Polls opened at 11:00 GMT in the provinces of Labrador and Newfoundland, in eastern Canada, the first of the country's six time zones. Polls will be open in far western British Columbia until 02:00 GMT Tuesday, although the first results are expected at around 23:00 GMT.
A recent poll by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation predicts the election will result in a minority government, with support for the two largest parties, the Conservatives and Liberals, below 33 percent.