Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called an early election for September 20, saying he needed a new mandate to ensure voters approved of his Liberal government's plan to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic.

The election comes at a "pivotal, consequential moment" for Canada, Trudeau said.

"We will be taking decisions that will last not just for the coming months but for the coming decades. Canadians deserve their say. That's exactly what we're going to give them," he told reporters.

Trudeau spoke after visiting Governor General Mary Simon, the representative of head of state Queen Elizabeth, to formally request the dissolution of Parliament.

Polls suggest the Liberals will win their third consecutive election but may not regain a majority in the 338-seat House of Commons. Trudeau currently has only a minority of seats, leaving him reliant on other parties to govern.

Nationally, Liberals would win 35 per cent of the vote, compared with 30 per cent for the main opposition Conservative Party and 19 per cent for the left-leaning New Democrats, a Leger Marketing poll showed on Aug. 12.

The leader of the Conservatives, Erin O'Toole, criticized Trudeau for calling an election as the country faces a fourth wave of COVID-19, saying it undermines the efforts Canadians took to fight the pandemic.

"We shouldn't be risking that for political games or political gain," O'Toole told reporters.

The Liberals spent heavily on subsidies to businesses and individuals to limit the damage from COVID-19, sending both the national debt and budget deficits to record highs.

The Conservatives and New Democrats have in recent days condemned the idea of an early election, saying there was no need for it and describing the call as a power grab.

"This is a really important moment," Trudeau said when asked repeatedly why he was calling an election during a pandemic.

With a parliamentary majority, Trudeau would have a free hand to follow through on his stated policy priorities of fighting climate change and supporting those who suffered most during the pandemic.

"Our planet and our future are at stake. So, I need you alongside me in this fight," he said.

Trudeau, the son of longtime former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, first won a majority in 2015. But in the 2019 election, after decades-old black face pictures surfaced, he came up short of a majority.

Another minority administration would leave him likely relying once more on the New Democrats, who favour even heavier spending on social programs. It would also raise questions about Trudeau's future as the leader of his party.

Trudeau repeatedly refused to say if he would resign as leader if he does not secure a majority in the vote.

Without a strong opponent to rail against in this election, as the main opposition Conservatives struggle, the Liberals fear the vote may fragment and hand them yet another minority government.

Canadians do not vote for the prime minister. Instead, voters in each of the 338 electoral districts, known as ridings, elect a member to represent them in the House of Commons. If a party wins a majority of the seats — 170 or more — it forms the government, and its leader is prime minister.

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