Statutory Holidays Across Canada. They Are Not The Same Everywhere
There is no single national list of statutory holidays in Canada. Federal jurisdiction means each sets its own general holidays, while provinces and territories each have separate holiday rules.
The number of holidays, which days are recognised, who qualifies for holiday pay, and how that pay is calculated all vary by province and territory.
For employers with staff in multiple provinces, this means managing several different holiday calendars at once, and getting holiday pay wrong is a common source of compliance complaints.
How Many Statutory Holidays Apply
- Federally Regulated Employees – 10 statutory holidays.
- Ontario – 9 public holidays.
- British Columbia – 10 statutory holidays.
- Alberta – 9 general holidays.
- Québec – 8 statutory holidays under the LSA.
- Most Other Provinces – Between 8 and 10, depending on the jurisdiction.
Holidays That Are Not Universal
Some holidays are recognised in certain provinces but not others. Examples:
- Family Day – A statutory holiday in Ontario, Alberta, BC, Saskatchewan, and New Brunswick but on different dates, and not recognised in Québec, Atlantic provinces (except NB), or the territories. The holiday name can vary by jurisdiction.
- BC Day / Civic Holiday (First Monday of August) – A statutory holiday in BC. Recognised by most jurisdictions, but optional for many employers in Ontario under their ESA.
- Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day (June 24) – Québec’s national holiday, mandatory in Québec and recognised nowhere else.
- Heritage Day (Alberta) – An optional general holiday in Alberta.
- National Day For Truth And Reconciliation (September 30) – A statutory holiday for federally regulated employees and in some provinces (BC, PEI, others), but not all.
Eligibility Rules Vary
Qualification for holiday pay depends on provincial rules, which often considers the employee’s work pattern around the holiday.
- Ontario uses a formula based on the employee’s regular wages earned in the four work weeks before the holiday.
- Some provinces require the employee to have worked a minimum number of days in the period before the holiday.
- Some provinces require the employee to work immediately before and after the holiday (the “last and first” rule) to qualify.
- Casual and part time employees may qualify differently than full time staff.
Working On A Statutory Holiday
If an employee works on a statutory holiday, most provinces require either premium pay (typically time and a half) plus a substitute day off, or holiday pay plus premium pay. This does vary by jurisdicton or category. We can advise further on this.
The exact entitlement varies by province.
Calculating this incorrectly, or failing to provide a substitute day is a frequent compliance error, when it is required.
How Bridgewwater TI Handles It
We track the statutory holiday calendar for every province or territory where your employees work, apply the correct eligibility rules, and calculate holiday pay and premium pay accurately for each jurisdiction or territory.
If you have a team spread across Ontario, BC, Alberta, and Québec, we manage four different holiday calendars so you do not have to.
Managing Holidays Across Multiple Provinces?
Book a call.
We handle the calendar complexity so your team is always paid correctly.