Public Holidays in Canada

By landmass, Canada clocks in as the most expansive country in North America and the second-most expansive globally, pipped to the post only by Russia. Among its many notable features is the rich cultural weave of its official languages, English and French. However, contrary to its vast size, when we shed light on the population rankings globally, Canada only finds itself at 39th position. The country's bilingual status reflects the prevalence of both English and French, illustrating Canada's diversity. Also, it's worth marvelling that Canada's humongous geography ranges from Arctic tundra to temperate rainforests on the West Coast.

The political structure of Canada comprises 13 provinces and 3 territories, together forming the Canadian Confederation. A significant variation between Canadian provinces and territories lies in their authority source. Specifically, the power of provinces stems from the Constitution Act of 1867, whereas, the Parliament of Canada delegates the power for territories. For instance, Ontario is a province, receiving its authority from the Constitution Act, contrastingly, the Yukon is a territory, with powers granted directly by Canada's Parliament. Therefore, it's essential to understand such differences when comprehending Canada's political system.

For 2024 Canadian Provincial Holiday details click on the Province icon;

In addition to federal holidays, every province or territory in Canada also honours its own unique set of provincial holidays. These special days reflect the historical and cultural significance of each region. Check here for a detailed list of provincial holidays in Canada's provinces and territories. Canadians also traditionally celebrate certain special occasions such as Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and Halloween, even though they are not deemed official holidays. Moreover, Canada's respect for diversity is embodied in its embracement and wide acceptance of individuals observing their religious holidays. For example, many school children and employees actively observe Jewish holidays and Muslim holidays. Eastern Orthodox adherents may take observances according to the Julian calendar.

Below is the list of  Public Holidays in Canada otherwise known as Statutory Holidays in Canada;

 Observance   Holiday Remarks
January 1 New Year’s Day Statutory. Celebrate the first day of every year in the Gregorian calendar.
Friday before Easter Sunday Good Friday Statutory, except in Quebec where Easter Monday is a statutory holiday.
Monday on or before May 24 Victoria Day Statutory, except in New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island.
July 1 Canada Day Statutory. Commemoration of Canada’s 1867 Confederation.
First Monday in September Labour Day Statutory holiday in all Provinces
September 30 National Day for Truth and Reconciliation Statutory, The government of Canada passed legislation in 2021 to make September 30 a federal statutory holiday called the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, ensuring that the tragic history and ongoing legacy of residential schools are never forgotten.
Second Monday in October Thanksgiving Day Statutory, except in New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island.
November 11 Remembrance Day Statutory holiday everywhere except Ontario, Quebec, Newfoundland, and Labrador. Commemoration of Canada’s war heroes.
December 25 Christmas Day Statutory,  Celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ; traditionally on 25 December.
December 26 Boxing Day Statutory in Ontario and federal jurisdictions. The day when shops sell off excess Christmas inventory.

Statutory Holidays in Canada

A statutory holiday, commonly known as “general” or “public” holiday in Canada, is legally established by the federal, provincial, or territorial governments. In general, workers in both public and private sectors have the right to take the day off and receive regular pay. However, businesses that routinely operate may require staff to work on a statutory holiday. In such cases, they must offer additional compensation — typically this is 1½ times (or "time and a half") or 2 times (known as “double time”) their standard pay. If a statutory holiday happens to fall on a traditional day off such as a weekend, the next business day is considered as a statutory holiday. The following are extra wage rates for working on these holidays:

  • 1½ times of regular pay (also known as “time and a half”)
  • 2 times of regular pay (also known as “double time”)
  • Federal Holidays

    The nine statutory holidays listed above are mandated by federal legislation for federally regulated employees, as is Easter Monday. All banks apply these holidays to their schedule.

    Provincial and territorial Holidays

    Provinces and territories generally adopt the same holidays as the federal government with some variations:

    Many employers give their employees days off that may not be statutory holidays in the particular province, particularly Boxing Day. Similarly, many federally regulated employees have negotiated additional holidays, which are common in the provinces such that many also take Easter Monday and the first Monday in August.

    City holidays

    Some cities also have statutory holidays that are celebrated only within the city limits. For instance, the morning of the Stampede Parade is a legal half-day holiday in the city of Calgary.