Statutory Holidays in Canada
What are statutory holidays in Canada?
Employees in Canada are entitled to specific statutory holidays, which can vary by both province and designation as a federal or provincially regulated employee.
What statutory holidays do employees in Ontario get?
In Ontario, provincially regulated employees are entitled to 10 public holidays, while federally regulated employees are entitled to these days as well as National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Remembrance Day. The statutory holidays for Ontario are:
- New Year’s Day (January 1, 2025)
- Family Day (Monday, February 17, 2025)
- Good Friday (Friday, April 18, 2025)
- Victoria Day (Monday, May 19, 2025)
- Canada Day (Tuesday, July 1, 2025)
- August Long Weekend (Monday, August 4, 2025)
- Labour Day (Monday, September 1, 2025)
- National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (Tuesday, September 30, 2025 – for Federally regulated employees only)
- Thanksgiving Day (Monday, October 2025)
- Remembrance Day (Tuesday, November 11, 2025 – Federally regulated employees only)
- Christmas Day (Thursday, December 25, 2025)
- Boxing Day (Friday, December 26, 2025)
Are employees entitled to take statutory holidays off?
Employees are entitled to take these days off work, while receiving a full day’s worth of wages (called public holiday pay), unless they work in a specially exempted industry. If the holiday happens to fall on a weekend, the day off is scheduled for the work day immediately before or after.
An employer cannot force an employee to work on a public holiday. However, an employee and employer can agree to schedule the employee to work on a public holiday. In that case, the employee must express their agreement electronically or in writing, which must also specify which following two options they are receiving for pay:
- Receiving public holiday pay (ie. 1 day’s worth of wages) plus premium holiday pay, calculated at 1.5 times average pay, for any hours worked on that day; or
- Receiving public holiday pay plus another substitute holiday for which they are to be paid public holiday pay.
For an illustration, assume Sarah earns $20.00/hour and works an average of 8 hours per day. Sarah works a full day on Labour Day. If she chooses the premium pay option, in writing, she is entitled to the following:
- Public holiday pay of $160.00, being 8 hours at $20.00/hour; and
- Premium pay of $240.00, being 8 hours at $30.00/hour ($20.00 x 1.5).
If Sarah chooses the substitute holiday option, she is entitled to the following:
- Public holiday pay of $160.00, being 8 hours at $20.00/hour; and
- A substitute holiday, for which she will receive public holiday pay of $160.00/
The substitute holiday must be scheduled for no later than 3 months after Labour Day, although, if Sarah agrees in writing, it may be scheduled up to 12 months afterward.
How can Whitten and Lublin Help?
If you are an employee with questions about your statutory holiday entitlements, Whitten & Lublin is here to assist you. contact us online or by phone at (416) 640-2667.
Author – Aaron Zaltzman