for officers of Parliament (e.g., Clerk of the House of Commons, Parliamentary Librarian, Sergeant-at-Arms) do not require approval by resolution of Parliament.

Deputy Minister Appointments

The Clerk of the Privy Council, as head of the Public Service, plays a key role in the strategic management of the deputy minister community. Deputy ministers and associate deputy ministers are appointed by the GIC under the enabling statute of a department or under provisions of the Public Service Employment Act. As the Public Service is a non-partisan institution of government and these positions represent the most senior level of the Public Service, deputy minister and associate deputy minister appointments are managed through the Clerk of the Privy Council’s advice directly to the Prime Minister and are not considered by Cabinet. This distance from the political oversight of Cabinet is integral to the maintenance of the non-partisan nature of the Public Service that is essential in our system of democratic government.

Heads of Mission Appointments

The Minister of Foreign Affairs leads the conduct of all diplomatic and consular relations on behalf of Canada, including coordinating the direction given by the Government of Canada to the heads of Canada’s diplomatic and consular missions, managing Canada’s diplomatic and consular missions, and administering the foreign service of Canada.

The Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Act defines a “Head of Mission” as (a) an ambassador, high commissioner or consul-general of Canada; or, (b) any other person that is appointed to represent Canada in another country or at an international organization or diplomatic conference and that is designated head of mission by the GIC.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, supported by Global Affairs Canada (GAC), makes recommendations for head of mission appointments. Heads of mission are appointed under the authority of the Royal Prerogative. The practice has been to appoint career Foreign Service Officers (public servants) to these positions. This ensures that Canada’s heads of mission have training and experience in the areas of international affairs, including political, economic and commercial dimensions, in foreign languages, and in intercultural effectiveness.

Each year, candidates from among the diplomatic corps of Foreign Service Officers apply for appointment as part of the annual rotation of approximately one-quarter of the complement. Based on GAC’s advice on the best match between Foreign Service Officers’ skills and requirements in each mission, the Minister of Foreign Affairs makes recommendations to the Prime Minister for approval in principle for the proposed appointment. The Prime Minister also has the discretion to recommend the appointment of individuals from outside the ranks of the Foreign Service (i.e., former ministers, senior public servants, or eminent Canadians).

Following approval of the candidates by the Prime Minister, GAC seeks agrément from the host country for the proposed appointment, as required. An individual can be appointed as a head of mission to more than one country: the country in which the individual will reside is referred to as the “primary accreditation” and the appointment(s) related to other (usually neighbouring) countries are referred to as “secondary accreditations.” All heads of mission are required to undertake specialized training and must also receive top secret security clearance and undergo standard GIC background checks. Once all administrative requirements are met and agrément is received, the Minister of Foreign Affairs submits a Ministerial recommendation for approval by the GIC via Order in Council.

PCO coordinates the process for the appointment of heads of mission in close collaboration with GAC. Head of mission appointments are ideally made by late spring so that relocations can be done in August. This timing supports a cohort-based approach that maximizes efficiency in the delivery of supplementary training to the heads of mission, allows for their concurrent immersion or exit, and helps to minimize related costs. However, appointments can take place off cycle due to special circumstances or unexpected vacancies.

Judicial Appointments

Federal judicial appointments are also made by the GIC. The Prime Minister makes recommendations to the GIC (on the advice of the Minister of Justice) for all appointments to the Supreme Court of Canada as well as the appointment of Chief Justices and Associate Chief Justices of the Federal Court, the Federal Court of Appeal, the Tax Court, and Superior (trial and appellate) Courts in the provinces and territories. All other federal judicial appointments are made on the recommendation of the Minister of Justice. 

The Office of the Commissioner for Federal Judicial Affairs, established under the Judges Act, administers the judicial appointments process on behalf of the Minister of Justice.  A process has been in place since 1988, which adheres to a set of detailed procedures, and is detailed on the Federal Judicial Affairs website as follows:

• Independent judicial advisory committees (at least one in each province and territory) assess the qualifications of the lawyers and provincial and territorial judges who apply.  Each judicial advisory committee consists of seven members representing the bench, the bar, and the general public;
• The Minister of Justice makes an appointment recommendation to Cabinet, chosen from amongst the names previously assessed by the relevant committee; and,
• Cabinet’s advice is sent to the Governor General who signs an Order in Council to make the appointment.

PCO’s role in judicial appointments, other than to the Supreme Court of Canada, is limited to providing the necessary documentation for Cabinet consideration of the proposed appointments, and to prepare the Order in Council for approval for each of the approved nominees.

In August 2016, a new process for appointing Supreme Court of Canada Justices was introduced, consisting of an independent, non-partisan advisory board to assess candidates and provide non-binding, merit-based appointment recommendations to the Prime Minister. The Independent Advisory Board for Supreme Court of Canada Judicial Appointments (Advisory Board) is tasked with reviewing candidates and submitting a shortlist of individuals for consideration by the Prime Minister. The assessment criteria guiding the Advisory Board, questionnaire that all applicants must answer, and certain answers provided in the questionnaire by the Prime Minister’s eventual nominee are made public. As part of the process, the Minister of Justice and the Chairperson of the Advisory Board appear before Parliament to discuss the selection process. In some instances, nominees have had question and answer sessions with a number of Members of Parliament and senators before their appointment to the Supreme Court.

The members of the Advisory Board are appointed, and one is designated as Chairperson, by the GIC on the recommendation of the Prime Minister. The Advisory Board composition includes three members, at least two of whom are not advocates or barristers in a province or territory, nominated by the Minister of Justice, and five members nominated by independent professional organizations. Since 2022, the Advisory Board has included a member nominated by the Indigenous Bar Association. The Advisory Board has been called upon six times since 2016, resulting in the appointments of Justices Malcolm Rowe, Sheilah Martin, Nicholas Kasirer, Mahmud Jamal, Michelle O’Bonsawin, and Mary T. Moreau.

The terms of reference and composition of the Advisory Board also take into account Quebec’s civil law traditions and the requirements under the Supreme Court Act to fill Quebec seats on the Court. Under the Supreme Court Act, at least three Supreme Court judges are required to be appointed from among the judges of the Quebec Court of Appeal or Superior Court, or among advocates of the province. A Memorandum of Understanding has been established between the federal and provincial governments, ensuring that the Advisory Board meets the unique aspects of the Quebec process.

The Office of the Commissioner for Federal Judicial Affairs acts as a secretariat for the Advisory Board and provides it with the necessary administrative support. PCO, working with the Department of Justice, supports the Prime Minister and the Minister of Justice in launching the selection process and the appointment of Supreme Court judges.

Appointments to provincial and territorial courts are made by the lieutenant governor of that province or territory on the advice of the provincial or territorial government.

Implementation of Decisions by the Governor in Council

Decisions of the GIC are rendered through an Order in Council (OIC), the legal instrument which, when signed by the Governor General, formalizes the appointment. The Orders in Council Division of PCO provides operational support in respect of all OICs. Appointments are effective on the date of signature by the Governor General unless otherwise specified in the OIC.

Following approval of the OIC, appointments are announced, in accordance with an established communications plan, generally by the responsible minister. Appointments of deputy ministers and associate deputy ministers are announced by the Prime Minister. As part of established protocols, all approved OICs are posted on the PCO website after they have been signed by the Governor General, usually within three business days. A list of appointments is subsequently published in the Canada Gazette.

The Standing Orders of the House of Commons require that a certified copy of OICs for all non-judicial appointments be tabled in the House of Commons no later than five sitting days after the appointment is published in the Canada Gazette. The appointments are then deemed referred to the appropriate standing committee for consideration. The committee has 30 sitting days to review the appointment, which may include calling the appointee to appear in order to examine their qualifications. Supported by PCO, the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons is responsible for tabling appointment OICs in the House of Commons.

Current Approach to Selection and Appointment Processes

The current open, transparent, and merit-based approach to filling the majority of GIC positions has been in place since February 2016 and applies to both full-time and part-time positions on commissions, boards, Crown corporations, agencies and tribunals, as well as agents and officers of Parliament. This approach includes publishing Notices of Appointment Opportunity on a Government of Canada website and establishing selection committees mandated to assess merit against the criteria identified in the notices. The approach aims to support the identification of highly qualified candidates with the necessary competencies, and who reflect Canada’s diversity in terms of linguistic, regional, and employment equity groups (women, Indigenous Peoples, persons with disabilities, and members of visible minorities), as well as 2SLGBTQIA+, ethnic and cultural groups. 

PCO, working with responsible departments, oversees and administers these selection processes to ensure a consistent application across the range of federal entities and to support Cabinet decision-making. Given the volume of appointments and the specialized skill set required, administration of selection processes was delegated to the four largest administrative tribunals – the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, the Parole Board of Canada, the Social Security Tribunal, and the Veterans Review and Appeal Board.

On average, PCO coordinates and oversees approximately 50 selection processes per year.

Key elements of the current selection process approach include the following:

• For each process, a selection committee, governed by confidentiality and operating by consensus, is established. Selection committee membership is based on two considerations: who is responsible for making the appointment recommendation, and who can bring a perspective on the needs of the organization. Representatives from the Prime Minister’s Office, PCO, the responsible minister’s office, and a senior official of the responsible minister’s department participate in most selection committees, which are chaired by PCO. Depending on legislative or other requirements, other members could be included, such as the head of a tribunal or the chair of a Crown corporation. Selection committees for some organizations are struck based on requirements stipulated in enabling legislation (i.e., statutory requirements), which may include different representatives. 
• Selection criteria are developed to reflect the needs of the organization and the specific qualifications required of the prospective office holder (i.e., experience, abilities and personal attributes, language requirements and other relevant factors and conditions for the position, including statutory requirements) and approved by the selection committee.
• A recruitment strategy is developed to ensure public awareness and to reach as many prospective candidates as possible. A Notice of Appointment Opportunity is posted on the GIC Appointments website and listed in the Canada Gazette.  Other outreach activities may be undertaken, as required.
• As part of the application process, candidates are asked to provide information on their second official language proficiency and are invited to self-identify in terms of employment equity representation. Candidates may also choose to self-identify as members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community and/or an ethnic or cultural group.
• Candidates are assessed against the requirements of the position by the selection committee through a variety of standardized means at various points in the process. For leadership and full-time positions, this involves, at a minimum, interviews by a selection committee and reference checks. In addition, psychometric assessments and/or written exams may be conducted for certain key or high-profile leadership positions, such as agents of Parliament and some heads of agencies, boards and commissions, as well as chief executive officers of Crown corporations.
• Candidates deemed to be highly qualified through this merit-based assessment process are identified to the responsible minister through submission of an advice letter from the Selection Committee Chair on behalf of the Selection Committee. Based on this advice, the minister makes a recommendation to the GIC for appointment.

As part of its role in supporting the Prime Minister and Cabinet in making GIC appointments that serve the public interest, PCO is responsible for: undertaking background checks and due diligence on all proposed appointees and their spouses/common-law partners; ensuring that appointments meet the applicable statutory provisions; and, confirming acceptance of terms and conditions of appointment with full-time appointees. These steps are all completed prior to an individual’s appointment to a GIC position. 

A comprehensive suitability assessment, known as a background check, involves a review by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (police records), the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (risk of loyalty to Canada assessment), and a financial assessment involving checks with the Canada Revenue Agency (tax compliance-related infractions), the Office of the Superintendent of Bankruptcy (bankruptcy and insolvency databases), and credit verification with Equifax, as a preventative measure to counter financially driven insider threats. The background check also includes a search of publicly available records, including social media, court records, and news reports. In addition, appropriate security screenings are undertaken for some positions. The Department of Justice is responsible for background checks for the judiciary, with the exception of appointments to the Supreme Court of Canada.

PCO also ensures that proposed appointees meet all statutory requirements for the position prior to appointment. Statutory provisions may include, among others, specific education, experience, language, or residence requirements, conflict of interest or eligibility restrictions, term limits, and requirements for the staggering of terms of members of boards, commissions or administrative tribunals.

Where the government establishes broader policy objectives for GIC appointments, such as diversity in linguistic, regional, youth, 2SLGBTQIA+ and employment equity representation, PCO can provide supplemental information to the Prime Minister and Cabinet to support decision-making; however, this is limited to the information that applicants have voluntarily disclosed through self-identification.

Compensation

When not governed by statute, the responsibility for establishing compensation for appointed individuals rests with the GIC. The current compensation system for GIC appointees is comprised of the following elements that enable the government to make decisions efficiently, equitably and transparently:

• A classification (job evaluation) plan for various categories of GIC positions, in order to establish the relative worth of various positions, based on the Hay Job Evaluation methodology;
• Salary scales outlining the rate of pay for the various categories of full-time GIC appointees;
• Guidelines for the per diem rate for those individuals appointed to executive or advisory agencies, boards and commissions, and guidelines for the per diem rate and retainer for directors of Crown corporations;
• Terms and conditions applying to GIC appointees, which include information on the responsibilities of appointees, such as standards of behaviour and non-salary items, such as leave and benefits; and,
• A performance management program for those individuals eligible for performance pay.

The GIC retains full discretion in the compensation of its appointees, including the ability to determine personal ranges due to market conditions or other discretionary factors when it is determined there is a need. Some of these decisions are based on past precedent or practice. While the GIC retains full discretion, it must also comply with any legislative requirements and prevailing employment law practices in its decision-making. Advice is provided by the Clerk of the Privy Council to the Prime Minister for decision on these cases, as well as on the compensation system as a whole.

Prior to appointment, officials from PCO’s Senior Personnel Secretariat will undertake a discussion with prospective full-time appointees to confirm their interest and determine their rate of pay within the approved salary scale for the position and any other terms and conditions.

In order to best meet the diverse needs of the GIC community, the current compensation system provides for four different categories of GIC appointees:

• Deputy ministers– compensated within four salary ranges based on a personal level rather than a classified position, along with performance pay, as appropriate. The Clerk of the Privy Council provides advice to the Prime Minister on the compensation, promotion and performance management of these individuals;
• Heads of agencies, officers of Parliament, certain agents of Parliament, and members and heads of tribunals – compensated within a ten-level scale based on the classified level of the position which they encumber, along with performance pay, as appropriate;
• Chief executive officers of Crown corporations – compensated within an eight-level scale. The remuneration for chief executive officers of most Crown corporations is set by the GIC in accordance with the Financial Administration Act. It includes performance pay, as appropriate. Benefits for chief executive officers are established by the boards of directors, in accordance with the Crown Corporation General Regulations (boards of directors may set benefits within specified parameters); and,
• Part-time appointees – appointees in executive or advisory agencies, boards and commissions are paid a per diem rate and chairs and directors of Crown corporations are paid a per diem and, in some cases, a retainer. The current compensation for part-time rates is based on the size and nature of the organizations. 

An effective compensation system is crucial to the ability of the GIC to attract and retain the best possible candidates to effectively support the government’s agenda. While the compensation framework itself and the rates of pay for GIC appointees are within the discretion of the GIC, historically, these decisions have been informed by how executives (EX) and other groups are managed in the Public Service, in order to ensure a degree of consistency in the treatment of all public servants. As such, both GIC appointees and EXs have fallen under the same general principles of compensation and the Treasury Board, in consultation with the Prime Minister, has been responsible for approving recommended economic increases to salaries. While there are exceptions for distinct GIC groups such as chief executive officers of Crown corporations and part-time appointees to boards and agencies, the basic principles are the same. 

An integral part of the current compensation system for GIC appointees is the emphasis placed on pay for performance. For certain full-time appointees (deputy ministers, certain heads of agencies, officers of Parliament, heads of mission whose remuneration is fixed by the GIC, and chief executive officers of Crown corporations), a portion of their salary is put at-risk each year and must be re-earned based on the achievement of objectives. Those, other than chief executive officers of Crown corporations, who surpass objectives are eligible for a performance bonus. 

The Performance Management Program for GIC Appointees establishes guidelines on the setting and evaluation of annual performance commitments divided into four categories: policy and program results in support of the government’s agenda; management results; leadership results; and, corporate priorities identified annually by the Clerk of the Privy Council. In addition, the Performance Management Program for Chief Executive Officers of Crown Corporations includes shareholder and stakeholder relations results.

The evaluation of performance under the various programs is rigorous and consists of multiple sources of input, which may include self-assessments, peer reviews, assessments regarding management performance and overall leadership results observed by central agencies and the views of responsible ministers and boards of directors (where applicable). Input from deputy minister committees (where applicable) is sought to ensure an equitable distribution of ratings. In developing the final performance ratings, careful attention is paid to distinguishing truly outstanding performance. The final ratings are subject to approval by the Prime Minister and the GIC.

Terms and Conditions of Appointment

GIC appointments are made for either a fixed term or an undetermined period, and appointees hold office either “at pleasure” or “during good behaviour.”

• An “at pleasure” appointment implies that an individual serves at the discretion, or “pleasure” of the government and can be removed from office without cause, with cause or by operation of law (e.g., by act of Parliament).
• An appointment “during good behaviour” implies that individuals must be able to carry out their work and make decisions free from inappropriate scrutiny by the legislative and executive branches of government. An appointment during good behaviour entitles the individual to remain in office for the duration of their term subject to their good behaviour; however, they can be removed with cause or by operation of law.

The terms and conditions of each appointment, including whether the appointment is at pleasure or during good behaviour, are set out in a number of instruments, including the appointing Order in Council, the Interpretation Act, the governing legislation, and policies such as the Terms and Conditions Applying to Governor in Council Appointees. 

The table below provides an illustration of the types of GIC appointments to leadership positions and whether they typically serve at pleasure or during good behaviour.

Key Full-Time Leadership Appointments

Senate Appointments

Pursuant to sections 24 and 32 of the Constitution Act, 1867, the power to appoint individuals to the Senate is vested in the Governor General. By constitutional convention, the Governor General summons individuals to the Senate on the advice of the Prime Minister.

The current process for appointing senators, by which an independent and non-partisan advisory body provides the Prime Minister with recommendations on Senate nominations, has been in place since January 2016. The Independent Advisory Board for Senate Appointments (IABSA) consists of three permanent federal members and two ad hoc provincial or territorial members from each of the provinces or territories where a vacancy is to be filled. The IABSA is chaired by one of the federal members and supported secretarially by PCO. Recommendations made to the Prime Minister by the IABSA do not expire.

The GIC, on the recommendation of the Prime Minister, appoints the IABSA members. Consultations with provincial or territorial governments are undertaken in order to inform the appointment of provincial or territorial members. Members each serve for terms of up to three years. In accordance with their Terms of Reference, the IABSA provides a short-list of five names for each vacancy to the Prime Minister for consideration.

Under this approach, Canadians apply for appointments to the Senate through an open application process. The IABSA assesses the candidates based on a set of merit-based criteria, which are publicly available. Candidates undergo a background check (the same process as GIC candidates) and must also meet the minimum constitutional qualifications for senators. Appointments to the Senate are announced by the Prime Minister, typically on the same day that the instrument of advice is signed by the Governor General.

A list of current and expected Senate vacancies is available at Annex B.

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Annex B: Current and Projected Senate Vacancies

As of March 7, 2025, there are no vacancies in the Senate.

The current composition of the Senate (standings) is as follows:

• Independent Senators Group (ISG): 41
• Non-affiliated (N-A): 19¹
• Canadian Senators Group (CSG): 18
• Progressive Senate Group (PSG): 15
• Conservative Party of Canada (C): 12
• Vacancies: 0
• Total: 105

In 2025, there are 5 upcoming vacancies based on mandatory retirements.

• Manitoba (1) 
• Quebec (3), including Senator Gold, Government Representative in the Senate
• New Brunswick (1)

From 2025 through 2029, there are 30 anticipated Senate vacancies. All provinces except Alberta would have at least one vacant seat over this period, while the three territories don’t have any openings due to retirement during this time. The following table outlines the projected Senate vacancies through 2029, assuming vacancies arise only from mandatory retirements. 

Projected Senate Vacancies Through 2029