Official National holidays in Canada
National holidays in Canada , are legislated at the federal,provincial and territorial levels. Many of these holidays are observed All over the country, but each province and territory in Canada has its own holidays as well.
While major Christian holidays such as Good Friday and Christmas are officially observed, leave is permitted for other religious holidays as well. For example, some school children and employees take days off for Jewish holidays, Muslim holidays, Hindu holidays, or Eastern Orthodox observances according to the Julian calendar. While not normally taken off work, Saint Patrick’s Day,Valentine’s Day, Halloween,Father’s Day and Mother’s Day are traditionally observed by Canadians. The Celebrate Canada series is a collection of important cultural days beginning with National Aboriginal Day on June 21, and followed by St-Jean Baptiste Day on June 24, Canadian Multiculturalism Day on June 27, and concluding with Canada Day on July 1.Following is the list of national holidays in Canada .
List of the National holidays in Canada
Date | Weekday | Holiday name | Holiday type | |
Jan 1 | Friday | New Year’s Day | National holiday | |
Jan 2 | Saturday | Day After New Year’s Day | Local holiday | |
Jan 6 | Wednesday | Epiphany | Observance, Christian | |
Jan 7 | Thursday | Orthodox Christmas Day | Orthodox | |
Jan 14 | Thursday | Orthodox New Year | Orthodox | |
Jan 25 | Monday | Tu B’Shevat (Arbor Day) | Jewish holiday | |
Feb 2 | Tuesday | Groundhog Day | Observance | |
Feb 8 | Monday | Family Day | Common Local holidays | |
Feb 8 | Monday | Chinese New Year | Observance | |
Feb 9 | Tuesday | Carnival/Shrove Tuesday | Christian | |
Feb 10 | Wednesday | Ash Wednesday | Christian | |
Feb 14 | Sunday | Valentine’s Day | Observance | |
Feb 15 | Monday | National Flag of Canada Day | Observance | |
Feb 15 | Monday | Islander Day | Common Local holidays | |
Feb 15 | Monday | Family Day | Common Local holidays | |
Feb 15 | Monday | Nova Scotia Heritage Day | Common Local holidays | |
Feb 15 | Monday | Louis Riel Day | Common Local holidays | |
Feb 19 | Friday | Yukon Heritage Day | Local holiday | |
Mar 1 | Tuesday | St David’s Day | Observance | |
Mar 13 | Sunday | Daylight Saving Time starts | Clock change/Daylight Saving Time | |
Mar 14 | Monday | Commonwealth Day | Observance | |
Mar 14 | Monday | St. Patrick’s Day | Local holiday | |
Mar 17 | Thursday | St. Patrick’s Day | Observance | |
Mar 20 | Sunday | Palm Sunday | Christian | |
Mar 20 | Sunday | March equinox | Season | |
Mar 24 | Thursday | Maundy Thursday | Christian | |
Mar 24 | Thursday | Purim | Jewish holiday | |
Mar 25 | Friday | Good Friday | National holiday, Christian | |
Mar 26 | Saturday | Holy Saturday | Christian | |
Mar 27 | Sunday | Easter Sunday | Observance, Christian | |
Mar 28 | Monday | Easter Monday | Common Local holidays | |
Apr 6 | Wednesday | National Tartan Day | Observance | |
Apr 9 | Saturday | Vimy Ridge Day | Observance | |
Apr 23 | Saturday | First day of Passover | Jewish holiday | |
Apr 25 | Monday | St. George’s Day | Local holiday | |
Apr 29 | Friday | Orthodox Good Friday | Orthodox | |
Apr 30 | Saturday | Last day of Passover | Jewish holiday | |
Apr 30 | Saturday | Orthodox Holy Saturday | Orthodox | |
May 1 | Sunday | Orthodox Easter | Orthodox | |
May 2 | Monday | Orthodox Easter Monday | Orthodox | |
May 4 | Wednesday | Yom HaShoah | Jewish holiday | |
May 5 | Thursday | Ascension Day | Christian | |
May 5 | Thursday | Isra and Mi’raj | Muslim | |
May 8 | Sunday | Mother’s Day | Observance | |
May 12 | Thursday | Yom HaAtzmaut | Jewish holiday | |
May 15 | Sunday | Pentecost | Christian | |
May 16 | Monday | Whit Monday | Christian | |
May 22 | Sunday | Trinity Sunday | Christian | |
May 23 | Monday | Victoria Day | Common Local holidays | |
May 23 | Monday | National Patriots’ Day | Local holiday | |
May 26 | Thursday | Corpus Christi | Christian | |
May 26 | Thursday | Lag B’Omer | Jewish holiday | |
Jun 7 | Tuesday | Ramadan begins | Muslim | |
Jun 12 | Sunday | Shavuot | Jewish holiday | |
Jun 19 | Sunday | Father’s Day | Observance | |
Jun 20 | Monday | June Solstice | Season | |
Jun 21 | Tuesday | National Aboriginal Day | Observance | |
Jun 21 | Tuesday | National Aboriginal Day | Local holiday | |
Jun 24 | Friday | St. Jean Baptiste Day | Local holiday | |
Jun 27 | Monday | Discovery Day | Local holiday | |
Jul 1 | Friday | Canada Day | National holiday | |
Jul 1 | Friday | Memorial Day | Local observance | |
Jul 2 | Saturday | Laylat al-Qadr (Night of Destiny) | Muslim | |
Jul 7 | Thursday | Eid-al-Fitr | Muslim | |
Jul 9 | Saturday | Nunavut Day | Local holiday | |
Jul 11 | Monday | Orangemen’s Day | Local holiday | |
Aug 1 | Monday | Heritage Day in Alberta | Common Local holidays | |
Aug 1 | Monday | Civic/Provincial Day | Common Local holidays | |
Aug 1 | Monday | Terry Fox Day | Common Local holidays | |
Aug 1 | Monday | New Brunswick Day | Common Local holidays | |
Aug 1 | Monday | British Columbia Day | Common Local holidays | |
Aug 1 | Monday | Natal Day | Common Local holidays | |
Aug 3 | Wednesday | The Royal St John’s Regatta (St John’s) | Local holiday | |
Aug 14 | Sunday | Tisha B’Av | Jewish holiday | |
Aug 15 | Monday | Assumption of Mary | Christian | |
Aug 15 | Monday | Discovery Day | Local holiday | |
Aug 19 | Friday | Gold Cup Parade | Local holiday | |
Sep 5 | Monday | Labour Day | National holiday | |
Sep 13 | Tuesday | Eid-al-Adha | Muslim | |
Sep 22 | Thursday | September equinox | Season | |
Oct 3 | Monday | Rosh Hashana | Jewish holiday | |
Oct 3 | Monday | Muharram/Islamic New Year | Muslim | |
Oct 4 | Tuesday | Feast of St Francis of Assisi | Christian | |
Oct 10 | Monday | Thanksgiving Day | National holiday | |
Oct 10 | Monday | Thanksgiving Day | Observance | |
Oct 12 | Wednesday | Yom Kippur | Jewish holiday | |
Oct 17 | Monday | First day of Sukkot | Jewish holiday | |
Oct 23 | Sunday | Last day of Sukkot | Jewish holiday | |
Oct 24 | Monday | Shmini Atzeret | Jewish holiday | |
Oct 25 | Tuesday | Simchat Torah | Jewish holiday | |
Oct 29 | Saturday | Diwali/Deepavali | Observance | |
Oct 31 | Monday | Halloween | Observance | |
Nov 1 | Tuesday | All Saints’ Day | Observance | |
Nov 2 | Wednesday | All Souls’ Day | Christian | |
Nov 6 | Sunday | Daylight Saving Time ends | Clock change/Daylight Saving Time | |
Nov 11 | Friday | Remembrance Day | National holiday | |
Nov 11 | Friday | Remembrance Day | Observance | |
Nov 27 | Sunday | First Sunday of Advent | Observance | |
Dec 8 | Thursday | Feast of the Immaculate Conception | Christian | |
Dec 11 | Sunday | Anniversary of the Statute of Westminster | Observance | |
Dec 12 | Monday | Prophet’s Birthday | Muslim | |
Dec 21 | Wednesday | December Solstice | Season | |
Dec 24 | Saturday | Christmas Eve | Observance | |
Dec 25 | Sunday | First Day of Hanukkah | Jewish holiday | |
Dec 25 | Sunday | Christmas | National holiday, Christian | |
Dec 26 | Monday | Boxing Day | Common Local holidays | |
Dec 31 | Saturday | New Year’s Eve | Observance |
Nationwide National holidays in Canada
Date | English name | Remarks |
January 1 | New Year’s Day | Celebrates the first day of every year in the Gregorian calendar. |
Friday before Easter Day | Good Friday | Commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus. In Quebec, non-federally regulated employers must give either Good Friday or Easter Monday as a statutory holiday, though some give both days. |
July 1 | Canada Day | Celebrates Canada’s 1867 Confederation and establishment of dominion status. In Newfoundland and Labrador, observed as Memorial Day. |
First Monday in September | Labour Day | Celebrates economic and social achievements of workers. |
December 25 | Christmas Day | Celebrates the Nativity of Jesus. |