Canada Statutory Holidays by Province: Federal vs Provincial Rules
Most Canadian workers get their statutory holidays from provincial law, not federal law. That is why Family Day, Remembrance Day and 30 September depend on where you work.
A Toronto company hires its first employees in Vancouver and Montreal. In February the Toronto and Vancouver teams take Family Day off; Montreal works. In late September, the Vancouver team takes the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation off; Toronto and Montreal work. In June, Montreal closes for the Fête nationale and nobody else does. Each office is following the law correctly. The law is just different in each province.
Two systems: federal and provincial
Employment standards in Canada are mostly a provincial and territorial responsibility. The federal Canada Labour Code applies only to federally regulated industries, such as banks, airlines, rail and interprovincial transport, telecommunications, and federal Crown corporations. Everyone else, which is most workers, is covered by the employment standards law of the province or territory where they work.
The phrase "statutory holiday" therefore means different things depending on which law applies. A national holiday such as Canada Day is a statutory holiday almost everywhere, but other days are not.
Federally regulated workplaces
The Canada Labour Code lists these general holidays:
- New Year's Day
- Good Friday
- Victoria Day (the Monday before 25 May)
- Canada Day (1 July)
- Civic Holiday (first Monday in August)
- Labour Day (first Monday in September)
- National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (30 September, added in 2021)
- Thanksgiving (second Monday in October)
- Remembrance Day (11 November)
- Christmas Day
- Boxing Day
That is eleven. The Code also has rules on substitution when a holiday falls on a non-working day, and on holiday pay. Check the current federal guidance and your contract or collective agreement.
Provincial differences
Provincial lists typically contain between eight and ten days, and the mix varies. The main points of difference:
| Day | How it varies |
|---|---|
| February holiday (third Monday) | Family Day in Alberta, British Columbia, New Brunswick, Ontario and Saskatchewan; Louis Riel Day in Manitoba; Islander Day in Prince Edward Island; Heritage Day in Nova Scotia; not a statutory day in Quebec |
| Good Friday / Easter Monday | Good Friday is widespread; in Quebec employers may choose Good Friday or Easter Monday |
| Victoria Day | Widespread; Quebec instead observes National Patriots' Day on the same Monday |
| 24 June | Fête nationale in Quebec |
| Civic Holiday (August) | Statutory in some provinces under local names (such as BC Day); not a statutory public holiday under Ontario's employment standards, though widely given |
| 30 September | Statutory for federal workplaces and some provinces and territories, including British Columbia; not under Ontario or Quebec employment standards at the time of writing |
| Thanksgiving | Statutory in most provinces, but not in several Atlantic provinces |
| Remembrance Day | Statutory in many provinces, not under employment standards in Ontario or Quebec, among others |
Ontario's list has nine public holidays: New Year's Day, Family Day, Good Friday, Victoria Day, Canada Day, Labour Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Quebec's list has eight. Newfoundland and Labrador has additional days of its own. Provinces have added holidays in recent years, so check the current provincial source rather than a list from a few years ago.
Weekend holidays
When a holiday falls on a non-working day, most jurisdictions provide a substitute day off or extra pay, but the mechanics differ by province. Canada Day has its own convention: when 1 July is a Sunday, it is observed on Monday 2 July.
Worked example: September and October 2027
Take the two months from 1 September to 31 October 2027. That span contains 43 weekdays. The relevant holidays are:
- Labour Day: Monday 6 September
- National Day for Truth and Reconciliation: Thursday 30 September
- Thanksgiving: Monday 11 October
| Federally regulated | British Columbia | Ontario | Quebec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weekdays | 43 | 43 | 43 | 43 |
| Labour Day | −1 | −1 | −1 | −1 |
| 30 September | −1 | −1 | 0 | 0 |
| Thanksgiving | −1 | −1 | −1 | −1 |
| Working days | 40 | 40 | 41 | 41 |
A bank branch in Toronto is federally regulated and follows the first column; the provincially regulated shop next door follows the Ontario column. Two employers on the same street can therefore have different holiday obligations on 30 September.
Quebec in more detail
Quebec is the province that most often surprises people from elsewhere in Canada. It has no February holiday. Instead of Victoria Day it observes National Patriots' Day on the same Monday, which in 2027 is 24 May. The Fête nationale on 24 June is its most significant holiday, and Canada Day follows a week later. For Easter, Quebec employers may give either Good Friday or Easter Monday, so two Montreal companies can choose differently. Quebec also has specific rules on how holiday pay is calculated and on moving the Fête nationale when it falls on a Sunday. Check the provincial standards body for current details.
Other 2027 dates to watch
- Canada Day, 1 July 2027, is a Thursday. Friday 2 July is likely to be a popular day of leave across the country.
- Christmas Day and Boxing Day 2027 fall on a Saturday and Sunday. How substitute days are given depends on the province and, for federally regulated employers, on the Canada Labour Code. Expect most employers to close on Monday 27 and Tuesday 28 December, but confirm.
- Family Day 2027, where it applies, is Monday 15 February.
Remote employees
For remote staff, the general principle is that the employment standards of the province or territory where the employee works apply, not where the employer is headquartered. A Toronto employer with a remote employee in Halifax should therefore follow Nova Scotia's list for that person. Check your contract and local rules, and get advice where the situation is unclear.
What to do next
- Establish for each employee whether the Canada Labour Code or provincial law applies.
- Assign each provincially regulated employee to the province or territory where they work.
- Use the Canada holiday calendar filtered by province.
- Plan around the Monday holidays with the 2027 Canada long weekends list.
- For cross-province deadlines, count with the business days calculator on the calendar with more holidays.
- Write down whether your company gives non-statutory days, such as the Civic Holiday in Ontario, as a policy benefit.
