TORONTO – Voters across the country, including the Greater Toronto Area, are heading out to cast their ballot today.

Here is a look at what to expect on Election Day in Toronto and surrounding areas.

voters

Where to vote:

Polls are open for 12 hours today. In the GTA polling stations will be open between 9:30 a.m. and 9:30 p.m.

On the back of voter information cards, the address of assigned polling stations will be found.

What to bring to vote:

In order to vote, identity and address must be proven. This can be done by:

  • Showing a driver’s licence or any other card issued by a Canadian government with a photo, name and current address.
  • Showing two pieces of identification that has a name and at least one with a current address.
  • Declaring one’s identity and address in writing and having someone who knows the voter and is assigned to the same polling station vouch for their identity.

Weather on Election Day:

The GTA is expected to see sunshine and just a few clouds throughout the day on Monday. The high for the day is expected to be 16 C in Toronto with a low of 14 C in the evening.

Issues affecting the GTA:

There are a number of issues that voters in the GTA are concerned about heading into Election Day. Here is a look at each party's stance on five of them:

Concerned commuters

ttc subway

  • A Conservative government would support significant subway expansion in the GTA, pledging more than $16 billion on two major lines designed to ease pressures on the city’s existing network.
  • The Liberals have committed pre-election funding to Toronto Mayor John Tory’s SmartTrack transit plan, as well as spend $500 million on upgrades at Bloor-Yonge Station.
  • The New Democrats have not thrown their support behind a specific GTA transit plan, but said they are committed to new federal investments for transit within Toronto and surrounding areas.

Perks for parents

Keila Paz

  • The Conservatives have vowed to remove the federal tax from parental leave employment insurance (EI) cheques through a 15 per cent tax credit.
  • A Liberal government would make maternity and parental EI benefits go further by removing federal taxes at the source.
  • A New Democratic government would enhance parental leave benefits by upping the income replacement to 60 per cent from 55 per cent.

Hot housing

toronto, real estate,

  • The Conservatives are targeting the interest of first-time homebuyers through a pledge to ease the mortgage stress test, as well as allow for 30-year mortgages instead of 25 years currently.
  • The Liberals have vowed to expand the First-Time Home Buyer Incentive Program, in which the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation loans the buyer up to 10 per cent of the purchase price as long as the borrower has the down payment.
  • The New Democrats have promised to invest $5 billion into the construction of 500,000 new affordable homes over 10 years, while also reinstating 30-year mortgages.

Pocketbook politics

taxes

  • The Conservatives have promised a universal tax cut for the lowest federal income bracket.
  • The Liberals have declared a tax cut for the middle class.
  • The New Democrats would implement a wealth tax on the super-rich.

Guns and gangs

Handgun

  • A Conservative government would put an end to automatic bail for gang members and revoke parole for released gang members who associate with their former gang.
  • The Liberals have promised to ban military-style assault rifles, as well as give municipalities the power to ban or restrict handguns.
  • The New Democrats plan to implement after-school programs and fund drop-in centres to keep young people out of gangs.

How to follow along:

CTV News will be providing coverage of all developments on election night. The CTV Election 2019 special begins at 7 p.m. on-air and online.

The coverage will air on CTV, CTV News Channel, BNN Bloomberg and will be live-streamed on CTVNews.ca, CTVNewsToronto.ca, CTV.ca, and the CTV and CTV News apps.

-- With files from The Canadian Press and CTV News Toronto's Natalie Johnson