Women in Canada gained the right to vote gradually, not all at once, and it depended on where they lived and who they were.

Key dates at a glance

  • 1916: Women in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta became the first in Canada to win the right to vote in provincial elections.
  • 1917: During the First World War, some women (those serving in the military or with close relatives in the forces) could vote federally under the Wartime Elections Act.
  • 1918: Most white Canadian women aged 21 and over gained the right to vote in federal elections on the same terms as men, though racial exclusions still applied.
  • 1920: The Dominion Elections Act confirmed and organized women’s participation in federal elections, including placing them on federal voting lists.
  • 1940: Women in Quebec finally gained the right to vote in provincial elections, making it the last province to do so.
  • 1960: All First Nations women (and men) gained the unrestricted right to vote in federal elections without having to give up treaty rights or status, meaning all women in Canada could finally vote federally on equal terms.

Short, simple answer

If you’re looking for one main date:

  • Many women were allowed to vote federally in 1918.
  • The process wasn’t fully equal until 1960 , when remaining exclusions (especially affecting Indigenous women) were removed at the federal level.