Public holidays

Canada observes nine statutory public holidays: New Year's Day, Family Day, Good Friday, Victoria Day, Canada Day, Labour Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and Boxing Day. These holidays are recognized across the country, though some provinces and territories may observe additional regional holidays or use different names for certain days.

Public holidays in Canada are governed by the Canada Labour Code for federally regulated industries and by individual provincial employment standards legislation for workers under provincial jurisdiction. The specific holidays, dates, and entitlements vary depending on whether an employee works in a federally regulated sector or a provincial one.

Employees who work on a statutory public holiday are typically entitled to either the day off with pay or premium pay (often time-and-a-half or double time) if they are required to work. Some provinces require employers to provide a substitute day off if the holiday falls on a day the employee would not normally work. The rules around averaging hours and calculating holiday pay differ by province and federal jurisdiction.

Employers must ensure payroll systems accurately identify statutory public holidays and apply the correct compensation rules based on the employee's location and employment agreement. This includes tracking which holidays apply to each jurisdiction, calculating holiday pay correctly when employees work on these days, and maintaining records of holiday entitlements. Compliance requires understanding both the applicable legislation and any collective bargaining agreements that may provide enhanced holiday benefits.