An inside look at the biggest polling station in Canadian history

A polling “super station” in Regina is being declared not only the biggest one in Canada but the biggest one in Canadian history.

Marie-France Kenny, the media relations adviser for Elections Canada, says the polling station located inside the old Costco building in the Arcola East neighbourhood is unlike any other.

“The polling location has 64 polls within it, so there are 64 places to vote,” Kenny said early Monday, the day of the 2021 federal election. “There is probably close to 100 people working here today.

“It is very incredible.”

Old grocery carts were used to direct people where to vote and yellow tape was attached to the carts in order to help people stay separate from each other.

Stickers on the floor were used to direct the flow of people who were lining up outside eagerly waiting to cast their vote.

Floor stickers help people navigate where to go at Regina’s “super polling station” in the Arcola East neighbourhood. (Logan Stein/980 CJME)

The unexpectedness of this federal election as well as the current challenges presented by COVID-19 made for a challenging experience when figuring out where to have people go to vote.

“The returning officers were pretty creative in finding polling places. A lot of places that were typically polling locations were off limits this time,” Kenny said.

“Some of them were schools and didn’t want us around, with good reason, while some of them just didn’t want to rent out or were already taken because this was an election that wasn’t anticipated.

“So they decided to have one here and do a bigger one.”

Have you voted yet? #YQR is home to Canada's biggest polling station EVER. You can cast your vote at 665 University Park Drive. #Election2021 pic.twitter.com/BTERrGgQEz

— Logan Stein (@L0ganStein) September 20, 2021

The old grocery store location isn’t the only unusual place where voters are gathering throughout Canada.

“In Winnipeg, people are voting in an Ikea. I know they’re voting in a construction trailer in a parking lot of a food store too,” Kenny said. “We are voting in different places. I  have even heard of funeral complexes being used.

“They were creative, and they had to be.”

For people working at Regina’s super station, their expectations are that it will be a very busy day.

“I did work the advance polls here. It was crazy, but I think it will be crazier today,” Theresa Dolman said as she set up her booth. “I hope it’s going to be busy and steady the whole day so it goes by quick.”

Many people 980 CJME spoke with anticipated they would be working up to 16 hours, with there being a possibility it could be longer if the election is too close to be determined on Monday night.

Despite how long election workers might be working, the anticipation of the upcoming result is something that is keeping people excited.

“I think everybody wants to know who will be our next prime minister,” said election worker Karen Shepherd. “I’m right there with them. It will be interesting to see who people end up voting for.”

You can find out where you can vote by checking out the Elections Canada website.