Какой сегодня праздник канада

Главный государственный праздник — День Канады (Фото: Carrie Bottomley, iStockphoto.com)

Канада (Canada) — государство в Северной Америке. Это двуязычная и многокультурная страна, где английский и французский языки признаны официальными. Канада — конституционная монархия (королевство) с парламентарной системой, её монархом является монарх Британского Содружества наций.

«A Mari Usque Ad Mare» — это национальный девиз Канады, начертанный на ее гербе. В переводе с латыни на английский — официальный язык всех, за исключением Квебека, провинций и территорий канадской федерации, это будет: «From sea to sea», что по-русски означает «От моря до моря».

В эти рамки — от моря до моря — умещается немало замечательного и даже уникального. Прежде всего, уникальны сами рамки: береговая линия Канады — 244 тысяч километров — самая длинная на земном шаре. Находящиеся на границе Канады и США Великие Озера — самый большой в мире водоем с пресной водой. В Канаде находится самый мощный в Северной Америке водопад — Ниагарский.

Канада имеет самую короткую в мире границу с Россией: ее длина 0 километров. Это — Северный полюс, где стыкуются границы полярных владений России и Канады. В недрах канадской земли спрятаны большие запасы нефти. Одно из высочайших зданий в мире — башня «Си-Эн-Тауэр» (553,33 метра), находится, опять же, в Торонто, который, к тому же, официально признан ООН самым многонациональным городом мира — его жители говорят на 100 языках.

Многократно, начиная с 1995 года, специальный Комитет ООН признавал Канаду лучшей на планете страной для жизни человека, опираясь на показатели экологии, продолжительности жизни и получаемого дохода.

И наверняка это еще далеко не все «самое-самое», что есть у Канады — страны, проводящей благоразумную политику целенаправленного привлечения и адаптации в своих рамках всего, что только удастся найти лучшего в мире. Причем тут же все подобное начинает называться «Canada’s finest» — «Канадское высшей пробы». Яркий пример: вы знаете, какой сорт сирени считается лучшим в Канаде? Роскошный сорт белой сирени «Красавица Москвы». Так прямо и написано на этикетке, привязанной к предлагаемому в магазине столицы канадской прерии, Реджайны, саженцу: «Canada’s finest — Beauty of Moscow Lilac». И уточнено строчкой ниже: Krasavitsa Moskvy.

Похоже, что жизнь в такой стране — сплошной праздник. Но, конечно, праздник этот не с небес свалился: он честно заработан каждодневным упорным трудом 32 миллионов канадских граждан.

Канада относится к странам переселенческого типа. Ее территория — 9 984 670 квадратных километров — является второй по площади в мире (после России), и поэтому современное ее население, распределенное по этой территории со средней плотностью около 3 человека на квадратный километр, можно назвать немногочисленным для такой огромной страны. Другое дело, что сосредоточено оно почти целиком в 200-километровой зоне на юге страны, вдоль границы с США, а сформировано, в основном, под влиянием постоянного притока иммигрантов, прибывавших сюда из разных стран мира в течение 17-20 столетий и все еще продолжающих прибывать.

Приблизительно каждый шестой житель Канады родился за пределами страны, но все здесь называют себя канадцами, иногда уточняя свое происхождения. Результатом этого процесса и является та «этническая мозаика», которая сегодня характеризует Канаду.

Соответственно этому и отмечаемых праздников в Канаде довольно много: значительно больше, чем в любой другой стране. Здесь отмечают праздники китайские, японские, индийские, иранские, итальянские, русские и многие-многие другие. Помимо общеканадских, многие провинции имеют собственные праздники, которые являются официальными именно для жителей данной провинции. Официальные праздники могут быть нерабочими днями для всех, а могут быть выходными только для государственных и правительственных учреждений.

Отношение канадцев к праздникам как и везде, конечно, особое: все стараются по максимуму переключиться с работы на отдых: пойти в гости, или пригласить родственников в себе, или выехать куда-либо с семьей и друзьями. Поэтому в Канаде необычайно популярны так называемые «long weekend»’ы, когда к праздникам стараются приурочить выходные или отгулы. Такие «длинные выходные», они же короткие отпуска, разбивая рабочий год на несколько частей, обеспечивают канадцам добавочные каникулы: зимой на Рождество, весной на Пасху и летом — на День Канады.

Праздники в Канаде либо закрепляются за конкретной датой, которая всегда постоянна (например, Новый Год наступает здесь, так же как и везде, ровно 1 января), либо приходятся на специальные дни недели и месяца, определенные Трудовым Кодексом.

Канадцы любят праздники, поэтому проводят их с удовольствием и со вкусом.

Год 2023

Год 2024

Год 2025

Год 2026

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Public holidays in Canada
Observed by	Canadians
Type	National, provincial, federal
Celebrations	Various
Observances	NATIONWIDE (in bold) and FEDERAL (in italics): New Year’s Day Good Friday Easter Monday Victoria Day Canada Day Civic Holiday Labour Day Truth and Reconciliation Day Thanksgiving Day Remembrance Day Christmas Day Boxing Day

Public holidays in Canada, known as statutory holidays, stat holidays, or simply stats, consist of a variety of cultural, nationalistic, and religious holidays that are legislated in Canada at the federal or provincial and territorial levels. While many of these holidays are honoured and acknowledged nationwide, provincial and territorial legislation varies in regard to which are officially recognized.

There are five nationwide statutory holidays^[1] and six additional holidays for federal employees.^[2] Each of the 13 provinces and territories observes a number of holidays in addition to the nationwide days, but each varies in regard to which are legislated as either statutory, optional, or not at all.

Many public and private employers, as well as school systems, provide additional days off around the end of December, often including at least a full or half-day on December 24 (Christmas Eve) or December 31 (New Year’s Eve) or in some cases, the entire week between Christmas and New Year.^[3][4] While not officially legislated in any capacity, internationally notable cultural holidays such as Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Halloween, Mother’s Day, and Father’s Day are traditionally observed by Canadians as part of Canadian culture.^[5]

Statutory holidays[edit]

A statutory holiday (also known as «stats» or «general» or «public» holiday) in Canada is legislated either through the federal government or a provincial or territorial government.^[6] 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 1+1⁄2 (known as «time and a half») or twice (known as «double time») the regular pay for their time worked that day, in addition to the holiday pay.^[7] In most provinces, when a statutory holiday falls on a normal day off (generally a weekend), the following workday 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.^[8]

Nationwide statutory holidays in Canada[edit]

Federal statutory holidays, also observed in some provinces[edit]

In addition to the nationwide holidays listed above, the following holidays are mandated by federal legislation for federally regulated employees. All banks and post offices commemorate these holidays, and they are statutory in some provinces and territories.

Death of Queen Elizabeth II[edit]

On September 19, 2022, the Canadian federal government declared a national day of mourning (French: Jour de deuil national) to commemorate the death of Canada’s head of state Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada, on the day of her state funeral. The day was a holiday for federal government employees.^[20]

The provinces of British Columbia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland & Labrador, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island also enacted provincial equivalents for the federal holiday. The provinces of Alberta, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Quebec did not enact any holiday.^[21]

Other common holidays[edit]

Provincial and territorial holidays[edit]

Provinces and territories generally adopt the same holidays as the federal government with some variations. Only the provincial statutory holidays are shaded:

Alberta[edit]

Five nationwide statutory holidays, four provincial holidays as well as three «optional holidays».^[27]

Provincial statutory

• Alberta Family Day – third Monday in February
• Victoria Day – last Monday before May 25
• Thanksgiving – second Monday in October
• Remembrance Day – November 11

Optional

• Easter Monday – optional holiday, variable date between March 23 and April 26
• Heritage Day – optional holiday, first Monday of August
• National Day for Truth and Reconciliation – optional holiday, September 30
• Boxing Day – optional holiday, December 26

British Columbia[edit]

Five nationwide and five provincial statutory holidays.^[28]

Provincial statutory

• Family Day – third Monday of February
• Victoria Day – last Monday before May 25
• British Columbia Day – first Monday of August
• Thanksgiving – second Monday of October
• Remembrance Day – November 11

Manitoba[edit]

Five nationwide and three provincial statutory holidays, as well as two optional holidays.^[29] 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

• Terry Fox Day (Civic Holiday) – first Monday in August; not a statutory holiday.
• Remembrance Day – an «official day of observance», not a statutory holiday.^[30]

New Brunswick[edit]

Five nationwide and five provincial statutory holidays.^[31] Although prescribed as public holidays, Victoria Day, Thanksgiving, and Boxing Day are not paid public holidays.^[32]

Provincial statutory

• Family Day – third Monday in February (since 2018)^[33]
• New Brunswick Day – first Monday in August
• Remembrance Day – November 11

Optional

• Victoria Day
• Thanksgiving
• Boxing Day

Newfoundland and Labrador[edit]

• Five nationwide and one provincial statutory holiday.^[34][35] Thanksgiving is not a statutory holiday. Canada Day is not a statutory holiday as July 1 is Memorial Day.

Provincial statutory

• Memorial Day (July 1)
• Armistice Day (Remembrance Day) (November 11)

Optional

• Saint Patrick’s Day (March 17)
• Saint George’s Day (April 23)
• Victoria Day
• Discovery Day or June Holiday (June 24)
• Orangemen’s Day (July 12)
• Thanksgiving
• Boxing Day (December 26)

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 (or, in case of poor weather, the next suitable day thereafter). 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[edit]

Five nationwide holidays and five territorial statutory holidays.

Territorial statutory

• Victoria Day – Monday preceding May 25
• National Aboriginal Day – June 21
• Civic Holiday – first Monday in August
• Remembrance Day – November 11
• Thanksgiving – second Monday of October

Nova Scotia[edit]

Five nationwide holidays plus two provincial holidays. 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.^[36][37][38]

Provincial statutory

• Heritage Day – This holiday is held on the third Monday of February since 2015, and celebrates notable people, events and locations from the province’s history. In 2015, Heritage Day celebrated Black Nova Scotian civil rights activist and businesswoman Viola Desmond.^[39]
• Remembrance Day – November 11; this holiday has been governed separately from all other public holidays in Nova Scotia since 1981:^[40] 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.^[41]

Optional

• Natal Day – first Monday in August; not a statutory holiday but a common day off in Halifax Regional Municipality.

Nunavut[edit]

Five nationwide and four territorial statutory holidays. Boxing Day is not a statutory holiday.

Territorial statutory

• Victoria Day – Monday preceding May 25
• Civic Holiday – first Monday in August
• Thanksgiving – second Monday in October
• Remembrance Day – November 11

Optional

• Nunavut Day – July 9, originated as a paid holiday for Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated and regional Inuit associations. It became a half-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[edit]

Five nationwide and four provincial statutory holidays. Martin Luther King Jr. Day was officially recognized in Toronto in 2018 and has also been in Ottawa, though not as a paid holiday.^[42][43]

Provincial statutory

• Family Day – third Monday in February
• Victoria Day – Monday preceding May 25
• Thanksgiving Day – second Monday of October
• Boxing Day – December 26

Optional

• Civic Holiday – first Monday in August; not a statutory holiday.^[44]
• Remembrance Day – November 11; not a statutory holiday.^[44]

Prince Edward Island[edit]

Five nationwide and three provincial statutory holidays.^[45]

Provincial statutory^[46]

• Islander Day – third Monday in February (originally second)
• Truth and Reconciliation Day – September 30
• Remembrance Day – November 11

In addition, Gold Cup Parade Day is celebrated 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. The day is observed as a holiday by some businesses in the central and eastern areas of the province.^[47]

Quebec[edit]

In Quebec, there are 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 details of employment law are different in Quebec. The official statutory holidays are:^[48][49]

• January 1 (New Year’s Day)
• Good Friday or Easter Monday at the employer’s choice
• Monday preceding May 25 (National Patriots’ Day)
• June 24 (Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day)
• July 1. If this date falls on a Sunday: July 2 (Canada Day)
• First Monday in September (Labour Day)
• Second Monday in October (Thanksgiving Day)
• December 25 (Christmas Day).

Optional

• Construction Holiday (French: Vacances de la construction) takes place during the last two weeks of July and also the last two weeks of December for Christmas holidays. While it applies officially only to the construction industry, many other Quebecers arrange to take their vacations during these two weeks.^{[citation needed]}

Saskatchewan[edit]

Five nationwide and five provincial statutory holidays.

Provincial statutory

• Family Day – third Monday in February
• Victoria Day – Monday preceding May 25
• Saskatchewan Day – first Monday in August. Celebration of Saskatchewan history and culture similar to Canada Day.
• Thanksgiving Day – second Monday in October
• Remembrance Day – November 11

Yukon[edit]

Five nationwide and four 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.^[50]

Territorial statutory

• Victoria Day – Monday preceding May 25
• Discovery Day – third Monday in August
• Thanksgiving Day – second Monday in October
• Remembrance Day – November 11
• National Aboriginal Day – June 21 since 2017^[51][52]

Optional

• Heritage Day – Friday before the last Sunday in February^{[citation needed]} – optional for non-public service workers

Municipal holidays[edit]

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[edit]

In Canada, there are two definitions of the term «civic holiday»:

Legal definition[edit]

By law, a civic holiday is defined as any holiday which is legally recognized and for which employers are obliged to offer holiday pay.

August Civic Holiday[edit]

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 (in the Yukon, a civic holiday is celebrated instead on the third Monday of August as Discovery Day). Five other provinces (Ontario, Alberta, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island) 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 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, also known as Natal Day. Instead of each city and town having a separate birthday celebration and day off, the Civic Holiday is observed. For example, the Halifax Regional Municipality is made up of the former cities of 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 meant significant confusion arose 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[edit]

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.^[53]

In April 2014, a private member’s bill to make Remembrance Day a legal holiday and give it the same status as Canada Day was introduced to the House of Commons. Bill C-597 passed second reading in the House of Commons by a margin of 258 to 2; however, it did not become law.^[54]

In 2001, members of the 14th Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories passed the National Aboriginal Day Act, making it the first jurisdiction in Canada to recognize this day as a formal statutory holiday.^[55]

Holidays occurring on non-work days[edit]

For federally regulated workers, if a holiday occurs on a day that is normally not worked, then «another day off with pay will be provided».^[56]

When New Year’s Day, Canada Day, Remembrance Day, Christmas Day or Boxing Day falls on a Saturday or Sunday which a federally regulated worker would not normally work, they 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 the employer must add a holiday with pay to their employees’ annual vacation or give them a paid day off at another mutually convenient time.

Other observances[edit]

• Raoul Wallenberg Day, January 17
• Groundhog Day, February 2
• Valentine’s Day, February 14
• National Flag of Canada Day, February 15
• International Women’s Day, March 8^[57]
• Commonwealth Day, the second Monday in March. This has been observed as a holiday in some Commonwealth countries.
• Saint Patrick’s Day, March 17
• April Fool’s Day, April 1
• Tartan Day, April 6
• Earth Day, April 22
• Victory in Europe Day, May 8
• Mother’s Day, second Sunday of May
• Father’s Day, third Sunday of June
• Loyalist Day, June 19, celebrating Canada’s Loyalist heritage, particularly in Ontario and New Brunswick (also the day Upper Canada was created, now Ontario)
• National Indigenous Peoples 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 Grandparents’ Day, second Sunday in September
• National Family Week, week before Thanksgiving
• Halloween, October 31
• National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women, December 6

See also[edit]

• List of festivals in Canada
• List of holidays by country

Notes[edit]

References[edit]

Further reading[edit]

• Jepson, Tim (2004), The rough guide to Canada, Rough Guides, pp. 50–52, ISBN 1-84353-266-2

External links[edit]

• Statutory Holidays in British Columbia
• Statutory Holidays in Quebec Archived July 6, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
• iCal Calendars found for ‘Canada’ iCalShare
• Overview of Canadian statutory holidays

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Public holidays in Canada
Observed by	Canadians
Type	National, provincial, federal
Celebrations	Various
Observances	NATIONWIDE (in bold) and FEDERAL (in italics): New Year’s Day Good Friday Easter Monday Victoria Day Canada Day Civic Holiday Labour Day Truth and Reconciliation Day Thanksgiving Day Remembrance Day Christmas Day Boxing Day

Public holidays in Canada, known as statutory holidays, stat holidays, or simply stats, consist of a variety of cultural, nationalistic, and religious holidays that are legislated in Canada at the federal or provincial and territorial levels. While many of these holidays are honoured and acknowledged nationwide, provincial and territorial legislation varies in regard to which are officially recognized.

There are five nationwide statutory holidays^[1] and six additional holidays for federal employees.^[2] Each of the 13 provinces and territories observes a number of holidays in addition to the nationwide days, but each varies in regard to which are legislated as either statutory, optional, or not at all.

Many public and private employers, as well as school systems, provide additional days off around the end of December, often including at least a full or half-day on December 24 (Christmas Eve) or December 31 (New Year’s Eve) or in some cases, the entire week between Christmas and New Year.^[3][4] While not officially legislated in any capacity, internationally notable cultural holidays such as Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Halloween, Mother’s Day, and Father’s Day are traditionally observed by Canadians as part of Canadian culture.^[5]

Statutory holidays[edit]

A statutory holiday (also known as «stats» or «general» or «public» holiday) in Canada is legislated either through the federal government or a provincial or territorial government.^[6] 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 1+1⁄2 (known as «time and a half») or twice (known as «double time») the regular pay for their time worked that day, in addition to the holiday pay.^[7] In most provinces, when a statutory holiday falls on a normal day off (generally a weekend), the following workday 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.^[8]

Nationwide statutory holidays in Canada[edit]

Federal statutory holidays, also observed in some provinces[edit]

In addition to the nationwide holidays listed above, the following holidays are mandated by federal legislation for federally regulated employees. All banks and post offices commemorate these holidays, and they are statutory in some provinces and territories.

Death of Queen Elizabeth II[edit]

On September 19, 2022, the Canadian federal government declared a national day of mourning (French: Jour de deuil national) to commemorate the death of Canada’s head of state Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada, on the day of her state funeral. The day was a holiday for federal government employees.^[20]

The provinces of British Columbia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland & Labrador, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island also enacted provincial equivalents for the federal holiday. The provinces of Alberta, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Quebec did not enact any holiday.^[21]

Other common holidays[edit]

Provincial and territorial holidays[edit]

Provinces and territories generally adopt the same holidays as the federal government with some variations. Only the provincial statutory holidays are shaded:

Alberta[edit]

Five nationwide statutory holidays, four provincial holidays as well as three «optional holidays».^[27]

Provincial statutory

• Alberta Family Day – third Monday in February
• Victoria Day – last Monday before May 25
• Thanksgiving – second Monday in October
• Remembrance Day – November 11

Optional

• Easter Monday – optional holiday, variable date between March 23 and April 26
• Heritage Day – optional holiday, first Monday of August
• National Day for Truth and Reconciliation – optional holiday, September 30
• Boxing Day – optional holiday, December 26

British Columbia[edit]

Five nationwide and five provincial statutory holidays.^[28]

Provincial statutory

• Family Day – third Monday of February
• Victoria Day – last Monday before May 25
• British Columbia Day – first Monday of August
• Thanksgiving – second Monday of October
• Remembrance Day – November 11

Manitoba[edit]

Five nationwide and three provincial statutory holidays, as well as two optional holidays.^[29] 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

• Terry Fox Day (Civic Holiday) – first Monday in August; not a statutory holiday.
• Remembrance Day – an «official day of observance», not a statutory holiday.^[30]

New Brunswick[edit]

Five nationwide and five provincial statutory holidays.^[31] Although prescribed as public holidays, Victoria Day, Thanksgiving, and Boxing Day are not paid public holidays.^[32]

Provincial statutory

• Family Day – third Monday in February (since 2018)^[33]
• New Brunswick Day – first Monday in August
• Remembrance Day – November 11

Optional

• Victoria Day
• Thanksgiving
• Boxing Day

Newfoundland and Labrador[edit]

• Five nationwide and one provincial statutory holiday.^[34][35] Thanksgiving is not a statutory holiday. Canada Day is not a statutory holiday as July 1 is Memorial Day.

Provincial statutory

• Memorial Day (July 1)
• Armistice Day (Remembrance Day) (November 11)

Optional

• Saint Patrick’s Day (March 17)
• Saint George’s Day (April 23)
• Victoria Day
• Discovery Day or June Holiday (June 24)
• Orangemen’s Day (July 12)
• Thanksgiving
• Boxing Day (December 26)

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 (or, in case of poor weather, the next suitable day thereafter). 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[edit]

Five nationwide holidays and five territorial statutory holidays.

Territorial statutory

• Victoria Day – Monday preceding May 25
• National Aboriginal Day – June 21
• Civic Holiday – first Monday in August
• Remembrance Day – November 11
• Thanksgiving – second Monday of October

Nova Scotia[edit]

Five nationwide holidays plus two provincial holidays. 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.^[36][37][38]

Provincial statutory

• Heritage Day – This holiday is held on the third Monday of February since 2015, and celebrates notable people, events and locations from the province’s history. In 2015, Heritage Day celebrated Black Nova Scotian civil rights activist and businesswoman Viola Desmond.^[39]
• Remembrance Day – November 11; this holiday has been governed separately from all other public holidays in Nova Scotia since 1981:^[40] 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.^[41]

Optional

• Natal Day – first Monday in August; not a statutory holiday but a common day off in Halifax Regional Municipality.

Nunavut[edit]

Five nationwide and four territorial statutory holidays. Boxing Day is not a statutory holiday.

Territorial statutory

• Victoria Day – Monday preceding May 25
• Civic Holiday – first Monday in August
• Thanksgiving – second Monday in October
• Remembrance Day – November 11

Optional

• Nunavut Day – July 9, originated as a paid holiday for Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated and regional Inuit associations. It became a half-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[edit]

Five nationwide and four provincial statutory holidays. Martin Luther King Jr. Day was officially recognized in Toronto in 2018 and has also been in Ottawa, though not as a paid holiday.^[42][43]

Provincial statutory

• Family Day – third Monday in February
• Victoria Day – Monday preceding May 25
• Thanksgiving Day – second Monday of October
• Boxing Day – December 26

Optional

• Civic Holiday – first Monday in August; not a statutory holiday.^[44]
• Remembrance Day – November 11; not a statutory holiday.^[44]

Prince Edward Island[edit]

Five nationwide and three provincial statutory holidays.^[45]

Provincial statutory^[46]

• Islander Day – third Monday in February (originally second)
• Truth and Reconciliation Day – September 30
• Remembrance Day – November 11

In addition, Gold Cup Parade Day is celebrated 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. The day is observed as a holiday by some businesses in the central and eastern areas of the province.^[47]

Quebec[edit]

In Quebec, there are 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 details of employment law are different in Quebec. The official statutory holidays are:^[48][49]

• January 1 (New Year’s Day)
• Good Friday or Easter Monday at the employer’s choice
• Monday preceding May 25 (National Patriots’ Day)
• June 24 (Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day)
• July 1. If this date falls on a Sunday: July 2 (Canada Day)
• First Monday in September (Labour Day)
• Second Monday in October (Thanksgiving Day)
• December 25 (Christmas Day).

Optional

• Construction Holiday (French: Vacances de la construction) takes place during the last two weeks of July and also the last two weeks of December for Christmas holidays. While it applies officially only to the construction industry, many other Quebecers arrange to take their vacations during these two weeks.^{[citation needed]}

Saskatchewan[edit]

Five nationwide and five provincial statutory holidays.

Provincial statutory

• Family Day – third Monday in February
• Victoria Day – Monday preceding May 25
• Saskatchewan Day – first Monday in August. Celebration of Saskatchewan history and culture similar to Canada Day.
• Thanksgiving Day – second Monday in October
• Remembrance Day – November 11

Yukon[edit]

Five nationwide and four 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.^[50]

Territorial statutory

• Victoria Day – Monday preceding May 25
• Discovery Day – third Monday in August
• Thanksgiving Day – second Monday in October
• Remembrance Day – November 11
• National Aboriginal Day – June 21 since 2017^[51][52]

Optional

• Heritage Day – Friday before the last Sunday in February^{[citation needed]} – optional for non-public service workers

Municipal holidays[edit]

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[edit]

In Canada, there are two definitions of the term «civic holiday»:

Legal definition[edit]

By law, a civic holiday is defined as any holiday which is legally recognized and for which employers are obliged to offer holiday pay.

August Civic Holiday[edit]

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 (in the Yukon, a civic holiday is celebrated instead on the third Monday of August as Discovery Day). Five other provinces (Ontario, Alberta, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island) 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 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, also known as Natal Day. Instead of each city and town having a separate birthday celebration and day off, the Civic Holiday is observed. For example, the Halifax Regional Municipality is made up of the former cities of 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 meant significant confusion arose 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[edit]

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.^[53]

In April 2014, a private member’s bill to make Remembrance Day a legal holiday and give it the same status as Canada Day was introduced to the House of Commons. Bill C-597 passed second reading in the House of Commons by a margin of 258 to 2; however, it did not become law.^[54]

In 2001, members of the 14th Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories passed the National Aboriginal Day Act, making it the first jurisdiction in Canada to recognize this day as a formal statutory holiday.^[55]

Holidays occurring on non-work days[edit]

For federally regulated workers, if a holiday occurs on a day that is normally not worked, then «another day off with pay will be provided».^[56]

When New Year’s Day, Canada Day, Remembrance Day, Christmas Day or Boxing Day falls on a Saturday or Sunday which a federally regulated worker would not normally work, they 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 the employer must add a holiday with pay to their employees’ annual vacation or give them a paid day off at another mutually convenient time.

Other observances[edit]

• Raoul Wallenberg Day, January 17
• Groundhog Day, February 2
• Valentine’s Day, February 14
• National Flag of Canada Day, February 15
• International Women’s Day, March 8^[57]
• Commonwealth Day, the second Monday in March. This has been observed as a holiday in some Commonwealth countries.
• Saint Patrick’s Day, March 17
• April Fool’s Day, April 1
• Tartan Day, April 6
• Earth Day, April 22
• Victory in Europe Day, May 8
• Mother’s Day, second Sunday of May
• Father’s Day, third Sunday of June
• Loyalist Day, June 19, celebrating Canada’s Loyalist heritage, particularly in Ontario and New Brunswick (also the day Upper Canada was created, now Ontario)
• National Indigenous Peoples 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 Grandparents’ Day, second Sunday in September
• National Family Week, week before Thanksgiving
• Halloween, October 31
• National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women, December 6

See also[edit]

• List of festivals in Canada
• List of holidays by country

Notes[edit]

References[edit]

Further reading[edit]

• Jepson, Tim (2004), The rough guide to Canada, Rough Guides, pp. 50–52, ISBN 1-84353-266-2

External links[edit]

• Statutory Holidays in British Columbia
• Statutory Holidays in Quebec Archived July 6, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
• iCal Calendars found for ‘Canada’ iCalShare
• Overview of Canadian statutory holidays