Canadian Holidays

Holidays are special to everyone. Below you will find some of the more commonly celebrated holidays in Canada. Within each page, you will find some of the traditions, symbols, and meanings behind that holiday.

MAIN MENU: SYMBOLS, FACTS, & LISTS: HOLIDAYS

New Year's Day - statutory
Flag Day
Commonwealth Day
Easter - Good Friday is statutory
National Day of Mourning
Victoria Day - statutory
Canada Day - statutory
Labour Day - statutory
Thanksgiving - statutory
Halloween
Remembrance Day
Christmas Day - statutory
Boxing Day - statutory

Federal Holidays

Mixed in here are the 8 federal statutory holidays as noted above and a whole series of "theme days" of special events recognized in every province and territory. The holidays listed under "Also" occur in that month, but the date is not confirmed or changes from year to year. Various provincial holidays are listed below.

JANUARY

1 - New Year's Day

FEBRUARY

Black History Month
2 - Groundhog Day
2nd week - National Citizenship Week
14 - Valentine's Day
15 - Flag Day

Also:
Heritage Day

MARCH

Second Monday - Commonwealth Day

Also:
International Women's Day
Semaine nationale de la francophonie
Canada Music Week
International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination

APRIL

Good Friday

Also:
National Wildlife
Earth Day
National Volunteer Week

MAY

National Tourism Month
24 - Victoria Day

Also:
National Forest Week
International Day of Families
International Museums Day
Indigenous Awareness Week
Canada's Fitweek

JUNE

Also:
Canadian Environment Week
World Environment Day

JULY

1 - Canada Day

Also:
Parks Day

AUGUST

SEPTEMBER

Country Music Month
First Monday - Labour Day

Also:
International Literacy Day
Architecture Week
International Day of Peace

OCTOBER

Women's History Month
Second Monday - Thanksgiving
31 - Halloween

Also:
International Day for Natural Disaster Reduction
World Habitat Day
Persons Day
United Nations Day

NOVEMBER

1 - All Saints' Day
11 - Remembrance Day

Also:
National Drug Awareness Week
National Child Day

DECEMBER

24 - Christmas Eve
25 - Christmas Day
26 - Boxing Day
31 - New Year's Eve

Also:
International Volunteer Day for Economic and Social Development
National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence against women
Human Rights Day

Provincial Holidays

Ontario

Simcoe Day [first Monday of August]

Quebec

National Day [June 24]

Nova Scotia

Natal Day [first Monday of August]

New Brunswick

New Brunswick Day [first Monday of August]

Manitoba

Civic Holiday [first Monday of August]

British Columbia

British Columbia Day [first Monday of August]

Prince Edward Island

Natal Day [first Monday of August]

Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan Day [first Monday of August]

Alberta

Alberta Family Day [third Monday of February]
Heritage Day [first Monday of August]

Newfoundland and Labrador

Celebrated on nearest Monday:
St. Patrick's Day [March 17]
St. George's Day [April 23]
Discovery Day [June 24]
Memorial Day [July 1]
Orangemen's Day [July 12]

Regatta Day [first Wednesday in August]

Northwest Territories

Civic Holiday [first Monday of August]

Yukon

Discovery Day [third Monday of August]

Nunavut

Civic Holiday [first Monday of August]