Public holidays in Canada, known as "statutory holidays", "stat holidays", or simply "stats",
are legislated at the national, provincial and territorial levels. Many of these holidays
are observed nationwide, but each province and territory has its own holidays as well.
While major Christian holidays such as Christmas and Good Friday are officially observed, leave
is permitted for other religious holidays as well. For example, some school children
and employees take days off for Jewish holidays, Muslim holidays, or Eastern Orthodox observances
according to the Julian calendar. While not normally taken off work, Valentine's Day,
Saint Patrick's Day, Halloween, Mother's Day, and Father's Day are traditionally observed
by Canadians. The Celebrate Canada series is a collection of important cultural days
beginning with National Aboriginal Day on June 21, and followed by St-Jean Baptiste
Day on June 24, Canadian Multiculturalism Day on June 27, and concluding with Canada
Day on July 1.
Statutory holidays A statutory holiday in Canada is legislated
either through the federal, or a provincial or territorial government. Most workers, public
and private, are entitled to take the day off with regular pay. However, some employers
may require employees to work on such a holiday, but the employee must either receive a day
off in lieu of the holiday or must be paid at a premium rate – usually 1½ or twice
the regular pay for their time worked that day, in addition to the holiday pay. In most
provinces, when a statutory holiday falls on a normal day off, the following work day
is considered a statutory holiday. Statistics Canada shows an average of 11 paid statutory
holidays per year in regard to all firms and corporations operating within the province.
Nationwide statutory holidays in Canada Statutory holidays for federal employees
In addition to the nationwide holidays listed above, the following holidays are mandated
by federal legislation for federally regulated employees. All banks commemorate these holidays,
and they are statutory in some provinces and territories.
Other common statutory holidays Provincial and territorial holidays
Provinces and territories generally adopt the same holidays as the federal government
with some variations: Alberta
5 nationwide statutory holidays, 4 provincial holidays as well as 3 "optional holidays".
Provincial statutory Alberta Family Day – third Monday in February
Victoria Day – the Monday preceding May 25
Thanksgiving - second Monday in October Remembrance Day – November 11
Optional Easter Monday – optional Holiday, variable
date Heritage Day – optional holiday, first Monday
of August Boxing Day – optional Holiday, December
26. British Columbia
5 nationwide and 5 provincial statutory holidays. Provincial statutory
Family Day – second Monday of February Victoria Day – last Monday before or on
May 24 British Columbia Day – first Monday of August
Thanksgiving – second Monday of October Remembrance Day – November 11
Manitoba 5 nationwide and 3 provincial statutory holidays,
as well as 2 optional holidays. Remembrance Day and Boxing Day are not statutory holidays.
Provincial statutory Louis Riel Day – third Monday in February
Victoria Day – last Monday before May 25 Thanksgiving – second Monday in October
Optional Civic Holiday – first Monday in August;
not a statutory holiday. Remembrance Day – an "Official day of Observance",
not a statutory holiday. New Brunswick
5 nationwide and 5 provincial statutory holidays. Although prescribed as public holidays, Victoria
Day, Thanksgiving, and Boxing Day are not paid public holidays.
Provincial statutory New Brunswick Day – first Monday in August
Remembrance Day – November 11 Optional
Victoria Day Thanksgiving
Boxing Day Newfoundland and Labrador
5 nationwide and 1 provincial statutory holiday. Thanksgiving is not a statutory holiday. Canada
Day is not a statutory holiday as July 1 is Memorial Day.
Provincial statutory Memorial Day
Armistice Day Optional
Saint Patrick's Day Saint George's Day
Discovery Day Orangemen's Day
These have not been observed as statutory holidays since 1992. They are, however, observed
by the provincial government. Unlike most other provinces, there is no province-wide
holiday on the first Monday in August. It may be seen as redundant due to the Royal
St. John's Regatta, which is observed as a civic holiday in St. John's on the first Wednesday
in August. Harbour Grace and Labrador City have a similar holiday for their regatta in
late July. All other municipalities are entitled to designate one day a year as a civic holiday,
however many do not take advantage of this. Northwest Territories
5 nationwide holidays and 5 territorial statutory holidays.
Territorial statutory Victoria Day
National Aboriginal Day – June 21 Civic Holiday – First Monday in August
Remembrance Day Thanksgiving
Nova Scotia 5 nationwide holidays plus Remembrance Day.
Victoria Day, Thanksgiving, and Boxing Day are not statutory holidays but most businesses
and retail are closed Boxing Day. Most statutory holidays can be substituted for a mutually
agreeable alternative paid day off in lieu or employers can require employees to work
at a premium rate of pay. Several types of employment, including workplaces covered by
a collective agreement, are exempt from provincial rules governing statutory holidays.
Provincial statutory Remembrance Day – This holiday is governed
separately from all other public holidays in Nova Scotia as of 1998. It is illegal for
any person to offer any goods or real property for sale on this date, or to accept or offer
employment in exchange for gain or reward. There are special exemptions for workers who
are employed in certain categories but an alternative day off with pay must be offered
in lieu. Optional
Natal Day – first Monday in August; not a statutory holiday but a common day off in
Halifax Regional Municipality. Nunavut
5 nationwide and 4 territorial statutory holidays. Boxing Day is not a statutory holiday.
Territorial statutory Victoria Day
Civic Holiday – first Monday in August. Thanksgiving
Remembrance Day Optional
Nunavut Day – July 9, originated as a paid holiday for Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated
and regional Inuit associations. It became a ½ day holiday for Government employees
in 1999 and a full day in 2001. Most employers give the day off with the notable exceptions
being the Federal Government and the North West Company. Not a statutory holiday.
Ontario 5 nationwide and 4 provincial statutory holidays
plus one common municipal holiday. Provincial statutory
Family Day – third Monday in February. Victoria Day – on the Monday before May
25 Thanksgiving
Boxing Day Optional
August Civic Public Holiday – first Monday in August. This is not a statutory holiday,
and, as such, only federal employers are required to give the day off.
Remembrance Day – This is also not a Paid Public Holiday and as such provincially regulated
employers are not required to treat this as a holiday.
Prince Edward Island 5 nationwide and 7 provincial statutory holidays.
Provincial statutory Islander Day – third Monday in February.
Easter Monday Victoria Day
Civic Holiday – first Monday in August Thanksgiving Day
Remembrance Day Boxing Day
Optional Gold Cup Parade Day celebrated mainly in the
capital city of Charlottetown on the third Friday in August marking the end of the Provincial
Exhibition and the Gold Cup and Saucer race at the Charlottetown Driving Park, which is
a bank and contract holiday for some Civil Servants.
Quebec Five nationwide and three provincial statutory
holidays. Remembrance Day and Boxing Day are not statutory holidays, and there is no Civic
Holiday in August. Many of the specific details of employment law are quite different in Quebec.
Employers must give either Good Friday or Easter Monday as a statutory holiday, though
some give both days. Provincial statutory
National Patriots' Day coincides with Victoria Day.
National Holiday on June 24 coincides with the Midsummer.
Thanksgiving Optional
Construction Holiday takes place during the last two weeks of July — while it applies
officially only to the construction industry, many other Quebecers arrange to take their
vacations during these two weeks. Saskatchewan
5 nationwide and 5 provincial statutory holidays. Provincial statutory
Family Day – third Monday in February Victoria Day
Saskatchewan Day – first Monday in August. Celebration of Saskatchewan history and culture
similar to Canada Day. Thanksgiving
Remembrance Day Yukon
5 nationwide and 4 territorial statutory holidays. In addition, Easter Monday, Boxing Day, and
Heritage Day are statutory for public service workers. Many employers give their employees
days off that may not be statutory holidays in the particular province, particularly Boxing
Day. Territorial statutory
Victoria Day Discovery Day – third Monday in August
Thanksgiving Remembrance Day
Optional Heritage Day – Friday before the last Sunday
in February – optional for non-public service workers
Municipal holidays Some municipalities also have local statutory
holidays. For instance, the morning of the Stampede Parade is often given as a half-day
holiday in the city of Calgary. In Ontario, the August Civic Holiday is not defined provincially,
but by each municipality. Civic holidays
In Canada, there are two definitions of the term "civic holiday":
Legal definition By law, a civic holiday is defined as any
holiday which is legally recognized and for which employers are obliged to offer holiday
pay. The August Civic Holiday
In parts of Canada, the term "Civic Holiday" is a generic name referring to the annual
holiday on the first Monday of August. However, this definition is far from uniform nationwide
as Quebec, Newfoundland and Yukon do not recognize it at all. Five other provinces do not oblige
employers to offer holiday pay on this day, thus not making it a civic holiday in the
legal sense. No universal name is recognized for this holiday – the official name varies
between the provinces and even between municipalities within Ontario. In Manitoba, Saskatchewan,
British Columbia, New Brunswick, Nunavut and the Northwest Territories it is a statutory
holiday. The Civic Holiday is meant to replace a city's
birthday aka Natal Day. Instead of each city and town having a separate birthday celebration
and day off the August Civic Holiday is observed. For example, the Halifax Regional Municipality
is made up of former cities Halifax and Dartmouth and the town of Bedford. Each of these places
used to hold civic birthday celebrations on different days. Many people lived in one jurisdiction
but worked in another. This would be very confusing as to which day a person would be
excused from work. This holiday is commonly referred to as "August
Long Weekend" but this is not a government term.
Proposed holidays In recent years there has been a call for
the Canadian government to recognize Saint Patrick's Day as a national holiday. Currently
it is a holiday only for provincial government employees in Newfoundland and Labrador.
The other leading candidate for a new holiday is a weekend in February to celebrate the
anniversary of the Canadian flag, or more likely a general "Heritage Day". February
15 is already designated as Flag Day, but this is simply a day of commemoration, not
a statutory holiday. In the province of Nova Scotia, which has
relatively few days off, a bill has been introduced for a new holiday for the third Monday in
February, to start in 2015. Holidays occurring on non-work days
If a holiday occurs on a day that is normally not worked, then "... another day off with
pay will be provided." There are some exceptions, however. In Alberta, an employee is not entitled
to compensation if a holiday falls on a non-work day.
When New Year's Day, Canada Day, Remembrance Day, Christmas Day or Boxing Day falls on
a Saturday or Sunday you would not normally work, you are entitled to a holiday with pay
on the working day immediately before or after the holiday. If one of the other holidays
falls on a weekend, then your employer must add a holiday with pay to your annual vacation
or give you a paid day off at another mutually convenient time.
Other observances Raoul Wallenberg Day, January 17
Valentine's Day, February 14 National Flag of Canada Day, February 15
Commonwealth Day, the second Monday in March. This has been observed as a holiday in some
Commonwealth countries. Saint Patrick's Day, March 17
Earth Day, April 22 Mother's Day, 2nd Sunday of May
Father's Day, 3rd Sunday of June Loyalist Day, June 19, celebrating Canada's
Loyalist heritage, particularly in Ontario and New Brunswick
National Aboriginal Day, June 21 as part of the Celebrate Canada series
Canadian Multiculturalism Day, June 27 as part of the Celebrate Canada series
National Peacekeepers' Day, August 9 observed on the closest Sunday
National Family Week, week before Thanksgiving Halloween, October 31
National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women, December 6
References
Further reading Jepson, Tim, The rough guide
to Canada, Rough Guides, pp. 50–52, ISBN 1-84353-266-2 External links
Alberta General Holidays and General Holiday Pay
Statutory Holidays in British Columbia Statutory Holidays in Quebec
iCal Calendars found for ‘Canada’ iCalShare Overview of Canadian statutory holidays