Public Holidays in Canada
Complete list of official statutory and federal public holidays in Canada for , including national and provincial holiday information. Data sourced live from official government records.
Found … public holidays in Canada for .
| Date | Day | Holiday Name | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Loading holidays… | |||
About Public Holidays in Canada
Canada's public holiday system is a blend of federal statutory holidays and provincial/territorial holidays, making the full picture more complex than in many other countries. While the federal government sets certain holidays, employment is largely regulated at the provincial level — meaning workers' actual entitlements often depend on which province or territory they live and work in.
The federal government recognizes 11 federal statutory holidays that apply to federally regulated employees (those in industries like banking, interprovincial transport, and telecommunications). These include: New Year's Day, Good Friday, Victoria Day, Canada Day, Labour Day, Thanksgiving, Remembrance Day, Christmas Day, and Boxing Day, as well as National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (September 30, added in 2021).
Canada Day on July 1 is one of the most important national holidays, commemorating the 1867 confederation that created the Dominion of Canada. Victoria Day, observed on the Monday before May 25, honours the birth of Queen Victoria and is a uniquely Canadian holiday — it is not observed in the UK or Australia. Thanksgiving in Canada falls on the second Monday in October, earlier than the US Thanksgiving, reflecting the shorter harvest season in the northern climate.
Provincial variation is especially significant for Family Day, which is observed in Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, Saskatchewan, and New Brunswick, but is NOT a federal holiday. Quebec has its own unique holiday, the Fête nationale du Québec (June 24 — also called St-Jean-Baptiste Day), which has no equivalent in other provinces. The Yukon celebrates Yukon Heritage Day in February.
For most employees in Canada, statutory holidays mean a paid day off. If an employee works on a statutory holiday, they are typically entitled to premium pay (often 1.5× regular pay) plus either a day off in lieu or additional pay, depending on provincial employment standards legislation.
Frequently Asked Questions — Canada Holidays
How many statutory holidays does Canada have?
Canada has 11 federal statutory holidays that apply to federally regulated workers. However, the number of holidays an individual worker gets depends on their province. Most provinces have between 8 and 13 statutory holidays per year, with some provinces offering more days through provincial legislation. Quebec and Ontario, for example, have additional provincial holidays not on the federal list.
Is Remembrance Day a statutory holiday in Canada?
Remembrance Day (November 11) is a federal statutory holiday in Canada, but it is not a statutory holiday in Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba, and Nova Scotia, meaning workers in those provinces may not have a legal right to the day off. In other provinces and territories, it is a statutory holiday with pay. Federal employees everywhere in Canada do get the day off.
Does Ontario have Family Day?
Yes. Ontario observes Family Day on the third Monday of February. It was introduced in 2008 to give workers a long weekend in the middle of winter, between New Year's and Easter. Family Day is also observed in Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, and New Brunswick — but it is not a federal holiday, so federally regulated workers in Ontario do not automatically get it off unless their employer chooses to observe it.
When is Victoria Day in Canada?
Victoria Day is celebrated on the Monday before May 25 each year. It honours the birthday of Queen Victoria (May 24, 1819). It is uniquely a Canadian holiday — the United Kingdom does not observe it. In Quebec, the same day is celebrated as Journée nationale des patriotes. Victoria Day is sometimes informally called the "May 2-4 weekend" and is considered the unofficial start of summer.
Combine Canada Holidays with Other Countries
Use HolidaySync to overlay holidays from multiple countries into one calendar.
Open HolidaySync Calendar →