Sunday, September 23, 2007


Canadian national holidays (with provincial exceptions):
Each province of Canada has its own provincial holiday(s). Although not official holidays, Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day, Mother's Day, Father's Day, and Hallowe'en are traditionally celebrated by Canadians.
The observance of individuals' religious holidays is widely accepted as well (see Multiculturalism). For example, some school children and employees take days off for Jewish holidays, Muslim holidays, or Eastern Orthodox observances according to the Julian calendar.

Statutory holidays
The nine statutory holidays listed above are mandated by federal legislation for federally regulated employees, as is Easter Monday. All banks apply these holidays to their schedule.

Federal
Provinces and territories generally adopt the same holidays as the federal government with some variations:
Many employers give their employees days off that may not be statutory holidays in the particular province, particularly Boxing Day. Similarly, many federally regulated employees have negotiated additional holidays, that are common holidays in the provinces such that many also take Easter Monday and the first Monday in August.

Flag of Alberta Alberta - 9 holidays

  • Heritage Day - first Monday of August is not a statutory holiday.
    Boxing Day is not a statutory holiday.
    Remembrance Day Remembrance Day - November 11
    Family Day - third Monday in February
    Flag of British Columbia British Columbia - 9 holidays

    • Boxing Day is not a statutory holiday.
      British Columbia Day - first Monday in August
      Flag of Manitoba Manitoba - 9 holidays

      • Manitoba's newest unnamed holiday will be celebrated on the 3rd Monday of February starting February 18th 2008. This holiday is similar to Family Day in Alberta and Saskatchewan
        Remembrance Day and Boxing Day are not statutory holidays, although only the Retail Sector is open on these days within specific regulatory guidelines for hours of service.
        Remembrance Day is not termed a statutory holiday, but rather an "Official day of Observance", and must be paid overtime if required to work on this day. Most Manitobans, with the exception of the retail sector, get the day off.
        First Monday in August.
        Flag of New Brunswick New Brunswick - 7 holidays

        • Victoria Day, Thanksgiving, and Boxing Day are not statutory holidays.
          New Brunswick Day - first Monday in August
          Flag of Newfoundland and Labrador Newfoundland and Labrador - up to 11 holidays (most observed on closest Monday) per the Shops' Closing Act

          • All federal holidays as listed above. Canada Day is additionally celebrated as Memorial Day.
            Easter Sunday (in some cases, e.g. banks, observed on Monday)
            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 (weather permitting). Harbour Grace has a similar holiday for its regatta. All other municipalities are entitled to designate one day a year as a civic holiday, however many do not take advantage of this.
            St. Patrick's Day (March 17), St. George's Day (April 23), Discovery Day (June 24) and Orangemen's Day (July 12) have not been observed as statutory holidays since 1992. They are, however, observed by the provincial government.
            Flag of Northwest Territories Northwest Territories - 10 holidays

            • National Aboriginal Day - June 21
              Flag of Nova Scotia Nova Scotia - 6 holidays (including Remembrance Day; see below)

              • Victoria Day, Thanksgiving, and Boxing Day are not statutory holidays.
                Remembrance Day is a special case and employers have the option of giving Remembrance Day or an alternate day off.
                Natal Day - First Monday in August is not a statutory holiday but a common day off.
                Flag of Nunavut Nunavut - 9 holidays

                • Nunavut Day - July 9, originated as a paid holiday for Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated and regional Inuit associations. It became a ½ 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.
                  Boxing Day is not a statutory holiday.
                  First Monday in August.
                  Flag of Ontario Ontario - 8 holidays

                  • Remembrance Day is not a statutory holiday in Ontario.
                    Although not a statutory holiday, municipalities may designate the first Monday in August as a civic holiday. This is called Simcoe Day in Toronto, and Colonel By Day in Ottawa, with other areas using other names.
                    Flag of Prince Edward Island Prince Edward Island - 6 holidays

                    • The August Civic holiday, Easter Monday, Thanksgiving, and Boxing Day are not statutory holidays. However, Federal Government employees (and some Provincial employees) do have arrangements in their collective agreements to receive these as paid days off. Provincial employees in some cases have bargained for the Gold Cup and Saucer Day in place of the August Civic holiday.
                      Flag of Quebec Quebec - 8 holidays

                      • Employers must give either Good Friday or Easter Monday as a statutory holiday.
                        Victoria Day coincides with National Patriotes Day.
                        Fête Nationale (St. John the Baptist's Day) - June 24
                        Construction Holiday takes place during the last two weeks of July — while it applies officially only to the construction industry, many other Quebecers arrange to take their vacations during these two weeks.
                        Many of the specific details of employment law are quite different in Quebec.
                        Flag of Saskatchewan Saskatchewan - 9 holidays

                        • Family Day - third Monday in February
                          Saskatchewan Day - first Monday in August
                          Flag of Yukon Yukon - 9 holidays

                          • Discovery Day - third Monday in August Provincial and territorial
                            In Canada, there are two definitions of the term "civic holiday":

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

                            BC DayBC Day Legal definition
                            Another common definition of the civic holiday refers to a particular annual holiday, celebrated on the first Monday of August in most Canadian provinces. However, this definition is far from uniform nationwide. Two provinces and one territory do not recognize it at all, and five other provinces do not oblige employers to offer holiday pay on this day, thus making it a civic holiday in the legal sense. No universal name is recognized for this holiday, either — the official name varies between the provinces and even between municipalities within Ontario. In British Columbia this day is known as BC Day.

                            The August holiday
                            Some cities also have statutory holidays that are celebrated only within the city limits. For instance, the morning of the Stampede Parade is a legal half-day holiday in the city of Calgary.

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