Canadian statutory holiday

In Canada, a Statutory Holiday (also known as "general" or "public" holiday) is a holiday legislated either through the federal, provincial or territorial governments. Most workers, public or private, are entitled to take the day off with regular pay. However, for businesses that are normally open employers may require employees to work on such a holiday but in this case, must be paid at a premium rate -- usually 1½ (known as "time and a half") or 2 times the regular pay. In most provinces, when a statutory holiday falls on a normal day off (generally a weekend), the following work day is considered a statutory holiday.

The 9 statutory holidays mandated by federal legislation are only applicable to federally regulated employees. These are as follows:

• New Year's Day - January 1, also January 2 in Quebec
• Good Friday - Friday before Easter Sunday.
• Victoria Day - Monday on or before May 24.
• Canada Day - July 1
• Labour Day - first Monday in September.
• Thanksgiving Day - second Monday in October.
• Remembrance Day - November 11.
• Christmas Day - December 25.
• Boxing Day - December 26.

Provinces generally adopt the same holidays as the federal government with some variations:

• Alberta - 9 holidays
  • Boxing day is not a statutory holiday.
  • Family Day - third Monday in February.
• British Columbia - 9 holidays
  • Boxing Day is not a statutory holiday.
  • BC Day - First Monday in August
• Manitoba - 7 holidays
  • Thanksgiving, Remembrance Day and Boxing Day are not statutory holidays.
• Remembrance day is not a official statutory holiday, but must be paid overtime if required to work on this day.
• New Brunswick - 6 holidays
  • Victoria Day, Thanksgiving, Remembrance Day and Boxing Day are not statutory holidays.
  • New Brunswick Day - first Monday in August.
• Newfoundland - 5 holidays
  • Victoria Day, Thanksgiving, Remembrance Day and Boxing Day are not statutory holidays.
  • Canada Day is called Memorial Day in Newfoundland.
  • St. Patrick's Day - March 17
  • Discovery Day - June 24
• Northwest Territories - 10 holidays
  • National Aboriginal Day - June 21.
• Nova Scotia - 6 holidays (including the Remembrance Day special case)
  • 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 officially a statutory holiday but a common day off.
• Nunavut - 9 holidays
  • Boxing Day is not a statutory holiday.
  • First Monday in August.
• Prince Edward Island - 5 holidays
  • Victoria Day, Thanksgiving, Remembrance Day and Boxing Day are not statutory holidays.
• Ontario - 8 holidays
  • Remembrance day is not a statutory holiday in Ontario.
  • Although not officially 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.
• Quebec - 8 holidays
  • Thanksgiving, Remembrance Day and Boxing Day are not statutory holidays.
  • Victoria Day is called Fête des Patriotes.
  • Employers may choose whether Easter Friday or Easter Monday is the holiday.
  • Fête Nationale (St. John the Baptist’s Day) - June 24.
  • Many of the specific details on employment law are quite different in Quebec.
• Saskatchewan - 9 holidays
  • Easter Monday is not a statutory holiday.
  • Saskatchewan Day - First Monday in August.
• Yukon - 9 holidays
  • Boxing Day is not a holiday in Yukon.
  • Discovery Day - Third Monday in August.

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.

See Also

• Civic Holiday

References

• Public Holidays (http://www.pch.gc.ca/progs/cpsc-ccsp/jfa-ha/index_e.cfm)
• Holidays in provinces and territories (http://www.pch.gc.ca/progs/cpsc-ccsp/jfa-ha/prov_e.cfm)
• workrights.ca (http://www.workrights.ca/Work+Time/statutory+holidays.htm)