Canadian stat holidays: Everything you need to know

Public holidays in Canada are known as general holidays, statutory holidays, stat holidays, or stats. In Canada, holidays exist on the federal level, but each province and territory have the jurisdiction to adapt these federal holidays and to add their own regional holidays.  

Keeping track of holidays can get confusing because of differences in federal and provincial regulations. In this guide, HRD outlines all you need to know about statutory holidays in Canada and the essential information employers and employees should take note of.  

What are the national stat holidays in Canada? 

There are 5 national stat holidays: New Year’s Day, Good Friday, Canada Day, Labour Day, and Christmas Day. 

In Quebec, employers provide Easter Monday as a statutory holiday instead of Good Friday.  

In Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada Day is known as Memorial Day.  

What are the federal stat holidays in Canada? 

The 10 paid federal stat holidays in Canada are in the following table: 

Holiday	Date
New Year’s Day	January 2, Monday
Good Friday	April 7, Friday
Victoria Day	May 22, Monday
Canada Day	July 3, Monday
Labour Day	September 4, Monday
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation	October 2, Monday
Thanksgiving Day	October 9, Monday
Remembrance Day	November 13, Monday
Christmas Day	December 25, Monday
Boxing Day	December 26, Tuesday

Do Canadians get stat holidays off? 

It varies depending on your industry and employer. Generally, Canadian employees are granted time off for provincial holidays rather than federal holidays.  

In Canada, every job is regulated either by a provincial government or the federal government. If your job is regulated by the federal government, you will receive federal holidays instead of provincial holidays.  

On occasion, provincial holidays coincide with federal holidays, such as Christmas or New Year's Day, but this is not always the case. If your job does not fall under the umbrella of federally regulated industries, you should refer to the employment standards set by your province or territory of employment. 

Do Canadians get paid on stat holidays? 

All Canadians are entitled to paid time off on New Year’s Day, Good Friday, Canada Day, Labour Day, and Christmas Day, regardless of if they’re a federal employee or non-federal employee. Your employment contract should state that these dates will be paid with your full salary. This is also to avoid future employment disputes.  

Federal employees are also entitled to the following as days off with pay: Easter Monday, Victoria Day, National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, Thanksgiving, and Boxing Day. Non-federal employers are not required to provide these holidays off.  

Are part-time employees paid on stat holidays? 

For Federally Regulated Employees 

If you are a part-time employee, you have the right to receive payment for the same 10 statutory holidays as full-time employees. However, your holiday pay is adjusted according to the number of hours you work. 

What provinces have the most stat holidays? 

British Columbia, Northwest Territories, Quebec, Saskatchewan and Yukon have the highest number of statutory holidays in Canada.  

List of 2023 Provincial Stat Holidays in Canada 

Stat holidays in Canada vary across provinces, with some provinces opting out of national holidays while others observe their unique holidays.  

Here is a list of provincial stat holidays in Canada.  

Alberta 

• Family Day: February 20, Monday 
• Victoria Day: May 22, Monday  
• Thanksgiving Day: October 9, Monday  
• Remembrance Day: November 13, Monday 

British Columbia 

• Family Day: February 20, Monday 
• Victoria Day: May 22, Monday 
• British Columbia Day: August 7, Monday 
• Thanksgiving Day: October 9, Monday 
• Remembrance Day: November 13, Monday 

Manitoba 

• Louis Riel Day: February 20, Monday 
• Victoria Day: May 22, Monday 
• Thanksgiving Day: October 9, Monday 

New Brunswick 

• Family Day: February 20, Monday 
• New Brunswick Day: August 7, Monday 
• Remembrance Day: November 13, Monday 

Newfoundland and Labrador 

• Memorial Day: July 3, Monday 
• Remembrance Day: November 13, Monday 

Nova Scotia 

• Heritage Day: February 20, Monday 

Northwest Territories  

• Victoria Day: May 22, Monday 
• National Indigenous Peoples Day: June 21, Wednesday 
• Civic Holiday: August 7, Monday 
• Thanksgiving Day: October 9, Monday 
• Remembrance Day: November 13, Monday 

 

Nunavut 

• Victoria Day: May 22, Monday 
• Nunavut Day: July 10, Monday 
• Civic Holiday: August 7, Monday 
• Thanksgiving Day: October 9, Monday 
• Remembrance Day: November 13, Monday 

Ontario  

• Family Day: February 20, Monday 
• Victoria Day: May 22, Monday 
• Thanksgiving Day: October 9, Monday  
• Boxing Day: December 26, Tuesday 

Prince Edward Island 

• Islander Day: February 20, Monday 
• National Day for Truth and Reconciliation: October 2, Monday 
• Remembrance Day: November 13, Monday 

Quebec 

• National Patriots’ Day: May 22, Monday 
• Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day: June 26, Monday 
• Thanksgiving Day: October 9, Monday 

 

Saskatchewan 

• Family Day: February 20, Monday 
• Victoria Day: May 22, Monday 
• Saskatchewan Day: August 7, Monday  
• Thanksgiving Day: October 9, Monday 
• Remembrance Day: November 13, Monday 

Yukon  

• Victoria Day: May 22, Monday 
• National Indigenous Peoples Day: June 21, Wednesday 
• Discovery Day: August 21, Monday 
• Thanksgiving Day: October 9, Monday  
• Remembrance Day: November 13, Monday 

What happens when a stat holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday? 

When a statutory holiday falls on a weekend, it is typically observed on the following Monday. Examples of this are New Year’s Day, Canada Day, National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, and Remembrance Day 2023.  

For Federally Regulated Employees 

For federal employees, if any of the following holidays occur on a Saturday or Sunday, and it is a non-working day for you, you are entitled to receive a paid holiday on the working day before or after the statutory holiday: 

• New Year's Day 
• Canada Day 
• National Day for Truth and Reconciliation 
• Remembrance Day 
• Christmas Day 
• Boxing Day 

However, if any other holiday not listed above falls on a non-working day for you, a holiday with pay may be added to your annual vacation. Your employer may grant the holiday with pay at a mutually convenient time. 

Can you be forced to work on a stat holiday in Canada? 

For Federally Regulated Employees 

Working on a statutory holiday is not prohibited under the Canada Labour Code. However, employers must comply with regulations concerning payment when their employees work on a stat holiday.  

Pay when working on a stat holiday 

• If you are entitled to statutory holiday pay and are asked to work on a stat holiday, your employer must pay you a minimum of 1.5 times your regular rate of wages for the time worked on that day.  

• Managers and professionals who are required to work on a stat holiday are entitled to their standard rate of pay but must receive an additional holiday with pay.  

• If your employer does not calculate your wages on a daily, hourly, or time basis, the payment calculation is different. In this case, your employer must pay you the average of your wages for the 20 days worked immediately preceding the stat holiday, excluding any overtime pay. Your employer must also pay you your regular rate of wages in addition to the holiday pay for that day. 

#CanadaDay presents an opportunity to reflect on our history and show solidarity, understanding, and resilience. We need to come together to hold a truthful, reconciling, and inclusive dialogue and look toward our country's future while acknowledging the past. pic.twitter.com/yLgjCSpXwz

— Canada #StandWithUkraine🇺🇦 (@Canada) July 1, 2021

Pay for employees of a “continuous operation” employer 

Continuous operations run without regard for holidays or weekends and do not follow a fixed 9 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday schedule. 

Employees who are essential for continuous operation are subject to different requirements. However, for those employees who support the continuous operation during normal weekly business hours, the general provisions apply. 

If you work for a continuous operation employer, there are three ways your employer may pay you if they require you to work on a stat holiday: 

• Pay you 1.5 times your regular rate of pay for the hours you work on the statutory holiday, in addition to statutory holiday pay. 

• Pay you for the hours worked on the statutory holiday and provide an additional holiday with pay on a day convenient for both you and your employer. 

• Pay you for the first day that you do not work after the statutory holiday, if allowed under your collective agreement, if you have one. 

If your employer schedules you to work on a statutory holiday, but you do not report to work that day, your employer is not required to pay you for the statutory holiday. 

What happens when a stat holiday falls during an employee’s leave period? 

For Federally Regulated Employees 

You are eligible to receive statutory holiday pay if a stat holiday occurs while you are on any of the following leaves: personal leave, leave for victims of family violence, or bereavement leave. 

Suppose your work hours vary each day or your employer does not pay you based on time worked. In that case, your regular rate of wages will be either: 

• The average daily earnings, excluding overtime pay, for the 20 days you worked immediately preceding the initial day of the paid leave period. 

• An amount calculated by a method agreed upon in your collective agreement, provided you have one. 

Canada’s Stat Holidays 

In Canada, statutory holidays are public holidays that are legislated at a federal or provincial level. These holidays are a mix of cultural, national, or religious events and most workers are entitled to a paid day off on these days. 

However, since Canada is a country of different provinces and territories, the rules regarding labour standards can vary greatly. This means that Canadian stat holidays can differ from province to province, with some provinces opting out of national statutory holidays and others observing their own unique holidays. 

It's not just the days themselves that can be different, though. Because the bulk of Canadian employment law is provincial, each province has its own distinct rules for calculating holiday pay, determining how holidays are observed when they fall on weekends, and deciding who is exempt from statutory holiday rules. 

Need help figuring out Canada Day, as an example? Review our article on employer responsibilities on Canda Day and apply it to other stat holidays through the year. 

Have any questions about stat holidays in Canada? Let us know in the comments section below.