Mr Harper will meet Sunday morning with the country's Governor General Michaelle Jean and formally request the dissolution of parliament - a move which would lead to the third national election in just over four years, said Mr Dimitri Soudas, a spokesman for the prime minister's office.

The governor general is the official representative of Queen Elizabeth II, Canada's titular chief of state.

Mr Harper, who has been at the head of a Conservative minority government since January 2006, has insisted in recent weeks that elections were inevitable to break a deadlock with opposition parties on several issues.

He had originally intended to hold elections in October 2009, but indicated on Wednesday that he had decided on whether or not to call the snap elections for next month and would inform Canadians of his decision 'in the coming days'.

The forthcoming campaign season would last less than six weeks.

The call for elections comes just days after a poll showing the Conservative government enjoying a sudden jump in popularity.

A Strategic Counsel survey for the Globe and Mail newspaper released on Tuesday found support for Harper's minority government at 37 per cent, up five percentage points since June and ahead of the main opposition Liberals at 29 per cent. -- AFP