Why did Justin Trudeau call an early federal election in 2021?

On August 15, 2021, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced an early federal election, a move widely characterized as a snap election.12

Trudeau stated that he was calling the election to provide Canadians the opportunity to choose their leadership at a pivotal moment as the country sought to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. He described the challenges facing Canada as the most significant changes the nation had encountered since the end of World War II.1

However, many observers and opposition members viewed the decision as an act of political opportunism, noting that Trudeau was seeking to capitalize on favorable public opinion polling at the time in an effort to regain a parliamentary majority. While the Liberals had previously held a majority, they had been governing as a minority since the 2019 election. Ultimately, the 2021 election resulted in the Liberals falling short of a majority, though they secured a plurality to remain in power as a minority government.123