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 and six additional holidays for federal employees. 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. While not officially legislated in any capacity, internationally notable cultural holidays such as Valentine's Day, Saint Patrick's Day, Halloween, Mother's Day, and Father's Day are traditionally observed by Canadians as part of Canadian culture.

Statutory holidays 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. 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 rateusually (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. 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.

Nationwide statutory holidays in Canada

Date English name French name Remarks January 1 New Year's Day Celebrates the first day of every year in the Gregorian calendar Variable date between March 20 and April 23 Good Friday Commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus, on the Friday preceding Easter.

In Quebec, non-federally regulated employers must give either Good Friday or Easter Monday as a statutory holiday, though some give both days. July 1 Canada Day Celebrates Canada's 1867 Confederation and establishment of dominion status. In Newfoundland and Labrador, observed concurrently with Memorial Day. First Monday in September Labour Day Celebrates economic and social achievements of workers December 25 Christmas Day Celebrates the nativity of Jesus

Federal statutory holidays, also observed in some provinces 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.

Date English name French name Remarks In lieu of Good Friday (Stat Holiday), Monday after Easter Day Easter Monday Variable date between March 23 and April 26. Celebrates the resurrection of Jesus.

Not a statutory holiday in any province or territory; however, in Quebec employers must give either Good Friday or Easter Monday as a statutory holiday, though most give both days.

Banks remain open (legally they cannot close for more than three consecutive days except in emergencies), but employees often receive a "floating" paid day off to be taken on or near the holiday.

This is not one of the nine "General Holidays" as defined by the Canada Labour CodePart III. As such, there is no legal requirement for private sector employers in federally regulated industries to provide Easter Monday as a paid holiday to employees. However, many federal government offices will be closed on this day. Monday preceding May 25 Victoria Day Officially (more commonly called ) or Celebrates the birthday of the reigning Canadian monarch; however, the date does not change with the change of monarch, being instead fixed on the birthday of Queen Victoria, the sovereign at the time of Canadian Confederation and establishment of dominion status in 1867. Some French-Canadians celebrate instead Adam Dollard des Ormeaux, a French-Canadian hero from the New France times on this day; officially National Patriots' Day in Quebec.

Statutory holiday in Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Ontario, Quebec (coincides with National Patriots' Day), Saskatchewan, and Yukon. A holiday in New Brunswick under the Days of Rest Act.

Not a statutory holiday in the eastern provinces of Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, or Newfoundland and Labrador. First Monday in August Civic Holiday Statutory holiday in British Columbia (British Columbia Day), New Brunswick (New Brunswick Day), Northwest Territories (Civic Holiday), Nunavut (Civic Holiday), and Saskatchewan (Saskatchewan Day).

Civic holiday (may be a paid vacation day depending on employer) in Alberta (Heritage Day), Manitoba (Terry Fox Day), Ontario (Colonel By Day, John Galt Day, Simcoe Day, and others), and Nova Scotia (Natal Day).

Not an official statutory holiday in Ontario, but it is widely observed. Not observed in Newfoundland and Labrador, Quebec, or Yukon.

Not observed in Prince Edward Island, though many businesses instead observe a holiday for the Gold Cup Parade, held on the third Friday in August. September 30 National Day for Truth and Reconciliation Commemorates the victims of the Canadian Indian residential school system. Unofficial observance of this date began in 2013 as Orange Shirt Day, a local educational event in Williams Lake, British Columbia. The day has been a holiday for employees of the federal government and federally-regulated industries since 2021.

, the day is observed as a statutory holiday for all workers in British Columbia, Prince Edward Island, the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and Yukon. Schools and some public services close for the day in Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador. Second Monday in October Thanksgiving Day A day to give thanks for the things one has at the close of the harvest season.

Statutory holiday in most jurisdictions of Canada: Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Ontario, Quebec, Saskatchewan, and Yukon.

An optional holiday in the Atlantic provinces of Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. In New Brunswick, included under the Days of Rest Act. November 11 Remembrance Day Commemorates Canada's war dead. Anniversary of the armistice ending World War I in 1918.

Statutory holiday in Alberta, British Columbia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Prince Edward Island, Saskatchewan, and Yukon.

In Manitoba, an "Official day of Observance", not a statutory holiday.

In Nova Scotia, addressed in the Remembrance Day Act, which prohibits employers from allowing employees to work and prohibits employees from working with exceptions for required services. Employers have the option of giving Remembrance Day or an alternate day off.

Not a statutory holiday in Quebec and Ontario. December 26 Boxing Day A holiday with mixed and uncertain origins and definitions.Snopes.com – "Boxing Day" – Urban Legends Reference Pages. Retrieved March 22, 2010.

Provincially, a statutory holiday in Ontario. A holiday in New Brunswick under the Days of Rest Act.

Many employers across the country observe Boxing Day as a paid day off.

Other common holidays Date English name French name Remarks Third Monday in February Statutory holiday under various names in Alberta, Ontario, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia.

British Columbia previously celebrated Family Day on the second Monday in February between 2013 and 2018. However, British Columbia celebrates Family Day on the third Monday in February from 2019 onward.

New Brunswick began observing Family Day on the third Monday in February in 2018.

Not observed elsewhere. One full week during the month of March (timing varies) Week-long closure of public schools across all provinces and territories. Often used as an opportunity for families with schoolchildren to go on vacation.

Although March break rarely coincides with the Easter weekend, in 2018 Prince Edward Island schools considered merging it with the Easter holiday.

One-off holidays Governments in Canada have declared one-off holidays on certain occasions, such as the death of a Canadian monarch. A one-off holiday was declared after the death of George VI on February 15, 1952, and after the death of Elizabeth II on September 19, 2022.

September 19 was named a national day of mourning () to commemorate Elizabeth II as Canada's head of state. The day was a holiday for federal government employees. The provinces of British Columbia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and 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.

Provincial and territorial holidays Provinces and territories generally adopt the same holidays as the federal government with some variations.

DateABBCMBNBNLNTNSNUONPEQCSKYT January 1 colspan="13" Third Monday in February colspan="2" Friday preceding Easter Day colspan="13" Monday after Easter Day Monday preceding May 25 colspan="3" colspan="2" colspan="2" June 21 June 24 July 1 colspan="4" colspan="8" July 9 First Monday in August Third Monday in August First Monday in September colspan="13" September 30 Second Monday in October colspan="3" colspan="2" colspan="3" November 11 colspan="2" colspan="5" colspan="2" December 25 colspan="13" December 26 Total stat. holidays 9 11 9 8 6/15 13 6/7 11/13 9 8 8 10 11

Alberta Five nationwide statutory holidays, four provincial holidays as well as three "optional holidays".

Provincial statutory

Alberta Family Daythird Monday in February Victoria Daylast Monday preceding May 25 Thanksgivingsecond Monday in October Remembrance DayNovember 11

Optional

Easter Mondayvariable date between March 23 and April 26 Heritage Dayfirst Monday of August Alberta DaySeptember 1 National Day for Truth and ReconciliationSeptember 30 Boxing DayDecember 26

British Columbia Five nationwide and six provincial statutory holidays.

Provincial statutory

Family Daythird Monday of February Victoria Daylast Monday preceding May 25 British Columbia Dayfirst Monday of August National Day for Truth and ReconciliationSeptember 30 Thanksgivingsecond Monday of October Remembrance DayNovember 11

Manitoba Five nationwide and three provincial statutory holidays, as well as two optional holidays. Remembrance Day and Boxing Day are not statutory holidays.

Provincial statutory

Louis Riel Daythird Monday in February Victoria Daylast Monday preceding May 25 Thanksgivingsecond Monday in October

Optional

Terry Fox Day (Civic Holiday)first Monday in August Remembrance Dayan "official day of observance"

New Brunswick Five nationwide and five provincial statutory holidays. Although prescribed as public holidays, Victoria Day, Thanksgiving, and Boxing Day are not paid public holidays.

Provincial statutory

Family Daythird Monday in February (since 2018) New Brunswick Dayfirst Monday in August Remembrance DayNovember 11

Optional

Victoria Day Thanksgiving Boxing Day

Newfoundland and Labrador