Stat Holidays in Canada 2026
Every statutory holiday for every province — exact dates, what's truly statutory vs optional, and how holiday pay works where you are.
Quick answer: five holidays are statutory almost everywhere in 2026 — New Year's Day (Thu Jan 1), Good Friday (Fri Apr 3), Canada Day (Wed Jul 1), Labour Day (Mon Sep 7), and Christmas (Fri Dec 25). Everything else varies by province: Ontario has 9 public holidays, BC has 11, Nova Scotia just 6. Pick your province below for the full list.
2026 Statutory Holidays by Province
| Holiday | 2026 Date | Onta | BC | Albe | Sask | Mani | Queb |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day | Thursday, January 1 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Family Day | Monday, February 16 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | — |
| Good Friday | Friday, April 3 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Victoria Day | Monday, May 18 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day | Wednesday, June 24 | — | — | — | — | — | ✓ |
| Canada Day | Wednesday, July 1 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| British Columbia Day | Monday, August 3 | — | ✓ | — | ✓ | — | — |
| Labour Day | Monday, September 7 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| National Day for Truth and Reconciliation | Wednesday, September 30 | — | ✓ | — | — | — | — |
| Thanksgiving | Monday, October 12 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Remembrance Day | Wednesday, November 11 | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | — | — |
| Christmas Day | Friday, December 25 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Boxing Day | Saturday, December 26 | ✓ | — | — | — | — | — |
✓ = statutory under that province's employment standards. February 16 appears under different names (Family Day in ON/BC/AB/SK, Louis Riel Day in MB, Heritage Day in NS, Islander Day in PEI). August 3 is statutory only as BC Day, Saskatchewan Day, and New Brunswick Day. Atlantic provinces and territories: see their dedicated pages. Verified July 2026 — always confirm with your province's employment standards.
Frequently Asked Questions
Five holidays are statutory almost everywhere in Canada in 2026: New Year's Day (Thu Jan 1), Good Friday (Fri Apr 3), Canada Day (Wed Jul 1), Labour Day (Mon Sep 7), and Christmas Day (Fri Dec 25). Beyond those, each province differs: Ontario has 9 public holidays, BC has 11, Alberta 9, Quebec 8, and Nova Scotia only 6. Use the province pages for exact lists.
It depends on the province. August 3, 2026 is a true statutory holiday in BC (British Columbia Day), Saskatchewan (Saskatchewan Day), and New Brunswick (New Brunswick Day). In Ontario the Civic Holiday is optional — widely given, but employers are not required to. In Alberta, Heritage Day is an optional general holiday.
The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (Wed Sep 30, 2026) is a paid holiday for federally regulated employees and statutory in BC and PEI (Manitoba has recently legislated it — verify current status). In Ontario, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Quebec it is not a general statutory holiday, though many employers observe it voluntarily.
Each province has its own formula. Ontario: wages in the previous 4 work weeks ÷ 20. BC: an average day's pay over the previous 30 days. Alberta: average daily wage. Saskatchewan and Manitoba: 5% of the prior 4 weeks' wages. Working the holiday generally adds 1.5x premium pay. Our stat holiday pay calculator does the Ontario math instantly.
British Columbia leads with 11 statutory holidays (including BC Day, Remembrance Day, and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation). Nova Scotia has the fewest at 6. Federally regulated employees (banks, telecom, airlines) get 10 under the Canada Labour Code.
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