International Affairs
Recognized as an ardent supporter of democracy around the world, Elections Canada has helped establish a variety of multilateral and bilateral programs offering professional support and technical assistance to countries developing democratic institutions. Since 1980, Elections Canada has organized democratic development missions in over 100 countries.
Elections Canada actively engages with other electoral management bodies and international electoral organizations to exchange information for the purpose of identifying and contributing to best practices in the field of electoral administration.
While Elections Canada does engage in technical assistance and capacity building with international partners, it is not in a position to fund international projects. Elections Canada has close ties with the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), which is often called upon to finance electoral assistance projects in which Elections Canada participates, and with Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada (DFAIT), which offers advice when responding to foreign requests for electoral assistance or visits to Canada.